Whether you’re caught up in work emails, group chats or just infinitely scrolling TikTok, it can be hard to take a break from your phone. Sometimes you need an incentive to put your phone down, and this hidden café in Harajuku offers exactly that.
Hanarida is a digital detox café where you’re encouraged to have face-to-face conversations with your friends, and browsing through your phone is frowned upon. If you find the temptation to check your notifications is just too great, just pop your phone in one of the venue’s lockers – you’ll get a free drink as a reward.
Despite being in one of the busiest parts of Tokyo, the surrounding neighbourhood is fairly quiet and you’ll feel separated from the hustle and bustle once you step inside. The café has two floors furnished with comfortable couches and plants. There’s even a cosy living room area with a bed you can lounge on.
The menu offers plenty of drinks to help you unwind including coffee, herbal teas, fruit juice and cola with optional CBD added, plus beer and cocktails. Light snacks like vegetable crisps are available here, but for something more substantial, just head to the restaurant Reiwa Food Collection on the first floor of the same building to get rice and noodle dishes. Hanarida also offers nicotine-free shisha made from dried fruit.
Every Sunday is the official digital detox day, when customers are completely banned from using phones, tablets or laptops. There are loads of other things on offer to take your mind off scrolling, like board games and Polaroid cameras you can take photos with.