Specialty coffee in Tokyo.
With 216 specialty cafés and roasters on the map, Tokyo belongs to the small group of cities with a three-digit count on Roasters. This guide puts that number in context.
Where Tokyo sits on the map
Across Asia, Tokyo ranks #4 of 251 cities on Roasters and holds 8% of every specialty café listed in the region.
Tokyo leads the national ranking: 46% of every specialty café listed in Japan is here, against 55 cafés for Kyoto, the runner-up.
Only 16 cities anywhere list more specialty coffee on Roasters than Tokyo.
The scene is big enough for themed guides: 10 of them cover Tokyo, from espresso to where to work on a laptop.
For the story behind the numbers, read our Journal piece on Tokyo. A guide to specialty coffee in Tokyo →
Finding the best coffee in Tokyo
The best coffee in Tokyo isn't a chain. It's the independent café where the barista dials in espresso every morning, the roastery that names the farm on the bag, the brew bar that takes filter as seriously as espresso. Roasters maps 216 of them.
Reviews, photos and check-ins from the community decide how cafés in Tokyo surface in the app. No paid placements, no sponsored pins.
- A grinder dialled in daily
- Roast dates within the last few weeks
- Origin and process on the bag
- Single-origin or light-roasted blends
Find every specialty café
in Tokyo.
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About specialty coffee in Tokyo
How big is the specialty coffee scene in Tokyo?
There are 216 cafés and roasters in Tokyo on Roasters, which ranks the city #1 in Japan and #17 worldwide.
How does Tokyo compare with other cities in Japan?
Tokyo ranks #1 of 64 cities on Roasters in Japan. The median city there lists 1 café; Tokyo lists 216.
What other cities in Asia are comparable to Tokyo for coffee?
Looking only at the number of specialty cafés listed, Bali (Indonesia), Bangkok (Thailand) and Seoul (South Korea) are the nearest peers to Tokyo in the region.
Are there themed coffee guides for Tokyo?
Yes, 10. Roasters publishes themed guides for cities with at least 30 specialty cafés (plus curated surf, cycling and running cities), and Tokyo qualifies.
Does the Roasters app cost anything?
The app and the full café map are free. Roasters Pro is an optional upgrade with advanced filters, unlimited lists and other power features.
Can I add a café in Tokyo to Roasters?
Yes. Anyone can submit a café or roaster. Submissions are reviewed before going live to keep the listings in Tokyo focused on specialty coffee.
Can cafés pay to rank higher on Roasters?
No. Placement comes from community reviews, photos and check-ins. There are no sponsored listings.
