HIGASHIYA GINZA

The decor was amazing and we were so impressed with the attention to detail for everything from service to design. The tea they offer were also great. We also love some of the dessert they offer. The food was not that special I. It’s say. However, it was a nice experience and we enjoyed it. Note that you are only allowed to take photos of the dishes on your table and not the atmosphere. Guess you will have to go see to enjoy it yourself. Highly recommend if you want to see some amazing decor.

our tea experience here was unmatched. Asahinho was our server and he was fantastic. the tea here is amazing, come hungry for many small bites and enjoy over a long chat with a good friend :)

We had a fantastic lunch here. We told them it was our wedding anniversary and they gave us a sparkling tea on the house to celebrate, as well as a special anniversary plate for our desserts. So thoughtful! The staff were friendlier and more talkative than those at most places I’ve been to in Japan, which made us feel very welcome here. I would certainly come back again.

We ordered sincha (the first harvest of sencha in spring) with a dessert. The tea was decent and the dessert was good. The best part was the ambient. It’s a beautiful place (a little old but still elegant) and it provide the right quiet ambient for a relaxing time. Service was impeccable too. The wait staff explained the menu well. And they asked that we eat the tea leaves after drinking three rounds of tea brewed from them.

For avid high-tea lovers, this is a must-visit destination. Higashiya is a Japanese tea house that embraces its traditional roots while enhancing it with a hint of modern refinement. The shop front is where they offer a wide range of quality Japanese teas, traditional confectionery (wagashi), and gifts wrapped in beautiful packaging. The back is an elusive tea salon that is not deliberately made apparent, perhaps aimed to preserve tranquility for the guests who are enjoying tea, the very principle in Japanese tea culture. In this tea salon is also where you'd find various tea and food courses, including the Samajiki course which somewhat resembles a high-tea, but is a traditional Japanese tea ritual that guarantees a delightful sensory experience. The wait staff were kind enough to explain the menu details in English, and took great care to present every utensil and dish in an immaculate manner akin to the spirit of Japanese tea ceremony. Two seasonal Japanese teas were provided alongside a third of our choosing, followed by seeping and preparation with the most appropriate methods. While we weren't tea connoisseurs, we could still appreciate the depth in aroma and characterising flavour each tea offered. Each piece of wagashi had a unique flavour that fully embraced the ingredient. From the sour preserves to the eggy Castella cake, the ginger yokan to the fresh strawberry mochi, we were constantly surprised by every bite taken. The whole experience was very much an embodiment of Japanese craftsmanship - ceremonial, tranquil, appreciative, immaculate, and always exceeding expectations.

Located in the heart of Ginza, we thought it would be fun to try a traditional Japanese afternoon tea. I had made reservations in advance online, and asked my hotel to confirm the day of, so we had no issues when we arrived. This place definitely takes their tea very seriously — do not make the mistake of asking for milk or sugar with your tea like I did! The savoury tea items were delicious, but some of the traditional Japanese sweets were a little too unique for our liking. Service was polite, and they even gave us a little thank you gift on the way out (crackers of some sort). We also picked up a few snacks from their gift shop, much of which was beautifully packaged and perfect for souvenirs. Overall, it was a little expensive(5000 yen per person) and we probably wouldn’t do it again, but if you are a fan of high tea, definitely consider this option for something different!

Great place to buy classy gift. The tea here is spectacular. We buy tea here to give as gifts. They are on the pricey side but it is worth the price if you appreciate high quality tea.

What a special experience. I wanted to enjoy Japanese dessert, and this was incredible. We went for the afternoon tea. We could chose 2 types of tea each (included in the price) which were described on a menu. We were showed the raw ingredients of the tea, so our choices were in line with what we'd like. Perfection!

The decor was amazing and we were so impressed with the attention to detail for everything from service to design. The tea they offer were also great. We also love some of the dessert they offer. The food was not that special I. It’s say. However, it was a nice experience and we enjoyed it. Note that you are only allowed to take photos of the dishes on your table and not the atmosphere. Guess you will have to go see to enjoy it yourself. Highly recommend if you want to see some amazing decor.

our tea experience here was unmatched. Asahinho was our server and he was fantastic. the tea here is amazing, come hungry for many small bites and enjoy over a long chat with a good friend :)

We had a fantastic lunch here. We told them it was our wedding anniversary and they gave us a sparkling tea on the house to celebrate, as well as a special anniversary plate for our desserts. So thoughtful! The staff were friendlier and more talkative than those at most places I’ve been to in Japan, which made us feel very welcome here. I would certainly come back again.

We ordered sincha (the first harvest of sencha in spring) with a dessert. The tea was decent and the dessert was good. The best part was the ambient. It’s a beautiful place (a little old but still elegant) and it provide the right quiet ambient for a relaxing time. Service was impeccable too. The wait staff explained the menu well. And they asked that we eat the tea leaves after drinking three rounds of tea brewed from them.

For avid high-tea lovers, this is a must-visit destination. Higashiya is a Japanese tea house that embraces its traditional roots while enhancing it with a hint of modern refinement. The shop front is where they offer a wide range of quality Japanese teas, traditional confectionery (wagashi), and gifts wrapped in beautiful packaging. The back is an elusive tea salon that is not deliberately made apparent, perhaps aimed to preserve tranquility for the guests who are enjoying tea, the very principle in Japanese tea culture. In this tea salon is also where you'd find various tea and food courses, including the Samajiki course which somewhat resembles a high-tea, but is a traditional Japanese tea ritual that guarantees a delightful sensory experience. The wait staff were kind enough to explain the menu details in English, and took great care to present every utensil and dish in an immaculate manner akin to the spirit of Japanese tea ceremony. Two seasonal Japanese teas were provided alongside a third of our choosing, followed by seeping and preparation with the most appropriate methods. While we weren't tea connoisseurs, we could still appreciate the depth in aroma and characterising flavour each tea offered. Each piece of wagashi had a unique flavour that fully embraced the ingredient. From the sour preserves to the eggy Castella cake, the ginger yokan to the fresh strawberry mochi, we were constantly surprised by every bite taken. The whole experience was very much an embodiment of Japanese craftsmanship - ceremonial, tranquil, appreciative, immaculate, and always exceeding expectations.

Located in the heart of Ginza, we thought it would be fun to try a traditional Japanese afternoon tea. I had made reservations in advance online, and asked my hotel to confirm the day of, so we had no issues when we arrived. This place definitely takes their tea very seriously — do not make the mistake of asking for milk or sugar with your tea like I did! The savoury tea items were delicious, but some of the traditional Japanese sweets were a little too unique for our liking. Service was polite, and they even gave us a little thank you gift on the way out (crackers of some sort). We also picked up a few snacks from their gift shop, much of which was beautifully packaged and perfect for souvenirs. Overall, it was a little expensive(5000 yen per person) and we probably wouldn’t do it again, but if you are a fan of high tea, definitely consider this option for something different!

Great place to buy classy gift. The tea here is spectacular. We buy tea here to give as gifts. They are on the pricey side but it is worth the price if you appreciate high quality tea.

What a special experience. I wanted to enjoy Japanese dessert, and this was incredible. We went for the afternoon tea. We could chose 2 types of tea each (included in the price) which were described on a menu. We were showed the raw ingredients of the tea, so our choices were in line with what we'd like. Perfection!

Tokyo, Ginza 1-Chome. November 2022. A long established tea company with cafe locations in Tokyo. You will be attracted to the wagashi but Higashiya is a tea business. This main store in the main street in Ginza has a full tea salon that also serves full meals with tea and wagashi. You can get a full on kaiseki styled meal with several teas and wagashi served as courses along with very good food. You can consider it as your main meal for the day. It is easier to opt for a lighter more shortened meal if you have additional meals planned. Their Ichiju-Sansai a set meal with two teas and a wagashi of your choice. Ichiju-Sansai means one main dish and three side dished. Rice (all you want) and miso soup in included. The main, sides, rice, and soup are the four elements of a traditional healthy meal. Service is well paced but keep in mind this is not going to be a quick meal. The service of tea is designed to allow you to calmly reflect on things and leave behind the urgency in your daily life. Take the time to appreciate the entirety of your meal. Without any doubt, this tea sabo offers the best and most refined tea and food service you will find in Ginza.

What an amazing experience we had at the place! Great ambiance, great service and attention to detail. Highly recommend!

Came here with high hopes expectations and was very let down. Nothing was good. It was also very expensive. Considerable regrets. I regret coming here.

Note: the shop may be a little difficult to find if you just use Google Maps or Apple Maps. The shop is inside the POLA building on the second floor (the shops are listed on a board just outside the elevators). A relatively affordable place to get traditional Japanese confectionaries. I paid a little more than 2000 yen and got the box of 1-day sweets (which seem to rotate on a regular basis), and one box of wafers with seasonal flavors of some kind of paste (I can't remember the name). The items take sweet, salty, and sour elements to mix the natural flavors of different ingredients rather than refined or artificial flavorings. If you're a first-timer to Japanese sweets, the neri yokan (one of my personal favorites) and seasonal items that use red bean paste, rice flour, and bean flour are good choices. Note: neri yokan, which looks like a block of jelly, is vegetarian since it's made from agar agar rather than animal gelatin. Fair warning: Japanese wagashi are *not* especially sweet the way Western cakes and pastries are, but have a subtle sweetness that is best enjoyed with Japanese teas. If you have a sweet tooth and prefer more Western style sweets, you may prefer a sweet shop like Theobroma instead.

I love English high tea and wanted to try a Japanese version of High Tea. Higashiya in Ginza is tucked away on the 2nd floor of the POLA building, which can be hard to find if you are unfamiliar with the area. The tea service is the Japanese version of English High Tea with a twist. There is a wide variety of hot and cold green tea to select from, as well as, an array of japanese food. Depending on your selection of tea service you can enjoy a meal with your tea or a selection of finger foods. Either selection is eye catching and delicious. Reservations is highly recommended as you also need to book your time limit, 60 min or the max 90 min. There is no dress requirements but being in Ginza, I would recommend a nice casual wear. ***This is not a traditional tea service, by this I mean that if you are looking to be seated on a tatami mat and served matcha tea in a clay tea bowl then you will not find that here. This is an upscale tea restaurant. ***I was politely asked not take pictures when I pointed my iPhone at the seating area as I entered. The staff explained that I could photograph the food in front of me but not other people or any other areas of the restaurant.

I found this place on a website somewhere in the internets. I can't remember which, but I DO remember that it broke each part of Tokyo down by ward (Roppongi, Ginza, Nihonbashi, etc), and gave you 101 things to do in each. They described this as a wonderful place to get authentic Japanese afternoon tea, however do note that they stop the afternoon tea at 5:00pm (17:00) and you can only get a wagashi paired with a beautiful and simple tea blend of their own making. Both the wagashi and the tea we ordered (different kinds) were fantastic. The staff were incredibly responsive and helpful - although keep in mind we're talking about Japan, where this is considered normal and not out of the ordinary. They refilled the water in your pot twice, to give you three distinct flavors of the tea blend you chose. I chose one with Chrysanthemums, because they remind me of both a childhood book and a childhood friend I had who is very kind. I highly recommend coming here and experiencing their afternoon tea. Although I wasn't able to, I did purchase Blend No. 5 (their most popular) to bring home as a gift - it's not inexpensive (I mean, name a restaurant in Tokyo that is, for real), but it is a real treat you should give yourself at least once.

Wonderful tea room tucked away on the second floor of the Pola building. Innovative wagashi and seasonal teas. Perfect for taking a break from shopping in Ginza. Try the afternoon tea set if you can: it mixes salted snacks and sweets on a beautiful little double tray.

Beautiful and restful place. Not an expert on Japanese teas or sweets, but they seemed high quality, and quite reasonably priced for the experience. There is a gallery upstairs worth checking, and remember, the place itself is on the second floor of the Pola building and not visible from the street. While there a Japanese man had chosen to entertain his foreign guests - which seemed like a good sign.