About Ochamap
Ochamap is a curated directory of Japanese tea cafes — places that take tea seriously, serve it with care, and reflect the culture it comes from.
Why this exists
Japan's loose-leaf tea industry has been quietly shrinking for decades. Younger generations drink less tea, family tea farms are closing, and the cafes that brew tea properly — with the right water temperature, the right steep time, the right care — are often the ones you can't find on Google's first page.
Ochamap is a small attempt to make those places easier to discover. For locals, expats, and tourists who want something more than a tourist-trap matcha latte, this is a curated list of cafes worth going out of your way for.
What gets listed
Every cafe on Ochamap is reviewed against three criteria before it goes live:
- Tea-first menu. Sencha, gyokuro, hojicha, matcha, kabusecha — Japanese tea is the focus, not an afterthought to coffee or dessert.
- Brewed with care. Proper temperature, proper steep time, served in a way that respects how the tea is meant to taste.
- A sense of place. A calm space, attentive hospitality, somewhere you'd actually want to sit for an hour.
Big chain cafes, places that mostly sell coffee, and tourist gimmicks don't make the cut.
How to contribute
Know a great tea cafe that isn't here yet? Submit it through the cafe submission form. Every submission is reviewed by hand. We may follow up with questions, and we'll let you know when (or if) your submission goes live.
If you spot an error on an existing listing — wrong hours, closed permanently, missing tea offerings — please get in touch.
Coverage
Ochamap currently lists cafes in Tokyo and Kyoto, with Osaka and other regions expanding over time. If a city you love is missing, suggest a few cafes via the submission form — that's usually how new regions start.
Ochamap is built and maintained independently. Cafe listings are free. ← Back to home