Tokyo Chocolate: Bean To Bar Guide

Tokyo is undeniably the hub of Japanese craft chocolate culture. Both in terms of the number & density of makers and the variety of styles, origins, and approaches, the Tokyo chocolate scene is bursting with opportunities for indulgence.

After visiting the best Tokyo restaurants— themselves among the best in the world— you now have over a dozen chocolate makers to choose from for dessert. Because what started as just a few makers influenced by the American craft chocolate movement has blown up over the last half decade.

It's become somewhat of an obsession for both locals and visitors, whether they have one day or one week in Tokyo. Its domestic fame may even rival that of Kobe beef, which now finds itself known the world over.

Tokyo was actually home to the first big chocolate festival in Japan, which now has smaller versions across the country, and the first Craft Chocolate Market in Japan. The chocolate culture here isn't just based in trendiness, however, but a genuine desire to understand where their food comes from.

You can see fascination this in other Japanese chocolate hubs like Osaka, Kyoto, and Fukuoka, but nowhere is Japan's chocolate scene more developed than in Tokyo. Are you ready to take a bite?

Why Bean To Bar Chocolate In Tokyo?

Tokyo has outlets for numerous European chocolateries, such as Jean Paul Hevin, Pierre Marcolini, and Laduree, as well as more international favorites like Godiva and Max Brenner. But the homegrown chocolatiers in Japan, and in Tokyo in particular, have a skill level similar to or exceeding that of chocolatiers in Brussels and Paris.

Many have become quite world-renowned and won international competitions in chocolate and pastry. The field of chocolate has become quite popular in the city, and as a result, the number of Tokyo chocolate shops has absolutely blown up over the years.

If you count each individual shop, it numbers in the hundreds. With such a large population, this makes sense. However, many of the famous Japanese chocolatiers have recently become interested in bean to bar chocolate.

So in addition to foreign chocolate makers entering the Tokyo chocolate scene, there's now also nearly two dozen Tokyo-based chocolate makers, most all of whom have their own cafes. So unlike in my other Japanese chocolate guides, the focus in the article is only on bean to bar chocolate in Tokyo.

Like in Seoul, you could spend weeks eating your way through all of the chocolate shops in Tokyo. But for the sake of my wallet & yours I focused in on only the craft chocolate sector. It's richer in Tokyo than most any other city on earth, and I can't wait for you to explore it with me.

A Note On Tokyo Chocolate

Since there aren't really any clusters of bean to bar chocolate shops in Tokyo, I've divided them by a much more useful line: type. You are, after all, here to figure out which Tokyo chocolate shops are worth visiting. All over Japan, but especially in Tokyo, chocolate shops can be divided into French-dominant and American-style shops.

Any translations are either in French or English, and the pastries veer towards typical patisserie or American confections. The only real exceptions to this are Dandelion Chocolate Japan and Green Bean To Bar, which both feature a beautiful French pastry menu along with their American-style chocolates & confections.

Other notable creative minds are those behind both Artichoke Chocolate and Kabuki Coffee, which have been strongly influenced by modern art and 3rd wave coffee shops in Tokyo, respectively. They both remind me a lot of Hayashi-San, the owner of Timeless Chocolate in Okinawa.

Tokyo Travel Tips

When Japanese travel abroad, sometimes they've built up destinations so much in their mind that they couldn't possibly live up to their imaginations. They even have a name for this: Paris Syndrome (パリ症候群). But Paris Syndrome doesn't just affect Japanese people traveling abroad; it can also affect foreigners traveling to Japan.

I don't want you to get Tokyo Syndrome, so please remember: at its core, Tokyo is just like any other big city. But there are some quirks which make it uniquely Japanese. One thing is that Tokyo is nowhere near as wired as Seoul. When you first arrive, but a sim card or a wifi egg, because public wifi is either difficult to access or completely nonexistent.

Japan as a whole is also very cash-heavy, smoking is still allowed in most restaurants (a policy people take advantage of). At most Japanese restaurants, expect to be brought tea with every meal, instead of water. All of the staff I've talked to throughout Japan, however, was nothing but polite and helpful once I managed to communicate what I want. Even complete strangers helped out, on occasion.

Final point: download both French and Japanese onto offline Google translate, if you plan to visit any of these Tokyo chocolate shops; both managed to come in handy at some point.

American-Style Chocolate Makers

Cacao Store

As far as I can tell, this small retail shop is the only one in Tokyo selling a variety of international bean to bar makers— mostly from Europe and Asia— with their own bars lining the entire bottom shelf. They also function as a café, however, which seems quite popular and sells a selection of pastries (not all of the chocolate variety).

It's a nice spot to hang out in, but insofar as chocolate retailers go, it's a very small selection, one which I hope to see grow over the next few years. One thing Tokyo sorely lacks is a retailer selling bars from makers across the country and around the world! This isn't yet that place, but is the best option at the moment.

Dandelion Chocolate Japan

Dandelion Chocolate Japan is the daughter company of Dandelion Chocolate, a maker out of San Francisco. The company has become well-known for its 2-ingredient approach to chocolate making, and its wide range of origins have made the journey to Japan, as well.

Dandelion ships beans directly from their factory in SF to their factory in Tokyo, where they make the chocolate and then turn it into bars, hot chocolate, baked goods, and a few other more inventive creation, like nib honey.

Their entire factory is set behind clear glass or right out in the open, and their staff is happy to answer any questions you have. I'd recommend trying the Kuramae hot chocolate (made with green tea) and a s'more dessert. Free WiFi is available.

Minimal Chocolate

In their very small shop in Shibuya, the English-speaking staff greets you when you walk in and offers you samples of their entire collection or bars. All their chocolate is made in a gritty, minimally-processed way, hence the name. Each origin has a predominant flavor profile they use to describe the differences to customers, and each of those origins comes in a different color and wrapper pattern.

Both of their locations also have hot chocolate & coffee, a few house-made sweets, and ice cream & cacao pulp juice. Having opened in 2014, Minimal chocolate is said to be the oldest bean to bar chocolate maker in Japan (though that's debatable).

Green Bean To Bar

One of the best chocolate makers in Japan, Green Bean To Bar also had one of the biggest & most expensive menus of all the chocolate shops in Tokyo. They have a standard brownie, cookie, muffin menu, plus an ever-changing offering of three to four additional pastries, each with at least one element made from their chocolate.

This delicious and inconsistent characteristics of their menu extends into their chocolate bar selection, with at least one limited edition bar on offer at all times. The hot chocolate and coffee menu is certainly worth a look, as well. Note that their Shibuya location has a real residential feel, rather dark and a little creepy at night, so I'd recommend visiting before sundown.

Craft Chocolate Works

This small shop has a very helpful staff, but almost no English other than the names of the products. But everything is made with their bean to bar chocolates, of which there are twelve different types, almost each one form a different origin. There are a few different confections inspired by Japanese flavors, but nothing really branching into chocolatier territory.

Their ice cream and drinks smell delicious, but I didn't have the chance to try any on this trip; their brownie has good flavor but is incredibly dry. It's quite open and bright, with women preparing cacao beans and making confections in a glass-sealed room.

Artichoke Chocolate

CASH ONLY. This is by far the most artsy chocolate shop in Tokyo. Unlike most of the Tokyo chocolate makers, it's not trying to be French or really even taking its cues from the US; it's just got its own vibe. I'd categorize it as more American, but only because it's not really French.

The space has a central table displaying the beautiful bonbons, bars, and current creations, most recently a chocolate chicken wing & egg. They also have flavored chocolate balls, made with their bean to bar chocolate (like everything else in their store), which is quite good.

Like most of the shops, there's nowhere to sit down, but it's not really a place I'd want to pause in. There seems to always be something being made, and it'd feel like you were interrupting the process of creation. But don't let that stop you from grabbing a bar or a bonbon.

Kabuki Yusuke Chocolate

CASH ONLY. This is a one-man operation that knows how to make chocolate & coffee into an experience. Having started off as a coffee roaster, he recently expanded into chocolate and added limited origins to his menu, each meant to pair with a different beverage. His milk and dark chocolates each have a coffee pairing he could suggest from his coffee menu.

I tried the Haiti and dark roast, and it's a lovely combination. For awhile I'd honestly forgotten what really good chocolate tastes like. While Kabuki is hard to categorize, I think that just means it defies equivalence. Note that while it may look like a nondescript door, it is indeed a cafe. so follow the map location exactly.

Mamano Chocolate

To the extent that they supervise the production of their chocolate from bean to bars, Mamano Chocolate is a bean to bar chocolate maker. According to their website, even though they don't actually make their chocolate in person, they have connections to farmers in Ecuador whom they hire post-harvest to make the chocolate according to their specifications.

While I didn't make it to this shop during my trip, according to their website they offer a few types of coffee and chocolate drinks in their cafe, with frozen options during the warmer months. Among their chocolate line-up are bars, ganache slabs (nama chocolate), and chocolate chips for either snacking or baking.

Cacao Salon A-Fuku

Don't be me. Don't walk all the way to this shop, realize you're in a residential neighborhood and then walk around for a bit, wondering if you wrote the address down wrong. Cacao Salon A-Fuku does indeed exist, and is actually a home chocolate factory.

The owner offers chocolate tastings and chocolate making experiences, as well as bars for sale under the brand Dora Chocolate. Note that the salon is open to visitors by appointment only, and the shop is indeed in somebody's house.

Xocol

Following the tradition of the Aztecs, whose word xocolatl inspired Xocol's name, all of the chocolate here is stone-ground. For each origin they use, they make a slightly different product, like coins or gemstones.

In their small storefront they also have chocolate drinks, similarly inspired by the drinks of ancient Mesoamerican civilizations, along with the more typical confections like chocolate salami or chocolate-covered nuts. I didn't make it to Xocol on this trip, due to limited time, but if you have the chance to check it out, drop a comment and let me know what you thought of it!

BONUS: Craft Chocolate Market

Held every January at Fleming House in Tokyo, the Craft Chocolate Market is a ticket-only event where chocolate makers from around Japan and around the world come and sell their bars. Each of the international makers brings a selection of 3 bars to sell to the public, and this is likely the only time they'll be available in the country. It's truly a can't-miss event in Japanese chocolate!

French-Style Chocolate Makers

Les Cacaos

Along a main road in southern Tokyo is a tiny chocolatierie whose only distinction as Japanese is the writing on the description cards. French music give the space ambiance, while French translations make understanding their offerings ten times easier.

Les Cacao offers chocolate-covered cakes, jams, and the largest assortment of French cookies I've ever seen, right across from ten or so dessert creations, take-out only. The chef makes their chocolate bars from several different origins, mostly Latin American, using their Ghana chocolate as couverture to craft their bonbons and truffles.

The bonbons have fluffy ganache centers and strong flavors; quite good. There's nowhere to sit; this is not a cafe.

Magie Du Chocolat

Magie Du Chocolat is a very typical upscale European bakery like you'd find throughout Japan, but with a big wall of single origin bean to bar chocolates taking over one side. With origins from all over the world, the bars are pricey but represent every world region which grows cacao, and the flavors are well-made.

Their staff is nice, but don't speak much English (nor is there much non-Japanese writing), so it took some time to get to this conclusion but only the bars are bean to bar in Japan and everything else is couverture. However, their selection of pastries & baked goods is huge and they even have a cacao pulp drink for ¥720, much cheaper than a flight to a cacao-growing country.

Patisserie Jun Ujita

Recommended to me by a friend, Jun Ujita is primarily a patisserie. However they also sell coffee and chocolate drinks, as well as teas, ice cream, pastries and chocolates. The choice of pastries and of chocolate flavors is very Francophone.

The bean to bar selection of bonbons & bars is in the corner, and the bonbons are slightly bitter but very well-done, not too strong or weak. They also have a cake made with their chocolate that was sold out the day I went, but the mille fuille was divine. Note that they have a policy of one drink per customer if dining in one of their seven chairs.

Chocolatier Palet D'or

Known as one of the finest chocolatier brands in Japan, Palet D’or is also the bean to bar chocolate brand of master chocolatier Shunsuke Saegusa. Started in Osaka in 2004, the shop has been creating waves in the Japanese chocolate market, motivated largely by their unique chocolate collections.

Single origin “healthy” truffles and melty chocolate disks round out an impressively extensive collection of pastries, flavored bonbons, and drinks. In each of their locations around Japan, including in Osaka, there's also space for customers to sit and enjoy their selections. Note that this location is within the mall across from Tokyo Station.

Toshi Yoroizuka (2 locations)

This is a nice, small sit-down pastry shop, but it does a rather poor job of distinguishing itself from the other hundreds like it in the city, despite their delicious chocolates. They have cakes and a huge wall of cookies and other baked goods, and there's even a little spot to sit down in and enjoy a coffee.

But their pastry is not what drew me here; the chef has a cacao plantation in Ecuador, and he's using its cacao to make his bean to bar chocolates, which he sells in bar and bonbon form. The thing that makes those chocolates interesting, entirely apart from the pastry shop, is the chef's approach to roasting his cacao before he turns it into chocolate.

Since he only uses one origin, he roasts the cacao either 0, 5, 20, or 40 minutes before making chocolate. The chocolate bonbons themselves are actually stupendous, despite my initial impressions of the cafe space.

Presquile Chocolaterie

CASH ONLY. This tiny patisserie has a small display case with their latest desserts and a row of cakes & jams right above that. They have all the standard patisserie fare: cookies & other bakes goods, chocolate-covered fruits & other treats, and a long row of bonbons.

Their chocolate cakes, bars, and one bonbon are bean to bar, and they actually have the elusive ruby chocolate. In the corner is a small table showing off their bean to bar chocolate bars, each with a sample bowl in front of it.

The bars themselves are very smooth and rounded, and the bonbons are good; all the ones with a layer of patê de fruits were by far the best. Either way, this shop is worth the trip.

BONUS: Salon Du Chocolat

Every winter, Tokyo and every other big city in Japan is taken over by chocolate fever. Tokyo's Salon Du Chocolat is quite possibly the largest celebration of European chocolate in all of Japan, with hundreds of pastry shops and chocolatiers, and other businesses in attendance.

The selection is simply massive, and it's well worth the visit. Entrance is ¥600 per hour-long session.

Online Chocolate Shops in Tokyo

Tokyo is not a cheap place to set up shop. So these days, many Japanese chocolate makers have taken to the web to sell their wares. Just like in nearby South Korea, bean to bar chocolate in Japan is expensive to sell and to make. In Tokyo in particular, many makers sell only online or at boutique cafes & collaborative popup markets indefinitely.

But honestly, sometimes I feel like a crazy person clicking through on these sites and continuing to find no information or no post for years. How are people supposed to find these makers at all? Do they just whisper their wishes to the wind and cross their fingers that people got the message?

So to get you started, some online-based makers in Tokyo and the neighboring cities include: Emily's Chocolate, ChocoReko, Salagadoola Chocolate.

Tokyo Chocolate Map

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