Irresistible Bubble Tea Charm: Three Popular Taiwanese Brands Conquer Japan

By MOOK Scenic Spots Family Travel Life Network Editorial Department
 

Taiwan’s bubble tea is world-famous, and many foreign visitors make sure to try a cup when in Taiwan. Now, you don’t have to be in Taiwan to enjoy it—recently, three well-known Taiwanese bubble tea brands have landed in Japan. If you’re traveling in Japan and craving a taste of home, keep an eye out for these shops and treat yourself to a rich, flavorful bubble tea to soothe your homesickness.

● Gong Cha

The first Gong Cha store opened in Kaohsiung in 2006 and quickly expanded across Taiwan. It now has over 800 branches in 18 countries. In March 2015, the first Gong Cha store in Japan opened in Tokyo. In addition to its wildly popular bubble tea, Gong Cha offers a wide variety of flavors based on Taiwan’s signature teas, which have won over Japanese consumers.

【Info】
Gong Cha Tokyo Store

Address: 3F, Kitakyogoku Yoshikawa Building, 2-12-16 Kitakyogoku, Minato-ku, Tokyo

Originating in Taichung, Chun Shui Tang is one of Taiwan’s most renowned teahouses. The world’s first bubble tea was introduced at its Sihwei branch in Taichung. After Chun Shui Tang added Taiwan’s local snack “tapioca pearls” to milk tea, bubble tea quickly became a global trend. In 2013, it entered the Japanese market, opening its first branch in Daikanyama, Tokyo, which was met with great acclaim. Subsequent branches followed in Roppongi, Omotesando, Iidabashi in Chiyoda Ward, and Shinjuku.

【Info】
◎ Chun Shui Tang Roppongi Store
Address: 1-4-5 Roppongi, Minato-ku, Tokyo (Address partially garbled in source)
Phone: 03-6277-8622
◎ Chun Shui Tang Daikanyama Store
Address: 20-9 Axis 209 Daikanyama, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo
Phone: 03-6809-0234
◎ Chun Shui Tang Omotesando Store
Address: 4-28-11 Jingumae, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo
Phone: 03-6804-6656
◎ Iidabashi Grand Bloom Sakura Terrace Address: 2-10-2 Fujimi, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo (2nd floor, Iidabashi Grand Bloom Sakura Terrace)
Phone: 03-5357-1987

◎ Chun Shui Tang LUMINE Shinjuku Store

Address: B2F, LUMINE Shinjuku 1, 1-1-5 Nishi-Shinjuku, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo

Since its opening in 2006, Taiwan’s renowned afternoon tea café “Cama Café” has garnered a large fan base thanks to its stylish ambiance and delicious desserts. In addition to two overseas branches in Hong Kong, it opened its first store in Tokyo’s Harajuku this year. The café’s most popular item is its crispy pancake dessert, along with a marshmallow ice cream that allows customers to drizzle espresso over fluffy marshmallows. This eye-catching dining experience, where the marshmallows transform under the heat, along with the perfect pairing of marshmallows and ice cream, has won over the hearts of many in Japan.