Tokyo Chocolate Shops: 7 Best For Valentine’s and Beyond

Give the gift of chocolate this Valentine’s Day with a local twist!

Is there any time of the year in Japan when chocolate is more in demand than early spring? From Valentine’s to White Day, advertisements for sweet treats fill our eyes and ears. With bean-to-bar chocolate on the rise in popularity these recent years, we’ve seen an explosion of local farm-to-customer chocolate makers in the Tokyo area. And, to make this more accessible to your average shopper (and chocolate lover), many shops now offer detailed information about where they’re sourcing their cacao and how their chocolates are crafted so that you can choose one that best suits your values and taste preferences.

Come explore this exciting landscape of Japan-based chocolatiers and entice your palate with the breathtaking variety of flavors, designs and textures that the city has to offer. To help you on this adventure, we’ve compiled a list of seven of the very best Tokyo chocolate shops for 2024. So, go forth and satisfy your sweet tooth!

1. Green Bean To Bar Chocolate

© Photo by Green Bean To Bar Chocolate

This chocolate shop, founded in 1990, is premised on making an organic chocolate bar from fairtrade beans and handcrafted at every stage. Buy their single-origin chocolate bar online or at one of their two Tokyo chocolate shops in the city. Notably, their “Palo Blanco-Peru-50%-Milk” is an award-winner as are the “Madagascar-Nibs” and “Fukuoka-Hojicha,” among others. While shopping, why not take a seat in their cozy cafe? Order specialties like cacao tea, a spicy chocolate drink or a chocolate tart! You won’t regret sampling the luxurious taste of these cacao beans!

• Location: Nakameguro: 2-16-11 Aobadai, Meguro City, Tokyo; Nihonbashi: Coredo Muromachi Terrace 1F, 3-2-1 Nihonbashi Muromachi, Chuo-ku, Tokyo
• Nearest station: Nakameguro (Tokyu Toyoko Line); Mitsukoshimae (Tokyo Metro Ginza and Hanzomon Line)

2. Minimal Bean To Bar Chocolate

© Photo by Minimal Bean To Bar Chocolate

Since it was founded in 2014, the Minimal brand, true to its name, has been devoted to producing delicious bean-to-bar chocolate using the simplest of ingredients. All of the chocolate bars they create are completely vegan and made using unprocessed sugars. The brand prides itself on sourcing a diversity of cacao beans from around the world. Their chocolatiers are trained to differentiate between 39 unique flavor notes. When visiting their flagship store and small factory in Tomigaya, you can taste a world of chocolate like no other while guided by their knowledgeable staff. For those who can never have enough chocolate, subscribe to their Chocolate Addict Club and receive a daily chocolate sample.

• Location: 2-1-9 Tomigaya, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo (flagship store, cafe and factory)
• Nearest station: Yoyogi-koen (Tokyo Metro Chiyoda Line)

3. Artichoke Chocolate

© Photo by Artichoke Chocolate

Artichoke Chocolate is a passionate group of chocolate artisans who strive to create beautiful and high-quality wares while sourcing their cacao beans directly from small producers and Japanese farmers. When visiting their store, you will notice this shop’s minimalist design juxtaposed against their products’ sense of whimsy.  Their chocolates come in a variety of designs with some chocolates shaped like snowmen, fried eggs and mushrooms. You can also try their popular “chicken” chocolate designed to look like a drumstick. For those who adore fruity flavors, you will be pleased to taste their “orange peel” chocolates. These treats are made by dipping Mediterranean Valencia orange slices in rich chocolate, resulting in a juicy flavor.

• Location: 4-9-6-1F Miyoshi, Koto-ku, Tokyo
• Nearest station: Kiyosumi-shirakawa (Tokyo Metro Hanzomon Line)

4. Craft Chocolate Works

© Photo by Craft Chocolate Works

Hailing from Tokyo’s Setagaya Ward, Craft Chocolate Works is a perfect fit in the trendy capital. This shop specializes in cacao sourced from countries we don’t normally associate with the coveted bean such as Vietnam, India, Madagascar and more. Matching the dynamism that Setagaya is known for, Craft Chocolate Works’ packaging is visually striking. The designs draw on traditional Japanese motifs, like cranes, as well as geometrically-inspired designs. To sample a bit of everything, try the “mini-bar assort” that includes 12 kinds of chocolates in their signature packaging. Or, grab one of their popular ice cream cones for a chilly dessert!

• Location: 2-7-4-1F Ikejiri, Setagaya-ku, Tokyo
• Nearest stations: Sangenjaya and Ikejiri-ohashi (Denentoshi Line)

5. Un Jour Chocolat

© Photo by Un Jour Chocolat

With the hopes of turning your ordinary day into a special one, Un Jour Chocolat offers a wide variety of chocolate options to brighten your day. Carefully sourcing their cacao beans from Peru and Ecuador, this shop carries boxed chocolates and “gateau chocolat” that range from milk to dark varieties. For their most famous item, check out the “round chocolat”. This item combines melted chocolate with almonds, hazelnuts or dried fruits and shapes them into 20 centimeter-wide disks. Alternatively, the store also sells “baby rounds,” mini versions of the original. These are available in 10 types and make for cute, bite-sized treats!

• Location: Roppongi Hills North Tower B1F, 6-2-31 Roppongi, Minato-ku, Tokyo
• Nearest station: Roppongi (Hibiya Line)

6. Cacao Zoku

© Photo by Cacao Zoku

Cacao Zoku is a chocolate shop that bases itself on family, comfort and authenticity. Walking through its doors, you’ll feel cozy with the warm, earthy aesthetic. While many Tokyo chocolate shops feature cacao beans from several international suppliers, Cacao Zoku primarily focuses on Venezuelan beans for their products which are all handmade in-house. The shop sells intricately decorated boxes of chocolate, showcasing designs inspired by Venezuelan culture and chocolates infused with nuts, spices and fruits. Pick up some ice cream or hot chocolate too for a treat on the go!

• Location: 2-48-15 Denenchofu, Ota-ku, Tokyo
• Nearest station: Denenchofu (Tokyu Meguro Line)

7. Maison Cacao

© Photo by Maison Cacao

As a Japanese luxury chocolate brand, Maison Cacao creates gorgeous handmade chocolates with the Japanese palate in mind. Their 2024 collection, titled “Symphony,” features a wide range of “aroma” or aromatic chocolates. Flavors include pinot noir, kiwi, muscat grape, hyuganatsu (Japanese citrus), coconut and much more. The brand’s chocolatiers use only the highest quality ingredients to create their chocolates. They even source their fruit from orchards located across Japan (or abroad if it is part of their “tabi” trip collections). If chocolate bars are not for you, Maison Cacao also sells “gateau chocolat,” chocolate pudding and cookies too.

• Location: 1-9-1 Marunouchi, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo (inside the ticket gates of Gransta Tokyo/Marunouchi North Exit side)
• Nearest station: Tokyo (JR Yamanote Line)

So, what are you waiting for? Enjoy some of the finest handmade cacao treats from the local Tokyo chocolate shops above!