11 Cafes Where You Can Enjoy Traditional Japanese Sweets in Nagoya

1. Nihoncha Kissa: Chaen

You can savor wagashi (traditional Japanese confectionery) and Japanese-style sweets in a calm, relaxed environment at Nihoncha Kissa: Chaen. A popular menu item is the Matcha Shichifukujin (green tea seven gods of fortune) which has an assortment of wagashi and sweets on a single plate. Everything is made from matcha (green tea powder) with an exquisite balance of sweetness and bitterness as well as an aroma you can enjoy. This is a cafe that will be irresistible for matcha lovers.

Business hours: 10:00-19:00

Closing days: Wednesdays

HP: www.chaen-cafe.com/ (Japanese Only)

Address: 2-9-15 Aoi, Higashi-ku, Nagoya-shi, Aichi-ken (Google Map)

2. Wagashi Cafe ocobo

Enjoy kyogashi (traditional Kyoto-style confectioneries) and Japanese tea at wagashi cafe ocobo. It’s a cafe with a stylish exterior just 1 minute walking distance from Kakuozan Station. They have a complete selection of Japanese sweets like kyogashi, which have beautiful appearances that change with the four seasons, anmitsu (syrup-covered anko beans), zenzai (sweet red bean soup), and more. The green tea that they prepare to go with the kyogashi and sweets are also quite superb. Since there are many sweets that aren’t too sweet, even those without a sweet tooth can eat these.

Business hours: 12:00-18:30

Closing days: Wednesdays & Thursdays

HP: ocobo-wagashi.com/ (Japanese Only)

Address: 1-8 Kangetsuchō, Chikusa-ku, Nagoya-shi, Aichi-ken (Google Map)

3. Okagean Chayagasaka Branch

The popular coffee shop Komeda Kissaten manages Okagean Chayagasaka, a traditional Japanese-style shop. In this relaxed space you can eat fine quality wagashi and Japanese-style sweets. They have a menu with a full-range of delicious items like dorayaki (sponge cake filled with red bean jam), their specialty item Matcha Shiro-noir (soft-serve ice-cream on top of a crunchy danish) and soy sauce dango (sweet rice dumplings) that you can grill yourself.

Business hours: 7:00-23:00

Closing days: Not fixed

HP: www.komeda.co.jp/okagean/search/shopdetail.php?id=2004 (Japanese Only)

Address: 2-34-4 Akasakachō, Chikusa-ku, Nagoya-shi, Aichi-ken (Google Map)

4. Kasho Hanakikyo Honten

With 400 years of history, the defining characteristic of Kasho Hanakikyo Honten is its stylish, artistic building that is like a museum in and of itself. You can enjoy the seasonal sweets and there are also lots of stylish wagashi. Inside the shop you can have green tea and sweets as a set and the mochi (sticky rice cake) that is made with seasonal fruits is particularly popular. With such a stylish interior that you could never imagine from a wagashi shop, it’s become a popular store with many fans.

Business hours: 10:00-19:00

Closing days: New Year's Day only

HP: hanakikyo.com/ (Japanese Only)

Address: 1-20 Shiojichō, Mizuho-ku, Nagoya-shi, Aichi-ken (Google Map)

5. Ryoguchiya Korekiyo Higashiyama Branch

Ryoguchiya Korekiyo is a traditional Japanese cafe famous for “sennari” (sponge cake filled with red beans). In a large, stylish building that’s hard to believe is a cafe, you can savor high quality wagashi. They have a full selection of wagashi and sweets that compliment the seasons and a plentiful menu of items using beans like white adzuki beans and more. The calm atmosphere matches perfectly with the traditional Japanese offerings.

Business hours: 9:00-18:00

Closing days: Open every day of the year

HP: www.ryoguchiya-korekiyo.co.jp/top.html (Japanese Only)

Address: 4-4 Higashiyamatōri, Chikusa-ku, Nagoya-shi, Aichi-ken (Google Map)

6. Himari

Himari is a traditional Japanese cafe managed by the company Osu-Uiro. They have a selection of delicious wagashi and Japanese-style sweets with a vivid appearance. They also have a varied menu with items like dorayaki made from their special, fluffy and springy dough; “Yurara Uiro” (jelly) that has a smooth texture in your mouth and can be enjoyed with a spoon, “Gosai-dama” (hard candy), “Fufu” (rice crackers) and more. The shop interior is very relaxed so you can while away the hours at your leisure.

Business hours: 10:00-20:00

Closing days: Not fixed

HP: www.himari-jpn.com/sabou/ (Japanese Only)

Address: Sakae-chika, 3-4-6 Shinsakae, Naka-ku, Nagoya-shi, Aichi-ken (Google Map)

7. Teien Gallery Ichirin

Teien Gallery Ichirin is a cafe gallery in a Japanese house that has a traditional garden with a size of over 8000 square feet. You can feel the traditional atmosphere from days gone by while savoring their choice kusamochi (rice flour dumplings mixed with mugwort). The combination of the natural aroma of the mugwort and the moderate sweetness of the mochi with the deep steamed green tea is exquisite. It’s the perfect environment for enjoying wagashi.

Business hours: 10:00-17:00

Closing days: Mondays, Tuesdays, Every 2nd and 4th Wednesday

Address: 1-58 Nishiyama Motomachi, Chikusa-ku, Nagoya-shi, Aichi-ken (Google Map)

8. Sabo Kano Shojuan Matsuzakaya Nagoya Branch

Sabo Kano Shojuan Matsuzakaya Nagoya Branch is a shop with a modern, laid-back atmosphere that doesn’t feel like a cafe in a department store. In this high quality ambiance, you can leisurely enjoy choice wagashi like honwarabi-mochi made with honwarabi flour (bracken starch flour), namagashi (a type of wagashi used in tea ceremony) using seasonal ingredients, green tea snack sets and more. The menu also has lots of options for Japanese sweets so it’s a convenient place to just have a little break.

Business hours: 10:00-19:30

Closing days: Not fixed

HP: www.kanou.com/shop/sabou_nagoya (Japanese Only)

Address: Matsuzakaya Nagoya Branch, 3-16-1 Sakae, Naka-ku, Nagoya-shi, Aichi-ken (Google Map)

9. Kyoto Iori Cafe

Kyoto Iori Cafe is a Japanese-style cafe produced by the popular veteran wagashi shop Sasaya Iori that was established in Kyoto in 1716. The inside of the cafe has an easy-going atmosphere and you can have high quality kyogashi even while you’re in Nagoya. It’s definitely nice to be able to relax like this at a department store.

Business hours: 11:00-22:00

Closing days: Not fixed

HP: www.iori-cafe.com/ (Japanese Only)

Address: 9F Meitetsu Department Store Honten, 1-2-1 Meieki, Nakamura-ku, Nagoya-shi, Aichi-ken  (Google Map)

10. Yoshimitsu

Yoshimitsu is a wagashi specialty shop that’s famous nationwide. Their warabi-mochi which is only available from October to June is particularly popular. The outside is made using honwarabi flour and the inside is a special bean paste made with azuki beans produced in Tokachi. It’s deliciousness that you’ll want to eat over and over has been loved by many for quite a number of years. There are about 10 seats available inside the shop so you can sit and enjoy it with some delicious tea.

Business hours: 9:00-18:00

Closing days: Sundays

Address: 1-9-1 Shindeki, Higashi-ku, Nagoya-shi, Aichi-ken (Google Map)

11. Murasakiya

Murasakiya is a veteran wagashi shop established in year 3 of the Showa era (1928). From inside of the shop, you can gaze at the courtyard while slowly enjoying your tea and wagashi set. Their mizuyoukan (soft sweet bean jelly) is particularly popular and you can savor its moderate sweetness and soft texture. The menu has many options at this shop so you can have your fill of high quality wagashi without holding back.

Business hours: 9:00-17:00

Closing days: Sundays, Holidays

Address: 2-16-13 Nishiki, Naka-ku, Nagoya-shi, Aichi-ke (Google Map)