The Best Matcha Ice Cream in Tokyo

And no, that’s not an exaggeration. We truly found this to be the best matcha ice cream in Tokyo — maybe even in all of Japan. At this ice cream shop, you can taste matcha ice cream in seven different strengths, ranging from subtle to extra rich. If you love ice cream with a strong matcha flavor, Suzukien Asakusa is the place to be.

My boyfriend and I prefer to drink our matcha pure, without milk or sugar. When you use good quality matcha, it doesn’t taste bitter at all. So our interest was immediately piqued when we heard that Suzukien Asakusa sells “the strongest matcha ice cream in the world.” Naturally, we had to try it. Could it be delicious or would it turn out to be a bitter disappointment?

The moment you enter the ice cream shop, you can’t miss it: the tubs of matcha ice cream form an impressive gradient. The darker the ice cream, the stronger the matcha flavor.

Besides matcha, they also sell other flavors like mango, hojicha (roasted green tea), and black sesame.

We shared two scoops and chose strengths 5 and 7. In the photo, the color difference might not be very obvious, but the 7 was much darker than the 5. The color already hinted that the 5 would be quite strong, but this scoop pleasantly surprised us. The matcha flavor was unmistakable, yet the ice cream had a slight sweetness that made it easy to eat. Very delicious!

The 7 was truly much stronger — like eating pure matcha. This ice cream no longer has that milky, creamy taste and is not very sweet. We loved it, but would only recommend it if you really love matcha and regularly drink your matcha pure. Otherwise, you might find this ice cream bitter.

What else you should know

• Levels 1 through 6 cost ¥450 per scoop (in a cup; a cone is ¥20 more), which is about € 3,-. Level 7 costs ¥660, a bit over € 4,-. Not cheap, but given the strength of the ice cream, we thought it was worth it. Keep in mind prices may change, especially considering the current matcha shortage.

• This ice cream shop is quite popular. We didn’t have to wait long, but I’ve heard that during busy times they hand out numbers and ask you to come back later. It might be a good idea to visit this place first when you’re in Asakusa, so you can do some sightseeing while you wait if needed.

• You can eat inside, but you’re not expected to stay long — the shop is small and busy.

• They also sell other items here, like loose matcha powder and related accessories.