Tokyo falls for dim sum-meets-afternoon tea

Japan's afternoon tea market is worth about ¥265 billion ($1.6 billion) annually, and a Chinese twist on the traditional English menu is the hottest new trend. | ROYAL PARK HOTELS

Aug 30, 2026

In Japan, afternoon tea is big business.

Since Hotel Chinzanso Tokyo offered the country’s first British-style afternoon tea in 1982, diners have been enamored with the dainty ritual of sweet and savory bites and endless cups of Earl Grey and English breakfast tea. The Japan Consumer Marketing Institute estimates the afternoon tea market at more than ¥265 billion ($1.6 billion) annually, with the Tokyo area accounting for about one-third.

The need to stand out in this crowded field has driven the development of afternoon tea as an experience, with elaborate plating, limited seasonal offerings and designer collaborations.

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