Anybody and everybody who has ever visited my blog or social pages knows how much I love matcha. So when Erwin Heuseff shared in one of his vlogs how Nanaya Aoyama Gelato has some of the best matcha gelato in Japan, of course I had to go.
They have branches in Shibuya, Harajuku and Ebisu, and while I originally intended on heading to the one in Ebisu (which is the one Erwin spoke of in this vlog), we ended up going to the one in Shibuya as we were there when I searched for it and it was so close that we just walked over and quite enjoyed the pleasant weather that’s a treat in it’s own to us desert folk (and by that I mean it was raining pouring).
Nanaya Aoyama Gelato was the quaintest little place in a residential alley, effortlessly but barely tucked away from the hoarder of tourists on the Scramble Crossing not so far away, and I could feel a pair of heels click with joy in my heart the second we spotted it!
You can pick from a variety of flavors, of which a large part includes 7 different strengths of matcha! No.7 is is the strongest, and the most highly recommended one. It’s so strong, in fact, that it looks dark green in color, and although we paired it with a scoop of black sesame (which is a very strong flavor in it’s own), the bittersweet beauty of the matcha still shined through and made sure to secure the spotlight.
If you’re not into gelato, you can pick from several cold brews and tea flavored chocolates – the latter of which incidentally also make great edible souvenirs to take back home! Click here for a full list of suggested souvenirs and shopping tips to keep on your fingertips for the next time you’re in Japan!
Speaking of souvenirs, if you find yourself in Nanaya Aoyama Gelato in Tokyo, do grab yourself some of these bags of tea. They’re shockingly cheap at just 500 yen per pack, and were still some of the best tea I’ve ever had the pleasure of steeping and sipping.
M and I enjoyed our gelatos out on the porch, under the pitter-patter of the raindrops on the tin roof, as we watched the authentic Japanese restaurant across the street setting up for dinner service. It was one of those perfect moments which remind you of why it’s so important to travel with your partner (or on your own – you do you), and was certainly one of the most enjoyable and unforgettable cups of gelato/ice-cream I’ve ever had.
