Kukuku Tea Room Celebrates One-Year Anniversary with Special Offerings

Celebrating a Sweet Milestone: Kukuku's One-Year Anniversary

The Kukuku Tea Room, operated by Harapeko Co., Ltd. in Minato, Tokyo, has reached its first anniversary on November 28, 2025. This milestone is particularly notable as Kukuku was featured in the Michelin Guide Tokyo 2026 as a selected restaurant merely ten months after opening. This recognition speaks volumes about the establishment's commitment to presenting and elevating the culture of enjoying traditional Japanese sweets (wagashi).

A Flavorful Introduction to Special Offerings

To commemorate its first anniversary, Kukuku is introducing two unique seasonal flavors: “Rikyumochi” and “Azuki Hojicha.” Customers will also find “Kukuku's Cold Brew Sencha” available for a more casual taste of the essence of Kukuku.

Rikyumochi: A Signature Delight

The Rikyumochi is a culinary masterpiece that boasts a minute-long shelf life. Upon tasting, it dissolves almost instantly in the mouth, revealing a soft texture that is a challenge to hold. Inside this delicate mochi, a creamy filling and seasonal fruits are encapsulated. Each order is prepared in front of guests, enabling them to savor the freshly made delight.

For the limited-time offering, strawberries are used as the seasonal fruit. Cold weather cultivates these fruits' sweetness, ensuring a lovely balance of flavor, aroma, and acidity—making winter to early spring the prime time for enjoying strawberries. On this celebratory day, the natural red of the strawberries and the white cream subtly convey a traditional “red and white” celebration.

Discovering Azuki Hojicha

This beverage is crafted using the usually discarded skins of azuki beans during the process of making red bean paste. The skin is roasted to enhance its natural aroma through the Maillard reaction, allowing a deeper flavor to emerge. Just like matcha, which uses the whole tea leaf, the concept here is to make the most out of every ingredient, respecting sustainability by ensuring that the azuki skin's fragrance and nutrients are fully appreciated. Its harmony with Rikyumochi makes for a delectable pairing.

Kukuku's Cold Brew Sencha

To ensure that more people can casually enjoy the essence of Kukuku, they've developed a cold brew sencha in tea bag form, making it easier to experience their unique flavors at home.

A Unique Japanese Experience Awaits

Kukuku Tea Room opened in November 2024 in Roppongi, provides freshly prepared wagashi and steeped teas. This establishment aims to challenge and elevate the traditional disciplines of wagashi and tea making. Led by Kaito Fujita, a wagashi artisan from Mie Prefecture, known for his work on the popular drama “High School Restaurant,” guests can savor carefully crafted sweets and selected teas from across Japan, focusing on authentic flavors and exquisite textures.

Seasonally inspired pairing courses like “Kaseki” and “Kokaseki” highlight the beauty of wagashi and tea, along with an à la carte selection that invites guests to savor each individual item, ensuring a unique experience.

The name ‘Kukuku’ symbolizes the number 999, meaning one step away from a thousand, paying homage to the revered tea master Sen no Rikyū. The vision behind Kukuku is to establish a new culture of enjoying wagashi as a course meal while honoring Rikyū's legacy in cultivating a unique Japanese aesthetic through the tea ceremony.

Venue Details

Name: Kukuku
Address: 2F Kasagrande Miwa, 7-5-11 Roppongi, Minato, Tokyo
Hours: 12:00 - 14:00, 15:00 - 21:00 (Last Order: 20:30)
Closed: Mondays and Tuesdays
Seating: 8 counter seats
Instagram: @999_kukuku

About the Operating Company

Harapeko Co., Ltd., led by CEO Emoto Mitomi, who is also recognized for his work as a creative director and restaurant producer, runs Kukuku along with several other dining ventures, including “Torisho Ishii Hina” and “Kamo Yakiniku Ikok.” The company oversees a diversified food and beverage business, including planning, development, and sales of various food products and catering services.

In summary, Kukuku Tea Room is not just a dining place; it is a celebration of Japanese culture dedicated to crafting unique experiences centered around wagashi and tea. Join us in toasting to their wonderful first year and indulge in the delicious offerings available for a limited time!