Afternoon tea has become a significant cultural and commercial phenomenon in Japan, with the market for this dining tradition valued at over ¥265 billion ($1.6 billion) annually, according to the Japan Consumer Marketing Institute. Tokyo alone accounts for roughly one-third of this market, reflecting the city’s robust appetite for both traditional and innovative tea experiences.

Since Hotel Chinzanso Tokyo introduced the country’s first British-style afternoon tea in 1982, the practice has evolved beyond simple sandwiches and scones with tea. Establishments are increasingly competing by offering elaborate presentations, seasonal menus, and collaborative events with designers. The latest trend is a fusion of dim sum with afternoon tea, featuring Chinese cuisine and teas as alternatives to the customary Western items.

The Mandarin Oriental Tokyo was among the first to pioneer this concept in late 2015, branding it explicitly as “Chinese afternoon tea” rather than a standard dim sum set. Its offering included traditional dim sum dishes such as abalone tart and duck pie displayed in a tiered silver case modeled after bamboo steamers. Following this initiative, other Tokyo hotels like the Peninsula Tokyo and the InterContinental the Strings Tokyo introduced their own Chinese afternoon tea menus between 2017 and 2018. Although the COVID-19 pandemic temporarily slowed momentum, interest rebounded sharply by late 2021, according to Google Trends data, which showed peak search activity in April 2022 and sustained popularity afterwards.

Today, numerous Tokyo restaurants and hotels promote Chinese afternoon tea, with gourmet guides listing multiple establishments offering these sets. While luxury hotels continue to lead the trend, some Chinese restaurants, such as Chenfun Hong Kong Tearoom 1946 in Marunouchi, have entered the market, providing selections including shumai and egg tarts priced from ¥4,600. Regular customer Tomoko Yoshida, a business professor at Keio University, highlighted her preference for the savory emphasis of Chinese afternoon tea over traditional British-style offerings.

The format has also encouraged culinary innovation by integrating diverse regional flavors from China. ANA InterContinental Tokyo, following a recent renovation, relaunched its Chinese afternoon tea with a high-end selection focused on Asian spices, offering items such as scallops flavored with pandan leaf and xiaolongbao soup dumplings infused with Thailand’s tom yum kung broth. The hotel plans a fall menu centered on Chinese herbal medicine flavors.

Some venues are targeting younger audiences less familiar with sophisticated Chinese dining. Jade Palace at the Hyatt Regency Shinjuku, a long-standing establishment in Tokyo’s business district, recently introduced a Chinese afternoon tea priced at ¥7,500 and served on a distinctive wooden multitiered shelf designed to appeal to social media users. Chef Shinya Matsumoto notes that popular Chinese dishes like Peking duck, xiaolongbao, mouth-watering chicken, and spicy tofu have paved the way for bolder tastes including fermented chili peppers, Sichuan peppercorns, and black vinegar. His menu balances authentic techniques and ingredients with creativity, pairing savory items with playful desserts such as ginger mousse and white sesame caramel crafted to resemble steamed buns.

Matsumoto emphasizes the importance of presenting a nuanced interpretation of Chinese cuisine that remains accessible to Japanese diners, reflecting a broader trend of afternoon tea evolving into a versatile dining format inspired by diverse culinary traditions.