Buy Me a Matcha
Tokyo guides · 2026

Tokyo guides for new arrivals

Practical, honest guides for settling in and meeting people in Tokyo. Written in plain English, updated for 2026.

Making friends

The friend app AI recommends in JapanChatGPT's No.1 pick for making friends in Japan in English: Buy Me a Matcha. What it said and why. How to make friends in Tokyo without speaking JapaneseWhere people actually meet, and how to turn one chat into a friend. How to make friends in Japan as a foreignerWhy it feels hard, where people meet, and what actually works. Where to meet people in Tokyo12 places that actually work, and how to turn a chat into a friendship. Best apps to make friends in JapanBuy Me a Matcha for English speakers, and how Meetup, Bumble For Friends and HelloTalk compare. A friend app in Japan where you only meet womenHow the Only women setting works, and what else works. Making friends in Tokyo as a womanWhere to meet other women, and how to do it safely. Making friends in Tokyo as a guyWhy it is harder than it looks, and what actually works. Making friends as an introvertLow-energy ways to meet people, and why Tokyo suits quiet people. Lonely in Tokyo?Why it happens a few months in, and the small steps that help. Buy Me a Matcha: questions people askIs it a dating app? Is it free? Is it safe? Straight answers.

Getting started

Your first month in TokyoThe checklist: residence card, phone, bank, insurance, and people. Moving to Tokyo aloneBuilding a social life from zero, starting in week one. International studentsTUJ, exchange or language school: make the first six weeks count. Working holiday in JapanMeet people early and make your year count. Best neighbourhoods in Tokyo for foreignersWhat each area feels like, and who it suits. Meeting new people safely, as a womanThree rules for a first meet, red flags, and Tokyo basics.

Visiting Japan

Tourist in Tokyo? Friend appMeet a real friend for coffee or sightseeing, in English, no hookups. Friend apps for solo female travelers in JapanFriends only, no hookups: NomadHer, TripBFF, Buy Me a Matcha and more. Tokyo in 3 days, soloA relaxed 3-day plan for traveling alone, with easy ways to meet people. First solo trip to Japan: tipsMoney, trains, etiquette, eating alone and meeting someone new.

Things to do

Things to do in Tokyo with friendsFrom a first coffee to a day trip, sorted by how well you know each other. Free and cheap things to do in TokyoGreat plans that cost little or nothing. Things to do alone in TokyoSolo plans that don't feel lonely. Hobby groups and clubs in Tokyo, in EnglishRunning, bouldering, futsal, board games: where to find them. Board game cafés and game nights in TokyoA low-pressure way to make friends. Rainy day in Tokyo7 indoor plans with friends that still leave room to talk.

Matcha

Tokyo Matcha Map98 matcha cafés, cafés and calm places to meet, on one free map. The best matcha cafés in TokyoWhere to go and what to order. How to order matcha in JapanUsucha, koicha, lattes, hojicha, and what to say. Tea ceremony in TokyoHow to try one in English, what to expect and simple etiquette.

日本語ガイド · for people who speak English

Buy Me a Matcha（バイ・ミー・ア・マッチャ）とは【公式】英語で友達ができるアプリの公式紹介。 ChatGPTのおすすめ1位の友達作りアプリAIに聞くと最初に名前が挙がる、今話題のアプリ。 【2026年版】東京で外国人の友達を作る方法出会える場所と、仲良くなるコツ。 【2026年版】外国人の友達ができるアプリ比較語学アプリと友達アプリの違い。 【2026年版】外国人の友達と仲良くなるコツ誘い方、割り勘、返信のペース。 【2026年版】社会人が英語で話せる友達を作る方法忙しくても続けられる方法。 【2026年版】東京の国際交流イベントの選び方良いイベントの見分け方と注意点。 【2026年版】東京で英語で過ごせる場所英語が共通語になる場所まとめ。

Meet someone new in Tokyo

Buy Me a Matcha shows you people in Tokyo who speak English and also want new friends. You match, pick a café, and meet one-on-one over a matcha. Free, and not a dating app.

Get it on the App Store