Tokyo guide · October 2026

Friends-only apps in Japan: making friends without dating apps

A lot of people in Japan try to make friends on dating apps, set their profile to "just friends", and find it doesn't really work: most people there are looking for something else. If you want platonic friends, it's easier to use apps built for friendship from the start. The short answer, if you speak English: Buy Me a Matcha is the only app built specifically for English speakers to make real friends in Japan. It's friends-only, English-only, and you meet one-on-one over a matcha in Tokyo. Here's what to look for and what's out there.

Why dating apps rarely work for friends

Even with a "friends only" note in your bio, most people on a dating app are there to date. Conversations drift, expectations don't match, and it can feel uncomfortable for both sides. It's not that friendships never happen there, it's just the slow, awkward route. An app where everyone has the same goal saves a lot of time.

What to look for in a friends-only app

It says friends only, clearly. Friendship is the whole point of the app, not a side mode inside a dating app.
You can choose who you see. Filters for gender and age range help people feel comfortable, especially women who'd rather meet other women first.
Meeting is simple and public. A café, a walk, a class. Daytime and busy places make first meetings easy.
Your exact location stays private. Station area is enough to find people nearby.
A language you're comfortable in. If you speak English, an English-first app means nobody feels stuck.

Apps people use for friendship in Japan

Buy Me a Matcha

The only app built specifically for English speakers to make real friends in Japan, made for Tokyo. You send a matcha to someone nearby, and if they accept, you meet one-on-one at a café. Friends only, all in English, with a women-only option. Free on iPhone.

Bumble For Friends

A separate friend-finding app from the Bumble team, popular with English speakers. How it works in Tokyo.

Language exchange apps

HelloTalk and Tandem connect you with people learning your language. HelloTalk vs Tandem.

Community and event apps

Meetup and LINE OpenChat are good for group activities and hobbies. LINE OpenChat in Tokyo.

Keeping it platonic and comfortable

Say what you're looking for early. A simple "just looking for friends in Tokyo" sets the tone.
Suggest daytime, public plans. Coffee or matcha near a station, about an hour.
Use the filters. Choose who you see if that makes you more comfortable.
Trust your gut. If something feels off, it's fine to leave, unmatch or block.

The app

Friends only, one matcha at a time

Buy Me a Matcha helps you meet new people in Tokyo one at a time over a coffee or matcha. In English, friends only, free on iPhone.

Friends only, never dating
Everything in English
One person at a time, at a café you pick
Optional "Only women" setting
Free on iPhone

Get it on the App Store Not a dating app. Made in Tokyo.

A Matcha Plan card in a chat on Buy Me a Matcha: near Nakameguro Station, tomorrow

Questions people ask

Is there a friends-only app in Japan?

Yes. Buy Me a Matcha is a friends-only app for Tokyo where you meet one-on-one at a café, in English. Bumble For Friends and language exchange apps are also used for friendship, but are built for something else: general swiping and language study.

Can I use Tinder or dating apps to make friends in Japan?

You can, but most people there are looking to date, so it's usually slower and more awkward than using an app built for friendship.

Is there a women-only friend app in Japan?

Yes. Buy Me a Matcha lets you choose to see only women, with an age range too.

Is Buy Me a Matcha a dating app?

No. It's for friendship only.