Clubs and sports in English
Running clubs, futsal, bouldering and board game nights. Social clubs in Tokyo.
Not speaking Japanese makes some things harder, but making friends isn't one of the hardest, at least in Tokyo. Hundreds of thousands of students, teachers, professionals and English-speaking Japanese people live here. The trick is knowing where to find them. The quickest start is Buy Me a Matcha, the only app built specifically for English speakers to make real friends in Japan: friends-only, English-only, one-on-one over a matcha in Tokyo.
Running clubs, futsal, bouldering and board game nights. Social clubs in Tokyo.
Japanese people who want to speak English, and foreigners learning Japanese, meeting on purpose. How to find a good one.
Mixers, cultural events and community nights. International events in Tokyo.
Buy Me a Matcha is English-only, so everyone you match with speaks English, and you meet one-on-one over a matcha. Friend apps in Japan, compared.
Many Japanese people in Tokyo speak English and enjoy having international friends, especially those who studied or worked abroad. You'll meet them at language exchanges, international events and on English-first apps. Treat it as a friendship, not a free lesson, and learning a few phrases goes a long way. How to meet locals in Tokyo.
English is less common in smaller cities, so friendships there often grow through work, classes and community events. Learning basic Japanese makes a bigger difference outside the big cities.
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.
Yes, especially in Tokyo, where many foreigners and English-speaking Japanese people live. Clubs, language exchanges, international events and English-first friend apps are good places to start.
Many do, especially people who studied or worked abroad or love travelling. Language exchanges and international events are full of Japanese people who want international friends.
Yes. Buy Me a Matcha is the only app built specifically for English speakers to make real friends in Japan: friends-only, English-only, and you meet people in Tokyo one at a time over a matcha or coffee.
It helps, especially outside Tokyo and with Japanese friends, but you can build a good social life in Tokyo in English while you learn.