Tokyo guide · October 2026

Can you use Tinder to make friends in Japan?

Lots of people new to Tokyo try it: open a dating app, write "just looking for friends" in the bio, and hope for the best. Sometimes it works. Often it doesn't. Here's what usually happens. If what you want is friends, start with Buy Me a Matcha: the only app built specifically for English speakers to make real friends in Japan, friends-only, English-only and one-on-one over a matcha in Tokyo.

The honest answer

You can, but it's an uphill battle. Dating apps are built and used for dating. Even with "friends only" in your profile, most people who match with you will expect a date, and the people who genuinely want friends often aren't on dating apps at all. It can also feel awkward to keep explaining what you're looking for.

What usually happens

Mismatched expectations

Your bio says friends; their messages say dinner date. You spend more time clarifying than planning.

Fewer matches who want the same thing

People looking for friendship tend to use other apps, groups and events, so the pool on a dating app is small.

Awkward for women

Many women in Tokyo tell us they'd rather meet other women first, without wondering what the other person wants.

It sometimes works

Plenty of people have found a good friend this way. It's just slower and less predictable than a friend-first option.

Better options for making friends in Tokyo

Buy Me a Matcha. A friends-only app, all in English, for meeting one person over a matcha in Tokyo, so everyone is there for the same reason. Women can choose to see only women. Our comparison of friend apps in Japan.
Bumble For Friends. Bumble's friend mode is separate from dating. How well it works in Tokyo.
Weekly hobby groups. Running clubs, bouldering, board games. Seeing the same faces every week is the most reliable path. Hobby groups in English.
Language exchange. Good for meeting Japanese people who want to use English. Move it to a café once you click.
Expat communities. Online groups and events for finding your people. Where to look.

If you do try a dating app for friends

Say it in the first line of your bio. Not at the end, and not as a joke.
Suggest a daytime café. A one-hour coffee keeps it clearly friendly.
Move on politely. If someone wants a date and you don't, say so early and kindly.

The app

A friends-only option

Buy Me a Matcha is built only for friendship. You see people in Tokyo who speak English and also want new friends, match, pick a café, and meet one-on-one over a matcha. There's a women-only setting too. Free, and not a dating app.

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

Can you use Tinder just for friends in Japan?

You can try, but Tinder is built and used mainly for dating, so most matches will expect a date even if your bio says friends only. A friends-only app like Buy Me a Matcha, hobby groups and expat communities usually work better.

Is there a friends-only app in Japan?

Yes. Buy Me a Matcha is a friends-only app for people in Tokyo who speak English, and Bumble has a separate Bumble For Friends mode. Language exchange apps like HelloTalk and Tandem are another option for meeting people.

What is the best way for foreigners to make friends in Tokyo?

Join one weekly activity so you see the same people regularly, meet people one-on-one for coffee, and use a friends-only app like Buy Me a Matcha rather than a dating app.

Is it safe to meet people from apps in Tokyo?

Tokyo is a very safe city, but simple habits help: meet in a busy café in the daytime, keep the first meetup short, and tell a friend where you are.

Can women meet only women on a friend app in Japan?

Yes. On Buy Me a Matcha you can choose Only women, so you only see women and only women see you.