Chun Shui Tang

Quick Facts

Last checked against official information: 2026-11-11.

What it is

Chun Shui Tang (春水堂), established in Taichung, Taiwan in 1983, is the Taichung tea house that says it invented Tapioca Milk Tea (Boba): the company tells how, in 1987, it revolutionized global beverage culture by combining rich Taiwanese black tea, creamy milk, and traditional cassava starch tapioca balls into a single chilled glass. (Another Taichung house, Hanlin Tea House, makes a rival invention claim, and no court or authority has ever certified a sole inventor — but Chun Shui Tang's version is the one that conquered the world.) Entering Japan in 2013 with its flagship in Daikanyama, Chun Shui Tang adheres to strict artisanal tea standards: 100% additive-free, natural whole tea leaves brewed fresh to order using certified "Tea Master" baristas, sweetened with natural cane sugar syrup boiled in-house. Beyond world-class boba, its Tokyo tea rooms serve exquisite, comforting Taiwanese cuisine, including rich Braised Beef Noodle Soup (Niu Rou Mian), spicy minced pork mazesoba, and warm silky Douhua (Tofu Pudding).

How to order

Dining at Chun Shui Tang is graceful, modern, and simple:

1. Be seated by staff: Step inside. Staff will greet you and seat you at an elegant wooden table decorated with classical Chinese ceramics and minimalist wood lattice partitions.
2. NO Otoshi cover charge: Enjoy honest dining—Chun Shui Tang charges strictly zero table fee, zero service charge, and zero cover charge (¥0 Otoshi)!
3. Scan the Tabletop QR Code (or Order Verbally):
   • Scan the QR code card on your table with your smartphone camera to open the multilingual mobile ordering menu (English, Japanese, Chinese).
   • Or ask staff for the printed English laminated picture menu.
4. Order the Original Boba Milk Tea:
   • Original Tapioca Milk Tea (タピオカミルクティー): The 1987 original! Rich, malty black tea with tiny, velvety chewy tapioca pearls and light froth.
   • Tapioca Jasmine Milk Tea / Alishan Oolong: Floral, aromatic, and refreshing.
   • Tapioca Matcha Milk Tea: Kyoto Uji matcha blended with creamy milk and pearls.
   • Customize Sweetness & Ice: Choose Ice Level (Regular / Less / None) and Sweetness (Regular / Less / None).
5. Order Authentic Taiwanese Savory Dishes:
   • Taiwanese Beef Noodle Soup (台湾牛肉麺 - Niu Rou Mian): Tender slow-braised beef shanks in rich, aromatic five-spice beef broth with springy noodles and pickled mustard greens.
   • Minced Pork Taiwanese Mazesoba (台湾まぜそば): Brothless chewy noodles tossed in savory braised pork, scallions, and chili oil.
   • Steamed Pork Xiaolongbao & Dim Sum: Juicy soup dumplings served in bamboo steamers.
6. Order Sweet Silky Douhua (豆花): Finish your feast with traditional Taiwanese tofu pudding topped with sweet red beans, chewy taro balls, and jasmine tea syrup!
7. Settle your bill: Bring your table number card to the register counter near the door. Pay via cash, credit card, Suica, or smartphone QR codes (PayPay, Alipay, WeChat Pay).

What to order first

Dishes below reflect core brand staples officially featured on the Chun Shui Tang Japan Official Website:

• Original Tapioca Milk Tea (元祖 タピオカミルクティー): The claimed 1987 original; rich additive-free Taiwanese black tea whisked with creamy milk and springy handmade pearls (~¥650–¥750 tax-included).
• Taiwanese Braised Beef Noodle Soup (台湾牛肉麺 - ニューローメン): Meltingly tender braised beef chunks in fragrant star anise beef dashi with chewy noodles (~¥1,150–¥1,350).
• Spicy Sesame Dan-Dan Noodles (麻辣担々麺): Rich sesame broth noodles with savory minced pork and Sichuan pepper (~¥980–¥1,180).
• Handmade Silky Douhua Tofu Pudding (伝統 豆花): Delicate, melt-in-your-mouth soybean pudding served with brown sugar syrup, sweet red beans, and chewy pearls (~¥650–¥750).
• Tapioca Jasmine Green Milk Tea (タピオカジャスミンミルクティー): Delicate floral jasmine green tea paired with sweet boba pearls (~¥600–¥700).

Payment & practical info

Prices and details checked: October 2026.

• Pricing & Value: Accessible upscale cafe dining; pairing a hearty bowl of Taiwanese beef noodles with an authentic boba milk tea costs around ¥1,600–¥2,000 with zero table charge.
• Cover Charges: Strictly zero cover charge and zero seating fees (¥0 Otoshi).
• Payment Methods: Accepts Japanese Yen cash, major credit cards (Visa, Mastercard, JCB, Amex, UnionPay), Japanese transit IC cards (Suica, PASMO, ICOCA), electronic money (iD, QUICPay), and mobile QR codes (PayPay, Alipay, WeChat Pay).
• Atmosphere: Serene, chic, and cosmopolitan. Traditional Taiwanese wooden furniture, ambient warm lighting, soft background instrumental music, and beautiful flower arrangements.
• Top Tokyo Locations:
  • Omotesando / Harajuku: Stylish flagship near high-fashion shopping.
  • Daikanyama: Peaceful, leafy cafe haven.
  • Shinjuku Lumine & Shibuya Mark City: Convenient station-connected branches.

Good to know / Common mistakes

• Smaller, softer pearls: First-timers used to giant, rubbery commercial boba will be surprised—Chun Shui Tang's pearls are smaller, softer, and more velvety. They are crafted using traditional natural cassava root recipes without artificial hardening gums, designed to glide smoothly through the straw!
• Eat the Beef Noodles hot: The beef shank is slow-simmered for hours until it collapses like butter. Stir the pickled mustard greens into the dark broth to release a tangy, aromatic depth.
• Takeout window available: If the dine-in tea room has a wait, head to the separate street-facing Takeout Counter where you can order drinks and boba to go in under 3 minutes!
• Hot boba in winter: Chun Shui Tang serves hot tapioca milk tea (Hot Boba) during colder months. The pearls become exceptionally soft and sweet in warm milk tea—the ultimate winter comfort!
• No tipping: Tipping is never accepted. Pay the exact bill at the front desk.

Sources

• Chun Shui Tang Japan Official Website: https://www.chunshuitang.jp/ (Verified: 2026-10-02)
• Oasis Tea Office Corporate Portal: https://www.oasistea.co.jp/ (Verified: 2026-10-02)