SunnyHills Minami Aoyama
Minami-Aoyama · Tokyo · Steep Index 8.6/10 · Steep Pick
A Taiwanese pineapple cake tea house inside one of Tokyo's most striking pieces of architecture, Kengo Kuma's nail-free wooden lattice building in Minami-Aoyama.
The Steep Index
Atmosphere leads decisively, a building genuinely worth visiting on its architecture alone. Coffee Quality, tea in this case, is close behind it, a vibrant Taiwanese tea paired with a pineapple cake done close to perfection. Solo-Friendliness is strong, this is a considered, calm space built for appreciating rather than working through. Staying Power and Value land a touch lower, this reads more as a focused tasting visit than an all-afternoon lounge, however genuinely worthwhile that visit is.
- Coffee / Drink Quality: 9.4/10
- Atmosphere: 9.6/10
- Solo-Friendliness: 8.8/10
- Value: 7.8/10
- Staying Power: 7.4/10
- Overall: 8.6/10
Perfect for: slow weekend, impressing someone
Specialty: afternoon tea
The Space
SunnyHills occupies one of Minami-Aoyama's genuine architectural landmarks, a Kengo Kuma building built from over 5,000 metres of interlocking timber using jigoku-gumi joinery, no nails anywhere in the structure. The room upstairs is serene and calm, built to be appreciated as much as sat in.
The Tea
The Taiwanese tea is vibrant, and paired with the pineapple cake it is a genuinely exceptional combination, the cake itself done close to perfection. Buy a box of pastries and the tasting comes complimentary, tea and your choice of cake included, or the tasting alone can be purchased on its own.
The building alone is worth the trip. The cake and tea make it worth staying.
The Vibe
Staff are polite and the whole visit feels considered rather than rushed, guided upstairs into the calm of Kuma's wooden lattice. It is an easy, rewarding stop for a solo visitor with time to appreciate the architecture as much as the cake.
The Verdict
SunnyHills earns its reputation as both an architectural destination and a genuinely excellent pineapple cake, rare for a shop this photographed to also deliver on the actual product. Go slow, look up at the lattice, and let the tea and cake catch up to the room.
Practical information
- Address: 3-10-20 Minamiaoyama, Minato City, Tokyo 107-0062
- Price: ¥¥
- Type: pineapple cake tea house
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