Free Wi-Fi Cafes in Tokyo

This article by Andres Zuleta first appeared on Tokyo Cheapo.

Free Wi-Fi in Tokyo is notoriously hard to find. Most first time visitors to the city are shocked at how scarce it is. After all, Tokyo is one of the world’s most modern cities, right?

Tokyo has no shortage of great cafes, but many don’t offer Wi-Fi (particularly chain stores) — and it’s still rare to see Japanese people working from their laptops at cafes.

As a tourist, your hotel will probably have Internet, whether via Wi-Fi or a LAN cable in your room. We’ve already covered some of the cheap/free internet options for Tokyo, but finding free Wi-Fi whilst out exploring Tokyo can be a trying experience. (Some neighborhoods and train stations do offer Wi-Fi, but you can’t exactly pull out your laptop on the street!)

So if you’re looking for a comfy place to grab a coffee and get some work done, check out our list below.

Things to keep in mind before you set out:

Charge before you go: Not all cafes have outlets, and some frown upon charging your laptop — so try to charge before you go.

Smoking happens: Smoking is still big in Japan, so be forewarned that you may encounter it in some of these cafes.

Avoid peak hours: It goes without saying that Tokyo is crowded, which means that coffee shops can fill up on weekends and during lunch/dinner times. Try and avoid these times for a more relaxed experience. Mornings are the best time.

Lone nomad: “Nomad worker” culture is still fairly rare here, so don’t be surprised if you’re the only one breaking out your laptop.

“Fake” Wi-Fi: Many coffee shops (e.g., Doutor, Mos Burger) offer Wi-Fi that will only work if you have a contract with a certain domestic mobile carrier.

Useful phrases:

Wi-Fi arimasu ka? (Do you have Wi-Fi?)

Pasokon o tsukatte mo ii desu ka? (Is it OK to use a laptop/computer?)

Konsento arimasu ka? (Do you have outlets?)

List of Free Wi-Fi Cafes in Tokyo

Espresso Americano

Cafe conveniently located in Roppongi Hills. Drinks start at 400 yen.
Address: 4th Floor, Roppongi Hills West Tower
Hours: 10:00-21:00 (Weekends/Holidays 11:00-21:00)
TEL: 03-6804-6116
Website (Japanese): http://www.espresso-americano.jp

Cafe Salvador

Cool cafe in the upscale Marunouchi area, smack in between Yurakucho and Tokyo.
Address: Fuji Building 1F 3-2-3 Marunouchi, Chiyoda, Tokyo
Drinks: from 380 yen
Hours: 10:00-23:00 (Sundays/Holidays close 20:00)
TEL: 03-5220-6466
Website (Japanese): http://www.cafecompany.co.jp/brands/salvador/marunouchi/index.html

Timeout Cafe

Located in the same building as Liquidroom, this is a good alternative to the many Starbucks locations in Ebisu.
Address: Liquidroom 2F 3-16-6 Higashi, Shibuya, Tokyo, Japan
Drinks: from 500 yen
Hours: 11:30-23:30 (Saturdays 13:00-23:30/Sundays & Holidays 13:00-22:00)
TEL: 03-5774-0440
Website (Japanese): http:///www.timeoutcafe.jp

Yoyogi Uehara Cafe

Yoyogi Uehara is located near Shinjuku, and has some great neighborhood restaurants and izakayas for after you finish working.
Address: Frenity House 2F 1-17-7 Uehara, Shibuya, Tokyo, Japan
Hours: 11:30-16:00 & 18:00-23:00
TEL: 03-5790-9322
Website (Japanese): http://www.yoyogiueharacafe.com

Shimokitazawa Tag Cafe

Shimokitazawa (“Shimo”) is full of great little bars, cafes and restaurants. If you look around, you will find other places to enjoy a nice coffee in addition to the two shops listed here.
Address: Southside II-2B 2-12-10 Kitazawa, Setagaya, Tokyo, Japan
Drinks: from 500 yen
Hours: 12:00-24:00 (Sundays/Holidays closes 20:00)
TEL: 03-6450-7253
Website (Japanese): http://joypop-st.com/tagcafe

Cafe Stay Happy

Run by a super-friendly couple, this is a great place to get some work done in a relaxed and — yes — happy environment.
Address: 2F 2-29-14 Daizawa, Setagaya, Tokyo, Japan
Drinks: from 500 yen
Hours: 13:00-24:00 (Closed Tuesday & 2nd Monday of the month)
TEL: 03-3410-5959
Website (Japanese): http://cafestayhappy.com/

Honohono Cafe

You can take the JR line to Koenji and walk down the central arcade to reach this cafe, or better yet take the Tokyo Metro Marunouchi line to Shin-Koenji for a slightly shorter walk.
Address: 3-21-19 Koenjiminami, Suginami, Tokyo, Japan
Drinks: from 350 yen
Hours: 11:30-23:00 (Closed Tuesdays)
TEL: 03-3318-5100
Website (Japanese): http://honohonocafe.com/index.html

Office

This office-themed cafe is only open at night.
Area: Gaienmae
Address: Aoyama Yamazaki Building 5F 2-7−18, Kitaaoyama, Minato, Tokyo, Japan
Drinks: from 500 yen
Hours: 19:00-27:00
TEL: 03-5786-1052
Website (Japanese): http://www.transit-web.com/shop/office/

Sign Gaienmae

The “Sign” brand of coffee shops has several locations in Tokyo. It’s a chain but it still has more local flavor than Starbucks, so is a good alternative.
Area: Gaienmae
Address: Yamazaki Building 1.2F 2-7-18 Kitaaoyama, Minato, Tokyo, Japan
Drinks: from 400 yen
Hours: 11:00-27:00
TEL: 03-5474-5040
Website (Japanese): http://www.transit-web.com/shop/sign-gaienmae/

Bookshelf Cafe

Hamacho is an infrequently-visited area of Tokyo east of Nihonbashi. There are some good old shops around here for those who like getting off the beaten track.
Address: Nihonbashi Hamacho Park Building 1F 2-35-4 Nihonbashihamacho, Chuo, Tokyo, Japan
Drinks: from 450 yen
Hours: 8:30-22:00 (Weekends 10:00-18:00, closed holidays)
TEL: 03-5614-0241
Website (Japanese): http://www.bookshelfcafe.jp/

Cafest

Ningyocho — “doll town” — is also a great old part of Tokyo with some excellent old shops for perusing pre- or post-work.
Address: 1-5-10 Nihonbashiningyocho, Chuo, Tokyo, Japan
Drinks: from 500 yen
Hours: 08:00-19:00 (Saturdays 11:00-17:00, closed Sundays/Holidays)
Website (Japanese): http://www.cafest.net

Onedrop Cafe

Onedrop is an event space and cafe. Depending on the day you visit, it may not be terribly conducive to work, but will probably be interesting.
Area: Iwamotocho
Address: 2-9-11 Iwamotocho, Chiyoda, Tokyo, Japan
Drinks: from 500 yen
Hours: 11:30-26:00 (Closed Sundays/Holidays)
TEL: 03-5829-6822
Website (Japanese): http://www.onedrop-cafe.com

Paper Back Cafe

Jimbocho is Tokyo’s old book town. This cafe is located inside a book shop. A great place to get distracted with coffee and books.
Address: 1-17 Kanda Jinbocho, Chiyoda, Tokyo, Japan
Drinks: from 280 yen
Hours: 10:00-21:00 (Sundays/Holidays close 20:00)
TEL: 03-3291-5181
Website (Japanese): http://www.tokyodoshoten.co.jp/cafe

Cafe Asan

Okachimachi is not far from Ueno, making this one of the only cafes on this list located in this key part of town.
Address: 5-9-9 Higashiueno, Taito, Tokyo, Japan 2k540
Drinks: from 500 yen
Hours: 11:00-19:00 (Closed Wednesdays)
TEL: 03-6803-0502
Website (Japanese): http://www.cafeasan.jp

Ommbla

Our final two cafes are located in the Komazawa Daigaku area, not far from Shibuya — and just one station away from the fun and lively Sangenjaya area.
Address: 2-8-17 Tsurumaki, Setagaya, Tokyo, Japan
Drinks: from 300 yen
Hours: 18:00-26:00 (Weekends/Holidays 12:00-25:00)
Sundays/Holidays close 20:00)
TEL: 03-5426-1728
Website (Japanese): http://www.cafe-ommbla.com

Tokyo People’s Cafe

The concept here is a space where you can relax and take it slow. This is a great place to work during the day, and like many of these cafes, can get lively in the evenings.
Address: B1F 3-18-11 Kamiuma, Setagaya, Tokyo, Japan
Drinks: from 580 yen
Hours: 10:00-23:00
TEL: 03-5779-8564
Website (Japanese): http://www.cafecompany.co.jp/brands/tokyopeoples/index.html

Starbucks

While not our favorite option, this article would not be complete without a mention of Starbucks (or “Staba,” as it’s known here). Starbucks is ubiquitous in Tokyo, and it’s a great backup option in case you’re in need of a quick Wi-Fi fix.

There’s one catch: you need to sign up before you go. You can’t just show up and log on. To sign up, you’ll need Internet. You can register here. After signing up you’ll get an email with a confirmation link. Click to confirm and make sure you write down your username and password — you’ll need these to log on the next time you visit Starbucks.

Starbucks is everywhere, and almost all of them offer free Wi-Fi. To find a Starbucks in your Tokyo Area, you can use the store locator here.

While Starbucks is often the easiest solution, it’s a lot more interesting to explore Tokyo’s burgeoning Wi-Fi cafe scene!

Note: Shop details (hours, prices, and the availability of Wi-Fi) are subject to change. If you discover a discrepancy, please let us know!

Read more, including a map of the cafes, on Tokyo Cheapo.