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Best Cafés to Work Remotely in East Tokyo

Best Cafés to Work Remotely in East Tokyo

July 1, 2025

A Soft Landing in Tokyo

I moved to Tokyo this spring from Ireland to work remotely as a developer. I didn’t come here with perfect Japanese, but I had a clear picture in my head: laptop open, coffee next to me, sitting in a cozy café somewhere in the city.

Finding cafés wasn’t the problem. Tokyo is full of them. What surprised me was how much I relied on small bits of Japanese just to get through the door, order a drink, and settle in. Back home, you can usually figure things out without talking much. In Tokyo, a little Japanese helps a lot. Here are some of the cafés in East Tokyo I’ve been working from, and how just a few phrases made my experience so much better.

Cafés I Actually Work From

Iki Roastery & Eatery (Kiyosumi-Shirakawa)

Iki was the first café I properly settled into when I arrived in Tokyo. I had just moved into my short-term apartment nearby and was still figuring out the area. The café felt spacious and calm, with tall ceilings, huge windows, and a kind of clean, airy design that reminded me a bit of the Copenhagen Coffee Lab I used to work at in Lisbon. I found a quiet seat along the wall and ended up staying there for a few hours, just working, adjusting, and letting the background buzz of quiet conversation and clinking dishes help me focus. It’s still one of my favourite spots to return to when I need a solid work session and a proper coffee.

Iki Roastery & Eatery

Berth Coffee (Nihombashi/Bakurocho)

Berth Coffee is on the ground floor of a modern hostel, but it’s not noisy or chaotic like you might expect. It’s stylish and minimal, with clean wooden counters, warm lighting, and a long window seat that’s perfect for zoning out while you work. I came here early one morning during my first month in Tokyo and remember being surprised by how calm it was. There were a few solo customers reading or typing away, and it felt like a shared but quiet energy. I ended up staying for most of the morning, drinking an iced coffee and working without interruptions. It’s a great spot when I want somewhere that feels a bit more tucked away from the usual café crowd.

Berth Coffee

Kraft Coffee Japan (Kiyosumi)

Kraft Coffee is a small neighbourhood spot with a quiet, no-frills atmosphere. I found it while looking for a less crowded place to work and ended up really liking how peaceful it felt. The espresso is excellent, the seating is minimal but comfortable, and the music is usually soft enough to focus. Just a heads-up: there’s no Wi-Fi here, so unless you are able to use your own data, it’s better suited for offline work or writing sessions. I’ve had long stretches here where I could really concentrate without distractions.

Kraft Coffee

Blue Bottle Coffee (Toyosu)

I came here last week when I visited Toyosu for the first time, not expecting to get any work done, but I brought my laptop anyway. This Blue Bottle is inside a park, and on a sunny day the whole space is filled with natural light. It has a mix of people coming and going, but there is always a corner you can settle into. I ended up staying for a couple of hours just to plan things out, answer a few messages, and enjoy the view. If you want something a bit less busy, the Kiyosumi Shirakawa location is also great for working. It is quieter, has more seating, and feels more focused, but both are solid options depending on your mood.

Blue Bottle Coffee

Ordering Coffee: My First Real Conversation

One of my first wins in Tokyo was successfully ordering a coffee. It sounds small, but it gave me confidence to keep trying.

Staff:
ご注文はお決まりですか？
Gochuumon wa okimari desu ka?
Are you ready to order?

Me:
ホットラテをお願いします。
Hotto rate o onegaishimasu.
I’d like a hot latte, please.

Staff:
こちらでお飲みになりますか？
Kochira de onomi ni narimasu ka?
Will you be drinking it here?

Me:
はい、ここで。
Hai, koko de.
Yes, for here.

From that moment, I started picking up more of these small but helpful interactions.

The Phrases That Changed Everything

These are the phrases that made ordering, seating, and working in cafés much smoother:

Knowing how to say these phrases made all the difference. I went from awkwardly guessing to confidently asking—and the cafés felt more like mine.

The App That Helped Me Practice

What helped the most was using Hanashi, a Japanese-learning app focused on real-life conversation. It doesn’t just teach vocabulary—it walks you through role-play situations like ordering coffee, asking to sit, or checking if you can use Wi-Fi or an outlet.

The Café Conversation Pack is perfect for anyone working in cafés, travelling, or living in Japan. Practising these real-life moments made everything smoother and more enjoyable.

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