Minimal - Bean to Bar Chocolate -, a Japan-based specialty chocolate brand, will be running its Chocolate Afternoon Tea vol.10 at Minimal The Specialty Azabudai Hills from April 4 to June 30, 2026. The limited-time offering explores the intersection of Japanese culinary traditions and specialty cacao.
Japanese Ingredients × Specially Crafted Chocolates
The Azabudai Hills location is launching a Japanese-themed chocolate afternoon tea in April. As a Made-in-Japan specialty chocolate brand that has devoted extensive research to both cacao and Japanese ingredients, Minimal is presenting this Japanese × Chocolate afternoon tea experience.
The special plate centers on "Hand-wrapped Fruit Daifuku," where guests can freely combine three types of cacao and chocolate bean paste, ice cream, and seasonal fruits. Other items incorporate matcha, amanatto (sweetened beans), miso, and seaweed paired with a variety of cacao selections — elevating the pairing of chocolate and Japanese ingredients into a rich, multi-layered tasting experience. On the savory side, cacao-infused shumai rounds out the menu.
■ Minimal Chocolate Afternoon Tea vol.10
Period: April 4 (Sat), 2026 – June 30 (Tue), 2026
Price: ¥7,900 (tax included)
Tea or coffee included. Alcoholic beverages available at an additional charge.
Location: Minimal The Specialty Azabudai Hills
2F Garden Plaza A, Azabudai Hills, 5-8-1 Toranomon, Minato-ku, Tokyo
Reservations: https://www.tablecheck.com/shops/minimal-azabudai/reserve
(Reservations are scheduled to open on March 1, 2026 at 10:00 AM)
Special Dessert: Hand-wrapped Fruit Daifuku
The special dessert plate features three types of cacao-based bean paste, hojicha chocolate ice cream, gyuhi (a soft mochi-like rice confection), and seasonal fruits that guests can arrange to their own liking.
Combinations like fruit with cacao pulp bean paste offer a refreshing flavor, while hojicha chocolate ice cream paired with fresh fruit creates another enjoyable variation. The format invites a personalized, interactive dessert experience.
Note: Fruits will vary by season.
Three Types of Bean Paste
Chocolate Bean Paste (NUTTY)
Ghana-origin cacao beans are used to create a chocolate with nutty, cacao-derived flavors, blended with coarse-ground cacao and chunky bean paste (tsubuan) for an added textural dimension.Chocolate Bean Paste (FRUITY)
Tanzania-origin cacao beans form the base of a fruity chocolate blended with white bean paste (shiro-an). The clean sweetness of the white bean paste draws out the cacao's natural fruity character.Cacao Pulp Bean Paste
The lychee-like, fruity flesh of the cacao — known as cacao pulp — is combined with a light, clean white bean paste and gently reheated to concentrate and highlight the flavors of both ingredients.
6-Variety Chocolate Tasting
(NUTTY, SAVORY, HIGH CACAO, CLASSIC, WHITE, ROASTED GREEN TEA)
This plate lets guests enjoy the same chocolates and cacao used throughout the sweets and savory dishes as standalone bars. Dark chocolates contain only cacao and sugar, with flavor profiles ranging from fruity to nutty depending on origin and production method. Comparing the origin-to-origin differences, and how a chocolate tastes on its own versus in a dessert context, is part of the experience.
Tier 1: Chocolate Sweets
(Listed clockwise from the right)
Sakura Bean Paste Mont Blanc / Rose Bean Paste Mont Blanc
In April, the menu features a sakura (cherry blossom) bean paste mont blanc; from May to June, it transitions to a rose bean paste version. Both have a matcha and white chocolate ganache monté hidden beneath the bean paste layer. The sakura version builds on the gentle sweetness of cherry blossom bean paste and almond cream, evoking a spring fragrance on the palate. The rose version pairs the mellow, pleasant bitterness of matcha and the richness of cream with a soft rose aroma.
Chocolate Monaka
A bite-sized monaka wafer filled with smooth, mellow chocolate bean paste. The chocolate is "CLASSIC," made from Ghana-origin cacao beans, prized for its gentle sweetness and smooth melt. Chunky bean paste is blended in to further deepen the chocolate's richness.
Griotte Verrines / Lychee Verrines
A five-layered verrines designed for a light, progressively evolving tasting experience. In April, the griotte version is served; from May to June, the lychee version takes its place. Each comprises griotte or lychee jelly, a tea mousse, cream simmered with Madagascar cacao nibs, a Sacher-style rusk, and cacao pulp with bergamot jelly. The vibrant tartness of griotte or the refreshing sweet-and-sour note of lychee is further drawn out by the cream and blancmange.
Tier 2: Chocolate Sweets
(Listed clockwise from the right)
Matcha Mousse Cake
A mousse cake that unifies the rich aroma of matcha, the refreshing acidity of orange, and the mellow sweetness of white chocolate into a harmonious whole. Matcha is used in both a light-textured mousse and a joconde biscuit that releases a burst of matcha flavor when bitten into. An orange cream layer underneath adds a fresh brightness to the deeply aromatic matcha character.
Fresh Sweet Natsumikan Gateau Chocolat
Juicy natsumikan (Japanese summer mandarin) grown at Zenbee Noen in Wakayama Prefecture is generously featured throughout the dessert. An Italian meringue with a light, dissolving sweetness is paired with the fresh tartness and sweetness of the seasonal natsumikan, with the pleasant, subtle bitterness of citrus peel and the complementary note of chocolate weaving through the composition.
Soft Gateau Chocolat with 5 Varieties of Amanatto
Five types of sweetened beans (amanatto) are mixed into the batter, with a ganache formulated to complement their gentle flavors baked within for a moist, tender texture. A buttery, crispy crumble on top provides a contrasting texture and flavor accent, enhancing both the amanatto and the chocolate. The combination of this traditional Japanese ingredient with chocolate yields a soft, approachable character.
Tier 3: Savory
(Listed clockwise from the right)
Cacao Shumai by O2
This duck shumai was specially developed by O2 (Oh-Two), a popular modern Chinese restaurant in Kiyosumi-Shirakawa that offers creative, modern Chinese cuisine alongside wine. The dish features the sweet richness of duck leg fat, the fresh lift of coriander powder, and the depth of cacao.
First-picked Seaweed and Tofu Cacao Nib Salad
Prepared with "First-picked Seaweed Umami Flakes" from Numata Nori, a seaweed producer founded in 1937 known for its nutrient-rich, first-harvest seaweed. The savory umami and aroma of the seaweed are complemented by the toasty, crunchy texture of cacao nibs, resulting in an addictive flavor combination.
White Miso and Cheese Cacao Nib Toast
White miso is combined with "SAVORY" chocolate — known for its floral, cacao-derived flavors — and spread over toast before baking. Toasted cacao nibs and natural cheese from CHEESE STAND are added on top, delivering a sweet-savory balance with the fermented qualities of both miso and cacao running through every bite.
Set Drinks
Tea and coffee are included with the afternoon tea set. Alcoholic beverages are available at an additional charge.
Tea: Darjeeling Seeyok Estate DJ-83 2024 Second Flush (Uf-fu)
Darjeeling tea sourced directly from the region by Uf-fu, a specialty tea importer that selects only what it genuinely finds exceptional. It offers a fruity yet floral aroma with a concentrated flavor that seems to permeate deeply with each sip.
About Minimal
Minimal visits cacao-producing regions around the world and crafts each chocolate by hand from quality beans, guided by the philosophy of "carefully and simply, bringing out the best in the finest ingredients and drawing out their aromas to the fullest." The brand's team of patissiers, chocolatiers, and artisans — trained at Michelin-starred restaurants and top pâtisseries both in Japan and abroad — collaborate to create Minimal's chocolates and sweets.
For cacao sourcing, Minimal works alongside cacao farmers to conduct research and provide guidance on fermentation and drying processes at origin, developing flavors suited to premium, high-value products. The brand also engages in fair and ethical trade, supporting sustainable economic independence for farming communities. In 2019, Minimal participated in a JICA ODA feasibility study project in Nicaragua. Through a "subtraction" philosophy of letting ingredients speak for themselves and proprietary production methods, Minimal has won 103 awards at international competitions over 10 consecutive years.
Minimal The Specialty Azabudai Hills
Address: 2F Garden Plaza A, Azabudai Hills, 5-8-1 Toranomon, Minato-ku, Tokyo
Access: Direct connection from Exit 5 of Kamiyacho Station on the Tokyo Metro Hibiya Line
Hours: 11:00 AM – 7:00 PM, open daily
