Wako Annex: A Hub for Tokyo’s Premium Gourmet Food and Sweets

Ginza is perhaps Tokyo’s most iconic upscale shopping district, home to the flagships of world-renowned luxury brands, famous Japanese establishments, and swanky restaurants. But when people think of Ginza, the landmark that locals tend to picture is the distinctive clock tower, long known as a symbol of the area. Right next door, you’ll find another spot worth checking out: Wako Annex. A must-see destination for any sweet tooth in Ginza, this building is full of sweet treats, from giftable choices like cakes and chocolates to fresh parfaits and more.

Located beside the main Ginza Wako building (crowned by the famous clock tower), Wako Annex is a specialty building dedicated to gourmet delicacies, many of which are perfect for taking home as special souvenirs, and the shelves are lined with everything from baked goods to fancy chocolates, as well as savory choices. It’s the perfect place to take a break during a stroll through Ginza and enjoy something sweet, or pick up high-quality Japanese souvenirs that can even double as a gift for a special occasion.

With many sweet treats made fresh daily, and new seasonal limited-edition products appearing throughout the year, Wako Annex offers new flavors and discoveries for every visit. So, what kind of tasty treats and special offerings will you find inside Wako Annex? Use our floor-by-floor guide to discover all the gourmet goodies and unique experiences it has to offer.

Wako Annex (和光 アネックス)
4-4-8 Ginza, Chuo City, Tokyo
Hours:
　Mon~Sat: 10:30 – 19:30
　Sun & Holidays: 10:30 – 19:00
Directions: Next to the Ginza Station (Tokyo Metro) B1 Exit
Official Website

1F Cake & Chocolate Shop: Cakes, Chocolates, and Other Baked Goods

Just beyond the entrance to Wako Annex, you’re welcomed by the first-floor cake and chocolate corner. Display cases are filled with beautifully crafted cakes and chocolates, and walking past is a visually stunning experience, almost like wandering through a gallery.

With an emphasis on delivering fresh flavors, these high-quality confections aren’t mass produced, but carefully crafted one at a time in Wako’s ateliers by expert pastry chefs. Chocolates are made in a nearby workshop, while fresh cakes are prepared in a space above the tea salon. By combining Japanese precision with French pastry techniques, Wako offers elevated experiences and deeply layered flavor profiles.

One must-try is the signature “Chocolat Frais,” which has been one of Wako’s most beloved fresh chocolate creations since it first went on sale in 1988. Altogether, Wako’s chocolate shop sells around 30 varieties, ranging from classic flavors to seasonal creations. You can sample a few to compare, or simply indulge in a single piece that catches your eye.

1F Cake & Chocolate Shop
Hours:
　Mon~Sat: 10:30 – 19:30
　Sun & Holidays: 10:30 – 19:00
Official Website

B1F Gourmet Salon: Premium Foods and Drinks

After sampling the sweets on the first floor, head down to the basement level to find another Wako Annex highlight: the Gourmet Salon. Here, shelves hold a curated selection of foods and popular snack souvenirs from across Japan, including both savory items and sweets, as well as a few select alcoholic beverages.

This is also a great place to discover seasonal specialties from different regions around Japan, like roasted nori from the Ariake Sea (one of Japan’s top seaweed-producing areas) or high-end umeboshi pickled plums from Kishu in Wakayama Prefecture. These salted umeboshi are mild in flavor and individually wrapped, making them perfect as souvenirs for anyone back home who’s interested in trying a taste of Japan.

You’ll also find a variety of jams, premium honey, and 100% natural maple syrup. Some even come in bottles featuring the iconic clock tower design—a fun choice for your breakfast table!

B1F Gourmet Salon
Hours:
　Mon~Sat: 10:30 – 19:30
　Sun & Holidays: 10:30 – 19:00
Official Website

2F Tea Salon: Relax with Seasonal Parfaits & Tea Time in Ginza

After picking out some sweets and souvenirs to bring home, head up to the second floor to treat yourself as you soak up the Tea Salon’s classic cafe atmosphere. The elegant decoration provides a calm place to relax in Ginza, and window seats overlook the most famous intersection in Ginza. Enjoying tea and sampling sweets while taking in the city view is a uniquely Ginza experience.

One of the Tea Salon’s most popular offerings is the “SHIKI Parfait,” a chocolate parfait that changes throughout the year to match each of Japan’s four seasons, so visitors can enjoy whatever flavors are most in season during their visit. In spring, that means a carefully prepared cherry blossom parfait, aesthetically arranged in a tall glass. Each spoonful dives through layers of raspberry sorbet, airy whipped cream, velvety chocolate cream, as well as crunchy chocolate bits and roasted pistachios for texture.

Topped with rich chocolate ice cream and decorated with cherry blossom “petals,” each parfair is an elegant vision of spring. Once you try one season, you may find yourself curious about the others… it’s tempting to come back throughout the year to try all four chocolate parfaits.

In addition to parfaits, at the Tea Salon you can also order a selection of the cakes sold on the first floor. One standout is the luxurious “Premier Amaou Bijoux de Fraise,” made with plenty of Japan’s famous Amaou strawberries. Along with the brand-name strawberries, this shortcake features fluffy sponge layered with custard cream, strawberry cream, and fresh whipped cream. The juicy strawberries offer a perfect balance of sweetness and acidity that pairs beautifully with all the creamy layers, making it the kind of truly special dessert that just begs to be sampled during your visit.

2F Tea Salon
Wako Annex 2F, 4-4-8 Ginza, Chuo City, Tokyo
Hours:
　Mon~Sat: 10:30 – last order 19:00
　Sun: 10:30 – last order 18:30
Official Website

Notes:
・Walk-in only; reservations not accepted.
・Preschool children are not permitted inside the Tea Salon.
・Some items are seasonal or limited in quantity, and may not be available.

Ginza Sweets Recommendations at Wako Annex

Sold alongside the Chocolat Frais and other chocolates, Wako makes an array of pound cakes in different tempting flavors. The Special Matcha Pound Cake (also called the “Matcha Royal”) uses premium-grade matcha to deliver a rich, aromatic green tea flavor, and the cake is stylishly finished with gold leaf to resemble Japan’s traditional handicrafts. The Special Chestnut Pound Cake (or Marron Royal) is heavy with Japanese chestnuts, known for their natural sweetness and roasted aroma, while nutty French chestnuts are blended into the batter for added depth.

If you’re looking for a light treat or a good gift for tea time back home, the Wako Cookies are our choice. These special cookies are baked in Wako’s atelier, where more than a year was spent developing the recipe. Made with rich Hokkaido butter and sweetened with a blend of natural brown sugar and powdered sugar, they have a delicately crisp texture that melts away in the mouth.

Okaki (12-Type / 6-Type)

For anyone craving crisp, crunchy snacks, the assorted okaki rice cracker boxes are the way to go. Each box provides a range of shapes and flavors to sample, from Japanese classics like Kujo green onion miso, nori, and bonito soy sauce, to more distinctive varieties like sakura shrimp, ume plum, and black soybean. One of the defining features of these okaki is that they are made with 100% Japanese glutinous rice, steamed whole, grain by grain, using a method that draws out the natural aroma and toasted flavor of the rice itself.

Seasonal Spring Sweets 🌸

Along with its year-round signature creations, the Wako Annex selection of limited-edition seasonal snacks is another great reason to visit. At this time of year, as spring arrives in Japan, the shop is filled with gourmet treats inspired by cherry blossom season.

One particularly charming example is the sakura-shaped okaki, which are similar in style to the standard okaki rice crackers, but shaped to look like cute little cherry blossoms. Each set includes three flavors: sugar, soy sauce, and shrimp. The pink packaging evokes a rain of sakura petals falling from the tree, with a fresh design that calls to mind a clear blue spring sky. It’s a cute snack that looks great in pictures, making it the perfect thing to bring along for a cherry blossom viewing picnic.

Last but not least, the Cake Fraise strawberry pound cake is vivid in color and flavor, a pretty pink that will catch your eye the moment you see it in the display case. The batter contains a blend of compote and purée made from Amaou strawberries, resulting in a fresh flavor with a beguiling balance of sweetness and tartness. The decadent layer of chocolate on top adds a rich aroma and creamy mouth feel for a well-balanced finish. It’s so pretty, you might want to take a photo before even taking a bite.

Please note that some items are seasonal or limited in quantity, and may not be available.

Enjoy a Special Moment with Tokyo’s Premium Sweets at Wako Annex

Whether you’re picking out premium sweets on the first floor, searching for delicious specialties from around Japan on the basement level, or relaxing with a cup of tea and a seasonal parfait on the second floor, time spent at Wako Annex feels like a leisurely escape, steeped in the classic Ginza atmosphere. If you’re visiting in search of a Ginza cafe with exceptional sweets, stop by Wako Annex—a one-of-a-kind, premium dessert experience awaits.

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