Since the aftermath of the Second World War, Japan has had a notoriously draconian approach to cannabis, instating the first national Cannabis Control Act in 1948. That said, for the last decade, thanks to pioneering brands like Healthy Tokyo, H Think, and former Miss World Japan Priyanka Yoshikawa’s Mukoomi, cannabidiol – better known by the abbreviation CBD – has been in the thrall of an uprising in Japan. 

CBD is the non-psychoactive chemical in the cannabis plant (specifical hemp), and following a breadth of research conducted over the last few decades and eventual World Health Organization (WHO) approval, it has been shown to help treat innumerable ailments, from muscular pains and sports injuries to acne, anxiety, PTSD, and even heart disease and cancers. 

With its rise in popularity across the globe – the market is predicted to be worth $20 billion by 2024 – a dizzying range of CBD-infused products have littered the shelves of cafés, cosmeticians, and specialist stores. Tokyo too has joined the craze, and there is no shortage of shops to pick up CBD across the Japanese capital. For those looking for CBD in Tokyo, look no further. 

 

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1. HealthyTOKYO

Operating in Tokyo since 2011 under the stewardship of Michael Bobrove, HealthyTokyo runs specialist CBD shop-cum-cafés in Harajuku, Daikanyama, and Haneda Airport. Selling a range of oils, edibles, vape liquids, topicals and CBD-infused ointments for your pets, HealthyTokyo has one of the most substantial ranges of products in the city. The CBD gummy bears, energy bar selection, rosemary honey and infused coffees are delicious across the board.  

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2. Global Touch

Global Touch, a styling salon, meatball shop, and CBD vendor in Minamiazabu offers a range of cannabidiol products, from oils of varying CBD concentrations to gummies, candy, and freshly brewed coffee. Global Touch’s hemptouch oils, which start at 3% CBD per drop of oil and go up to 15%, can be purchased online. Customers in surrounding areas can also order the CBD coffee and drinks selection through Uber Eats.

 

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3. GReEN

Green in Nihonbashi is a CBD personal consultation store offering a try-before-you-buy service (appointment reservations can be made through the website). With staff to help guide you towards the right product to suit your needs (English-speaking staff available on Sundays, Mondays and Tuesdays between 12.00 and 17.00) Green is perfect for CBD neophytes. The range of products on offer is vast, covering body applicants like soap and moisturizing lotions, protein powders and post-workout cannabidiol bars, the usual selection of candies and gummies, and CBD vape liquids flavored like cannabis and Californian OG Kush.  

4. CBD Lab Denechofu

Run by Pharma Hemp Japan, CBD Lab Denenchofu, specializes in hemp-based products gown in Slovenia which have been approved by various drug administration boards. With over 50 different CBD products and oils up to 24% concentration, there’s plenty of variety for both seasoned users and first-time triers. CBD Lab also sells a high-concentrate 68% CBD-infused wax, which can be great for those feeling more severe stress or pain symptoms – store staff can offer advice on the best way to use the product.  

 

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5. Udagawa Café

The quirky Udagawa Café is not a specialist CBD outlet, but a coffee house-cum-bar in the heart of Shibuya that recently unveiled a range of CBD-tinged coffees under the Japanglish name “Corona Break Days”. The small selection of coffees and lattes, using only 5% concentration CBD oil, is a good option for newcomers who’d prefer to dip their toes in the cannabidiol water before diving in at the deep end. 

 

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6. 714 Café  

714, named after the Los Angeles area code, is a CBD specialist store in Azabu Juban stylized after the traditionally laid-back atmosphere of southern California. CBD-imbued coffees, teas, fruit juices, and hot sandwiches are available for takeout, or to consume at the lone table in the store. Alternatively, you can purchase the same brand of CBD – Japanese brand ataracia – through a link on the 714 website.

 

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7. Mukoomi 

Kickstarted by Priyanka Yoshikawa, famous for becoming the nation’s first biracial Miss World Japan in 2016, Mukoomi offers a range of elegant CBD skincare products, oils, and serums. Founded on the core concept of ensuring “everyone, regardless of their gender, age, or ethnicity, has the foundation they need to harness their best selves”, Mukoomi’s products are particularly focused on the nexus where cosmetics and therapeutics meet: CBD facial creams and hydrating toners, eye and skin serums, and multi-product skincare packs. All products are available via the online store, while Mukoomi also holds occasional popup stores across Tokyo.    

 

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8. H Think CBD 

One of Japan’s most popular CBD cosmetics brands, H Think, can be found in various locations across the city. It specializes in multi-purpose isolate tinctures – mixed with high-fat MCT oils, meaning they are perfect for lacing your food and drink with CBD – and repair roll-ons for direct application to the body. The availability of H Think products is indicative of the increasing ubiquity of CBD across Japan: they top the shelves of Biople by CosmeKitchen and Aeon Body stores all over the country, are sold in Tokyo’s beauty clinics and pop-up stores, and infuse the food and drink in various cafés and restaurants in the capital. H Think products can also be purchased through the company’s online store.

Walala Japan CBD Cream Japan-Made in Tokyo Weekender

9. Walala 

“Linking CBD to the culture of health and wellness to deliver safe products to Japanese customers,” reads the mission statement of Walala, a Tokyo-based wellness brand fusing inspirations of Californian style with local sensibilities. Walala also prides itself on manufacturing its CBD products – featuring body creams and serums – domestically, which appear in various cosmetic shops in Tokyo. Walala’s less-is-more CBD range is also available online. 

10. Magokoro

While not strictly focused on CBD, to make a nice round list of ten, here is an option perhaps better for those living in Kanagawa or looking to understand more about CBD’s source material hemp. A so-called “hemp-style” café and bar, celebrating Japan’s little-known hemp heritage, Magokoro in Kanagawa serves a “Daily Hemp Blessing Plate” featuring hempseed ingredients, natural yeast hemp bread, hemp ice cream, and Cannabia (an organic hemp beer), among other hemp-based foodstuffs.