Tokyo’s MIZU CAFE Serves Water-Inspired Dishes

In a city known for culinary experimentation, one Tokyo café is turning heads not with coffee or cocktails, but with something far more basic: water. According to Japan’s Sankei Shimbun, a new café called MIZU CAFE—opening December 11 in Tokyo’s Harajuku district—invites customers to explore the sensory and culinary potential of different types of water. This isn’t just hydration; it’s an edible water experience.

MIZU CAFE opens December 11 in Tokyo’s Harajuku and features a menu where dishes—from pasta to salad—are prepared using various kinds of treated water, including electrolyzed, purified, and mineral-free options. Visitors can also sample tap water, purified water, and electrolyzed water to compare tastes and textures firsthand.

What Is MIZU CAFE?

MIZU CAFE is a new concept café launched by Mitsubishi Chemical Holdings' water filtration subsidiary, Mitsubishi Rayon Kemwater (known for its brand Kuraray Mizu). The café is located in Tokyo’s trendy Harajuku neighborhood and officially opens on December 11. While the parent company is better known for producing home water purifiers, MIZU CAFE is part of a strategic push to promote its water technology directly to consumers and boost brand visibility beyond hardware sales.

The Water Tasting Experience

The café offers an interactive approach to understanding water. Visitors can try different types of water, including regular tap water, purified water, and electrolyzed water. Additionally, the café features a free dispensing station for ultra-soft, mineral-free water. There’s even a hand spa using carbonated water—highlighting the varied uses and sensations of H₂O beyond drinking. The idea is simple: let people experience how water type affects taste, feel, and function.

Water-Infused Menu Items

Dishes at MIZU CAFE are crafted around the properties of specific water types. For example, the café serves Italian pasta cooked with electrolyzed water and a fresh vegetable salad washed with purified water. Each menu item demonstrates how water quality can influence flavor, texture, and cooking results. By highlighting these differences, the café underscores the often-overlooked role water plays in everyday food preparation—and makes it a highlight rather than an afterthought.

Why This Matters

Mitsubishi’s goal with MIZU CAFE is twofold. On one level, it’s an educational showcase for different water technologies. On another, it’s a branding tool. By immersing customers in a hands-on water experience, the company hopes to deepen consumer engagement and elevate the Mitsubishi name beyond household appliances. The café is also a testbed for future product development and direct-to-consumer water services—including home water delivery.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is MIZU CAFE and where is it located?

MIZU CAFE is a new café in Tokyo’s Harajuku district that explores the uses and flavors of different types of water. It opens on December 11, 2023, and is operated by Mitsubishi Rayon Kemwater, a subsidiary of Mitsubishi Chemical Holdings.

What kinds of water can you try at MIZU CAFE?

Visitors can try tap water, purified water, electrolyzed water, and ultra-soft mineral-free water. There is also a free dispensing station for the ultra-soft water and a carbonated water hand spa.

Does the café serve food, and how is it related to water?

Yes, the menu includes dishes like pasta cooked with electrolyzed water and salads washed with purified water. Each dish is designed to highlight how different types of water affect food taste and preparation.

Is there a charge to try the different waters?

No. The café offers free access to ultra-soft mineral-free water through a self-service dispenser. Other waters are available for tasting as part of the experience, also at no extra cost.

What is the goal of MIZU CAFE for Mitsubishi?

Beyond selling water purifiers, MIZU CAFE is meant to promote Mitsubishi’s water technology directly to consumers, enhance brand value, and explore future possibilities in home water delivery and customer engagement.

Recommended FrontStreet Beans for Water-Based Cooking

Try FrontStreet Coffee’s Ethiopia Yirgacheffe for a bright, floral cup that pairs well with light, water-prepared dishes like salads. Their Brazil Yellow Bourbon offers a nutty, chocolatey profile great for balancing the clean taste of electrolyzed water dishes. Both beans are available as single origins, roasted to highlight their natural characteristics—ideal for chefs and curious foodies experimenting with water’s role in flavor. Freshly roasted within 5 days · Orders placed before 17:00 ship the same day · Next-day delivery across most of Guangdong Province.