The Yamatane Museum of Art is located in the Tokyo suburb of Hiroo, and showcases a collection of over 1800 Japanese paintings, centered around the Meiji Period. Alongside the artwork to enjoy, the museum has a cafe that serves up tea and a range of seasonal wagashi, or traditional Japanese sweets.
The springtime wagashi offerings included sakura, peony, hydrangea and magnolia varieties. We enjoyed the hydrangea and peony wagashi and were impressed by the level of detail that each piece had. There are several tea options to enjoy with your wagashi, including matcha, oolong tea, and a flower infused tea blend.
The cafe portion of the museum is accessible without needing to purchase an admission ticket to the museum itself.
Getting there
The Yamatane Museum of Art Cafe is located just over 10 minutes on foot from Ebisu Station, served by the JR Yamanote, Shonan Shinjuku and Saikyo Lines, and the Tokyo Metro Hibiya Line.
You'll see on one of them it notes that it contains egg, but for strict vegans I'd also be careful of some of the jelly-looking garnishes as they may contain gelatin.
I wrote about wagashi in Chiba Prefecture, and how they are less calorie-laden than western confections - https://en.japantravel.com/chiba/kikuya-sweets-shop-in-noda-city/41947
I think a big part of why I love wagashi so much is because you feel like you've had a treat without it pushing into sugar-overload territory. It's just the right amount!
And the raw sweets are usually safe for vegetarians and vegans.