When you support these cool grandparents, you’ll get a lot in return too.

There are plenty of green tea stores vying for your attention in Japan, but right now there’s one that deserves to go straight to the top of your must-visit list, and it’s called G-Cha & Ba-Cha.

This humorous-sounding name, which is a lot of fun to say, is a play on the words for “tea” (“ocha” or “cha“), and grandpa (“jiichan“) and grandma (“baachan“). The name is a perfect fit for the vibe of the store, as it’s staffed by a roster of jiichans and baachans with an average age of 73, and the oldest member on the team is an impressive 80 years of age.

▼ Located in Tokyo’s Shibuya, the store has a lovely old facade, but on the inside it’s cool and modern, like the people who staff it.

After you duck through the green noren curtain, you’ll be welcomed into a brightly lit, modern interior.

The first thing to greet you is a poster featuring members of staff, with the kanji for “health” adding extra pop in neon.

Health is a key feature at this store, with a sign proudly stating the “G & B rules”.

These rules, kind of like a store ethos, are:

1. When you want to rest, take a rest!
2. If you’re tired, say so right away!
3. Work because it’s fun!

While staff are here to work and have fun, customers are here to enjoy themselves, and the experience starts with a variety of drinks, goods, and ice cream on the menu.

▼ The store is takeout only, with customers welcome to sip their drinks on the bench in front of the store.

To get your drink, or whatever else you’d like to order, simply fill out one of the order sheets, which are attached to clipboards and set up in cute boxes in the store.

These sheets make it easy for staff members to process your order, and the pink pens are also designed for this purpose. The store originally provided black pens, but this made it difficult for the elderly staff to read, so they switched to pink pens.

When our reporter Natsuno Futon stopped by to check the place out, she ordered the Ba-cha Jasmine Green Tea for 800 yen (US$5.02) and a Matcha Ice Cream for 400 yen.

▼ Order sheet in hand, Natsuno headed to the cashier to place her order.

That’s where she met…

▼ …Kenny!

This sprightly 76-year-old was a delightful soul, waving warmly at Natsuno as she approached the counter. He immediately struck up a conversation with her, saying how grateful he was to work at G & B as there aren’t many opportunities to be hired at his age.

▼ For Kenny, this is actually a side job as he also works as a consultant, so he’s a bit of a busy bee.

Unlike other stores, where staff process orders quickly while barely looking at you, Kenny gave Natsuno the time of day she didn’t realise she needed, making her feel as if she’d stepped into his home rather than a store.

It was as if the order was secondary to the conversation, and the experience reached into the corners of Natsuno’s walled-off heart and made it glow with delight. That warmth grew when Kenny had trouble operating the tablet, and a young staff member appeared from behind the scenes to help out.

▼ These support members are on hand to help staff whenever they need it, creating a supportive team that spans generations.

Another young member of staff prepares your order when it’s received, and then, when it’s ready, your number will be called, which is your cue to enter the next room, through another noren curtain.

This is another wonderful surprise, as you step into a large space where two members of staff greet you warmly from behind a tall counter.

▼ When Natsuno visited, Grandpa Nobuyuki and Grandma Sumiko were there to greet her.

Since it wasn’t busy, Natsuno was able to enjoy a long chat with staff while picking up her order. Though you’ll want to shorten your chats if there’s a long line of people waiting, there are “I’d like to chat” and “I’d like to take photos together” options on the form so you can formally select them as free add-ons to your order.

While you’re meant to enjoy your food and drinks outside the store, Natsuno couldn’t resist taking a few bites of her ice cream while she was at the counter.

▼ The matcha ice cream is an original creation exclusive to this store, and it’s wonderfully rich and delicious.

Natsuno was able to chat freely with the friendly duo, and as she did, she began to feel as if they were her de facto grandparents.

Using casual language and friendly terms of address, the three chatted together as if they’d known each other for a long time. They discussed everything from pivotal turning points in their lives to their experiences before starting work here.

When you’re feeling down or a little lost in life, it might be a good idea to drop by this store and ask for advice. They might not have all the answers, but having walked a little further in life, the grandparents here have wisdom to impart, and their positivity and energy will leave you feeling inspired and re-energised.

While the tea and matcha were enough to give Natsuno a boost of energy, the biggest boost of all came from the staff, whose enthusiasm for life rubbed off on her. Another unique facet of the store is the special “grandchild system”, where customers can help staff when it’s busy or when extra help is needed.

Those who help out will be asked to don a staff jacket (as demonstrated by Natsuno in these photos) and they’ll receive a free drink of their choice as a thank you.

▼ The final treat for those who visit is being able to take a photo with staff, before leaving via a side door that takes you back out onto the street.

▼ Original merchandise is also available for purchase, so be sure to buy what you need before leaving the store.

“Forever Young Forever Genki” is a great store slogan, as “genki” means “healthy” or “energetic”, and that’s exactly how you’ll feel when you leave the store.

Working, or more importantly, having fun while you work, is an important key to staying genki as you get older, and the staff here embody that concept in spades. Their social media posts are just as cool as they are, with an urban street vibe that make them look more like a hip dance team than store staff, and when Natsuno was there, other customers arrived, saying they’d been enticed by the posts they’d seen on social media.

So next time you’re looking for a place to get your matcha fix in Tokyo, head on down to G-cha Ba-cha. It’s a great place to practice your Japanese with people who are genuinely interested in chatting with you, and if you can’t speak Japanese then a translation app will pave the way for a memorable conversation. You’ll not only be helping these grandparents stay healthy and vibrant as they advance in age, but you’ll get a lot in return too, as you’ll leave with a belly full of tea and a heart full of love and warmth from the friendly encounter.

Cafe information
G-cha & Ba-cha
Address: Tokyo-to, Shibuya-ku, Shibuya 1-12-24 707 Shibuya Building 1F
東京都渋谷区渋谷1-12-24 707渋谷ビル1F
Open 11 a.m.-7 p.m.
Website (Instagram)

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[ Read in Japanese ]