In 2001, the tea specialty store "PEARLLADY CHABAR" opened Japan's first tapioca factory. Recently, terms like "tapi-r" and "tapi activity" are not heard much anymore, and the long lines at Gong Cha have disappeared. This could be a sign of improving economy. According to some theories, each tapioca boom coincided with an economic downturn - the first with the burst of the bubble, the second with the Lehman Shock, and the third with the Corona Shock. This particular store is located in the underground shopping area of Ikebukuro station, within the Apple Road. The ordering process involves choosing a base drink, cup size, ice or hot, ice amount, sweetness level, and free toppings. The reviewer ordered the white peach black tea, which had a strong tea flavor with white peach fruit and black sugar tapioca. The drink was refreshing and satisfying, perfect for the upcoming season. The staff was friendly and cheerful, adding to the overall positive experience. (By Kyonatsu Shuusora, 6/10/2023)

After having a meal in Ikebukuro, my friend and I were walking through the station when we stumbled upon this shop! Even after passing by at 6pm and 8pm, there was still a line. As a fan of tapioca drinks, I was very curious and decided to wait in line. At 8pm, there were about 8 people in line. They had seasonal drinks that looked delicious, but I went with the classic Ceylon milk tea with tapioca topping for 430 yen. Toppings are free for up to one item. It's quite a deal that tapioca comes with the drink at that price. You can choose between black tapioca and brown sugar tapioca. I chose black tapioca. The brown sugar tapioca is sweeter. If I have the chance to visit Ikebukuro again, I would love to stop by this shop.

I went to a tapioca drink shop in Ikebukuro Station that I had been curious about for a while! I went in the evening on New Year's Eve and there were about 5 people lined up. The popularity of tapioca drinks seems to be still going strong. There is a wide variety of drinks such as milk tea, apple cinnamon tea, and seasonal tea. It's hard to decide which one to get. On this day, I had the seasonal drink Cocoa Ceylon Milk Tea. It was 450 yen, so relatively affordable. It's a milk tea with bitter chocolate painted on the inside of the cup. The scent of Ceylon is pleasant, and it's refreshing and easy to drink. The slight bitterness of the chocolate matches well with the sweetness of the tapioca. I think I'll go next time for a different drink. Thank you for the meal!

This is a tapioca drink shop located next to the ticket gate of Ikebukuro Station on the Tobu Tojo Line. Feeling thirsty, I decided to make a purchase. I chose the popular No.1 hojicha latte. At tapioca drink shops, you can usually choose the amount of ice and sweetness. One topping is free, so I chose black sugar tapioca. There were two staff members who efficiently prepared my drink. I chose a slightly sweet taste with black sugar tapioca, which was just right. Due to its location, shops in this area tend to change quickly, so I recommend going early if you're interested.

A tapioca shop that was popular among high school students has reopened in a new location! The hojicha latte tapioca is so delicious~ For hojicha lovers, I recommend getting it strong. They have regular tapioca and black sugar tapioca. And the best part is that it's affordable and easy to drop by.

Since the unprecedented tapioca boom has passed, some tapioca shops have closed down, but there are still some that remain stable. I've been to various places like Pearl Lady, Chun Shui Tang, Gong Cha, Coco都可, THE ALLEY, Alfred tea room, Koufukudou, Taiwan Sweet Shop, Chen Xing Zhu, Panda Sugar, Moccham, Yi Fang, Chatime, Comma Tea, Nona Pearl, and more. In China, cheese tea from Hey Tea and fruit tea from Naixue Tea were popular, but unfortunately, due to the pandemic, the trend has ended and only a few stores have introduced them. In Japan, Pearl Lady, which was popular during the Heisei tapioca boom, has opened a new brand in Ikebukuro, the second store in Ikebukuro. It's located outside the Tobu Tojo Line ticket gate, next to Stella obasan. Amidst the bustling location, new shops keep opening and closing. Pearl Lady offers tapioca and fruit teas. The fruit Ceylon black tea with rock salt cream and ai yu jelly topping was delicious. The ai yu jelly, a specialty of Taiwanese night markets, is a unique plant that solidifies liquid like jelly due to its pectin content. The fruit tea was full of fruity flavors and very tasty. I thought I was over tapioca, but this fruit tea made me want more. The ai yu jelly had a great texture and paired perfectly with the fruit tea. Thank you for the meal.

Limited time only strawberry milk shiratama - ̗̀( ˶'ᵕ'˶) Strong milk flavor with pieces of strawberry pulp, delicious! It was located next to Stella obasan's stall. ( ¨̮ )

The food was delicious and the service was excellent. I highly recommend this restaurant.