Add This Serene Japanese Collaboration to Your List of Third Spaces
From Kyoto to Makati, Wasachi brings the art of matcha—and a taste of Japanese happiness—to Fully Booked Power Plant.
Words Mian Centeno
Photo courtesy of Fully Booked and Wasachi
November 22, 2025
Tokyo’s acclaimed matcha café Wasachi opened its first Philippine branch inside the newly renovated Fully Booked x Kinokuniya at Power Plant Mall on October 24, 2025.
Founded in 2024 by Takuma Yamanaka, a Kyoto native and design entrepreneur, Wasachi quickly became a quiet favorite in Tokyo’s Roppongi district. Its reputation grew through word of mouth among artists, designers, and chefs who admired its sincerity and craftsmanship.
Yamanaka founded Wasachi to share what he calls the “happiness from Japan” through authentic matcha culture. “We hope customers will naturally close their eyes to try and just feel the taste, and enjoy the beautiful space. To feel comfortable, be inspired, and enjoy conversations. It will be our pleasure if our guests experience such quality moments in our store,” he shares.
For Fully Booked’s Founder and Managing Director Jaime Daez, discovering Wasachi was a serendipitous experience during one of his regular visits to Tokyo. The café came highly recommended by his friends, who urged him to try it. “I wasn’t really an avid fan of matcha until I tasted Wasachi. It completely changed my perception, and I knew I had to bring it home,” he says.
Now, Manila audiences can experience what Tokyo has quietly celebrated: matcha crafted with care, quality, and intention.
Chef Daniel Calvert of the three-Michelin-starred Sézanne remarked that its matcha latte is the best in Tokyo. Matcha-filled pastries, such as its signature matcha cookie and other handcrafted confections, complement the latte.
Nestled within Fully Booked’s literary haven, Wasachi offers a tranquil escape where stories and flavors meet. Together, the two brands create a new third space that blends books, culture, and culinary craft—a gentle reminder that joy often lives in the quietest moments.
