SunnyHills Minami Aoyama is a Taiwanese cake shop on a quiet side street in Tokyo’s Aoyama district, known for its Kengo Kuma-designed timber building and pineapple cakes. Interlocking beams form a lattice across the façade, with shifting patterns of light and shadow inside. Buy a box of pineapple or apple cakes and you may be invited upstairs for tea and a complimentary sweet; check what is included before paying, as the choices can differ. The calm upper-floor seating makes this a pleasant pause, and the boxed cakes are also suited to gifts.
Kengo Kuma’s timber lattice
SunnyHills sits on a quiet side street in Minami Aoyama. Kengo Kuma designed the building for the Taiwanese pineapple cake shop, using interlocking timber beams to create its distinctive lattice façade. The framework draws on traditional Japanese joinery, and its pattern changes the way light and shadow fall across the interior.
The timber structure has a basket-like appearance. It gives the shop a different feel from an ordinary storefront, and the building itself is a reason to stop even if you came for the cakes.
Pineapple and apple cakes
The shop sells Taiwanese-style pineapple cakes filled with a sweet, jam-like pineapple paste. Apple cake is another popular choice, with a caramelized filling beneath a sweet glaze and crumbly exterior. Boxes are available in assortments, and the cakes come packaged for gifting.
Banana waffle cookies are another snack option. Their light, wafer-like texture makes them a smaller bite than the filled cakes.
Tea and the upstairs seating
Customers who make an eligible purchase may be invited to the upper-floor seating for tea and a complimentary cake or snack. The exact choices can vary, so ask what is included before you pay. The seating area is described as calm and quiet, making it a place to take a short break after browsing the shop.
The tasting arrangement is linked to a purchase, and the terms for accompanying guests can differ. If you are visiting as a group, check whether everyone can go upstairs and what each person needs to buy.
Buying cakes as gifts
The boxed cakes work as gifts, with presentation that includes a designed box. A canvas bag featuring the building’s design may also be available with a purchase. Ask whether you can decline the bag for a discount before deciding.
The shop is on a side street in Minami Aoyama, and its website is listed at sunnyhills.com.tw. If you plan to sit upstairs, leave enough time to ask about the current tasting options and seating arrangements.
FAQ
What is SunnyHills Minami Aoyama known for?
It sells Taiwanese-style pineapple cakes and is housed in a Kengo Kuma-designed building with an interwoven timber lattice.
Can you have tea at SunnyHills Minami Aoyama?
An eligible purchase may include an invitation upstairs for tea and a complimentary cake or snack. Ask the shop what is included before paying.
What cakes can you buy there?
The shop sells pineapple and apple cakes, including assorted boxes.
Is SunnyHills Minami Aoyama suitable for buying gifts?
Yes. The cakes come in gift-ready boxes, and a canvas bag featuring the building’s design may be available. Ask whether declining the bag changes the price.
