Baala Shakya, Contributing Photographer

For most students, a craving for matcha means a trek to Atticus or the Elm. But for those living on Old Campus, a new matcha shop founded by a Yale first year is now open for business just seconds away in LDub.

Ukiyo, founded by Aaron Combs ’28, is situated inside his fifth-floor dorm in Lanman-Wright Hall, the residence hall for all first years in Pierson and Berkeley colleges. 

The shop held its grand opening on Friday, welcoming customers lucky enough to have booked one of the few 15-minute slots available that day through Calendly. The shop went viral on the anonymous social media app Fizz and also gained traction on Instagram.  

“This is a space where I hope others, like myself, can feel at peace and live in the moment. That’s why it’s called ‘Ukiyo,’ which is ‘living in the moment’ in Japanese,” said Combs. “It’s really just a space where we can come together and enjoy a cup of matcha.”

When crafting his business plan, Combs told the News that he envisioned the shop as an aesthetic space that brings people together. 

Tochukwu Njoku ’28, Combs’ roommate, said that he thought the matcha shop was a great idea when Combs first pitched the idea to him. He believes the venture would be an excellent way for the both of them to meet new people.

With furnishings and decor thrifted from local establishments in New Haven or selected from Ikea, Combs aspired for Ukiyo to provide a relaxing and calming atmosphere to students often bogged down by classes and extracurricular commitments.

“With Ukiyo, I asked myself, ‘What makes a good dorm room,’’’ Combs said. “You’re not usually in the dorm throughout the day, right? You’re out, you’re about, you’re meeting people, you’re engaging in life.”

When designing his dorm space, Combs told the News that those were the grounding emotions and ideas he took most into account.

The ambiance established in Ukiyo notably envelopes customers as soon as they walk through the door, making them feel at home. A carefully curated playlist featuring Frank Ocean plays in the background, and a barrage of lamps glow amidst the darkened dorm, setting a “Zen” mood.

“A lot of people’s first impressions when they walk in here is just how cohesive the overall visuals look, even though the decor was not bought at the same time or planned at all,” Combs explained. “The thing about learning design is that if you can understand how design works, you don’t have to select the exact items to purchase. You can select pieces that follow your overall design ethos.”

Beyond the curated visuals and aesthetics of the dorm, Combs also took careful consideration in selecting the ingredients and offerings for Ukiyo.

Wanting to create a business that prides itself on sustainability, Combs decided to produce matcha instead of the traditional coffee, which “generates a lot of water and a lot of waste.” 

“If I were to produce coffee here too, I’d have to waste the leftover coffee grounds. Espresso machines are also very expensive, as are grinders, so I just had to go with matcha — something that’s more accessible, more environmentally friendly, and has zero waste.” Combs said.

The matcha used in all Ukiyo drinks is ceremonial-grade tea imported from Japan, which Combs said he buys directly from a warehouse in the U.S. via Amazon.

“When I was in Japan this summer, I got to go to this specific matcha farm in Japan, and that’s the tea I use,” said Combs. “It’s a brilliant fresh green matcha. One of the easiest ways to tell high-quality matcha from low-quality, whether it’s culinary or ceremonial, is the color.”

Ethan Kan ’28, who worked as a food writer for Tatler magazine in Singapore before attending Yale, described their visit to Ukiyo on opening day as a “very intimate experience” with how much attention Aaron provides to the customer as opposed to a traditional cafe. They particularly enjoyed how the experience could be tailored to the customer’s wants, with music and taste preferences factored into the visit.

Combs said that he also founded Ukiyo to defray some of the costs attached to attending Yale.

“Yale is not cheap, and so, one of the biggest motivating factors to found Ukiyo for me was to be able to afford flights back home and to be able to see my family,” Combs told the News. “I really wanted to open the shop so I could stop depending on my parents and be less of a burden. I just wanted to be more financially independent.”

It costs $10 per person for unlimited matcha over a span of 15 minutes at Ukiyo. At Atticus, a small matcha latte is $4.85 and at Starbucks, a grande is $5.25. 

Combs explained to the News that he is “very conscious” about charging such prices and that the costs of high-quality matcha, locally sourced ingredients like honey, and the time invested accumulate rapidly.

Ukiyo, Combs said, is more than just a labor of love. The cafe also harbors a special connection.

“I love working in cafes. I honestly wrote my entire Yale application in a cafe. I think many of us did, and I wanted to recreate that true coffeehouse experience here. Instead of a normal coffee shop, where it’s like in and out, and you just order, and you’re out of the door … I wanted to return back to the old coffee shops, where people can sit down and have a good conversation, discuss topics that are interesting to them, and just really create good memories.”

Reservations for Ukiyo can be made through the Calendly link in the bio of the shop’s Instagram: @matchaatukiyo.

Correction, Oct. 8: A previous version of the article misused a student’s pronouns.