cocktail bar hopping in japan

Mr. Shuichi of Bar Oscar doing the Hard Shake.

There was something comforting and intimate about cocktail bars in Japan. I won't over generalize and say every single bar in Japan (because I did not go to every single bar) exuded the same feel good vibes but I certainly felt the love in the bars listed below.

A fantastic cocktail at Bar Oscar.

It all started with a simple question: "What bars would you recommend for us to check out while in Japan?" Mr. Sazy Rock posed that question to Mr. Ueno, the owner and master bartender at Bar High Five in Tokyo, while we sipped on some spirited concoction at his very small bar in a tall-ish building in the Ginza neighborhood. Mr. Ueno's answer (and advanced research before our trip) formed the genesis of my love affair with Japanese cocktail bars.

Bar K.

Each of the bars below had an "adult" feel to it. There was no "Game of Thrones"-like strategy and alliance making to get the bartenders attention for a drink. It was all very civilized. Indeed, some of them required making a reservations (especially the ones in Tokyo) to avoid such free-for-all at the bar. As a result, everyone had a seat, everyone had a drink, and everyone had a great time.

A hand-carved ice sphere at Bar K.

But for a few exceptions, the bars below also had an interesting hierarchy. An "apprentice" took our order. A "journeyman" set out the spirits and other ingredients on the bar (or made the drinks when the master was not around). And finally, a "master" made our drinks. I put those titles in quotes for lack of a better term but the structure reminded me of how trades work. This structure made a lot of sense because it ensured that certain bar techniques passed down to a new generation of bartenders.

The hand-carved ice diamonds from Bar Juniper.

While the adult feel and structure of the folks behind the bar made for an intimate experience, what really made our bar hopping comforting and intimate were the cocktails themselves. They were well made (what's more comforting than that?), and beautifully presented.

So, here are my recommendations from the many we visited:

1. Tender Bar (Tokyo) - If you have ever heard of the term "The Hard Shake" - a bartending technique of mixing cocktails - well, the guy who invented it, Mr. Kazuo Uyeda, owns and presides over this bar. As a cocktail connoisseur, Mr. SR wanted to try Tender Bar for some time. So, off we went. We arrived with no reservations but we were there on the early side and were able to snag two seats at the bar. We ordered four drinks total (and they automatically included a service charge). The two drinks I ordered - Kings Valley and Hanatsubaki (both original recipes) - were refreshingly sour. Mr. SR's martini (because he always had to have one) were potent without being overpowering, and were well-balanced. When Mr. Uyeda stirred the ice in our drinking water before serving them to us, it signaled that they took their cocktails seriously. A note of warning, they do not allow photos (except of the cocktails) and the room was full of foreigners. While Mr. Uyeda and his staff were hospitable, they were formal and distant.

The entrance to Tender Bar.

Our drinks at Tender Bar.

2. Bar High Five (Tokyo) - Mr. Hidetsugu Ueno's bar certainly deserves a lot of the acclaim it has received from around the world. This bar was very small and, in fact, we were turned away once for arriving without a reservation and all the seats were taken. So, we returned the following evening on the early side (still without a reservation) - let's say right when it opened - and were promptly seated at the bar and had a great time. Unlike the Tender Bar, where Mr. Uyeda had a cocktail menu, Mr. Ueno, his journeywoman and apprentice, asked us our favorite spirit and concocted a cocktail based on our preferences. All the cocktails Mr. Ueno made for us were well-balanced, smooth and tasty. The bar was more informal and Mr. Ueno happily chatted and joked with us. He also gave us plenty of recommendations for bars to try in Fukuoka, Kyoto and Osaka, which made Mr. SR's cocktail research so much easier. Photos were allowed (Mr. Ueno even photobombed us) but permission should be requested before taking them -- it's only polite to do so. There were also a lot of tourists there.

The entrance to Bar High Five.

A tasty cocktail at Bar High Five.

Mr. Ueno and his "journeywoman" at work at Bar High Five.

3. Star Bar (Tokyo) - This decade and half old bar in a basement of a building in the Ginza neighborhood was the first bar we visited where the owner, Mr. Hisashi Kishi, was not behind the bar. Perhaps it was because he was entertaining some big shot at a table in the corner. That being said, the hierarchical structure worked because the guy behind the bar acting as "the master" made beautiful drinks. (Another proof that the hierarchical structure works was the fact that Mr. Ueno trained at Star Bar before opening Bar High Five.) We ordered a few cocktails. One technique we noticed while he was making a Manhattan was using a spoon as a filter so that the spirit did not go directly on the ice. This allowed the spirit to open up. The atmosphere was formal and solemn, which was emphasized by the bagpipes playing in the background. Also, there were more locals than foreigners at the bar. We had no reservations.

The entrance to Star Bar.

A cocktail at Star Bar.

4. Bar Rocking Chair (Kyoto) - Mr. Ueno recommended this place. Located in a small house made over 100 years ago just outside the Gion neighborhood, this six year old bar looked very intimate: lots of wood, jazz playing in the background, lighting on the dark side. The drinks also reflected intimacy. The cocktails - which were outstanding - were made with a spotlight on it. Seriously. Owner/bartender Kenji Tsubokura made me a rum and yuzu drink with the pith blended in, which made for a beautifully sour cocktail. He also spritzed the lemon rind on Mr. SR's martini. The other drinks we had - from a Manhattan to an Aviation - were all well balanced and pleased our palettes. The intimate vibe was matched by their hospitality. Although the bar staff were not as chatty as Mr. Ueno, they certainly were very helpful. They helped us make dinner reservations at Sakamoto and even printed directions for us. We had no reservations but we were there for pre-dinner cocktails so getting a seat at the bar was not a problem. The bar had a younger, richer clientele. We did not notice any tourists. 

Outside Bar Rocking Chair.

Cocktail at Bar Rocking Chair.

One side of the back bar at Bar Rocking Chair.

5. Bar K (Osaka) - Mr. Ueno recommended this place. Located in a basement of a building and founded in 1988 by owner/bartender Michihiko Matsuba, the bar had a dark decor and jazz played in the background. It had an older clientele. We did not see any foreigners. The drinks were made from a spot on the bar with a permanent spotlight from below (at Bar Rocking Chair, the spotlight was from above and Mr. Tsubokura could turn off the light when he was not making drinks). I had a refreshing daiquiri that was perfectly sour with a hint of sweetness, and a subtle but potent cocktail called, Japonism, which mixed a 12 year old Yamazaki with tea. Mr. SR's martini and Manhattan were potent but smooth. They also hand-carved spheres of ice. The bar staff were reserved but friendly and very helpful. In fact, they were so helpful that Mr. Matsuba ordered his apprentice to walk us to an okonomiyaki place we wanted to try so we would not get lost. 

Outside Bar K.

Bar K's Mr. Matsuba at work.

The back bar at Bar K.

6. Yoshida Bar (Osaka) - Recommended by Mr. Matsuba, this was the only bar we visited that had a female bartender and had no apprentice or journeyperson. It was a one-person show. Owned by the same family since 1931, Ms. Keiko Yoshida has been bartending for 30 years. Sadly, she said that because her children did not want to go in the same business, the bar will likely shutter once she retires. A shame too because, walking in, it felt like an institution. This stand alone small house converted into a bar (with a dilapidated sign) was small and full of memorabilia from the many years it has been in existence. Ms. Yoshida referred to the back room as the museum, where her father had a collection of many mini-bar bottles and other knick knacks. The drinks were presented with no theater or precision. It was just an old fashioned bar with bright lights and no music, and where business men and women came in to smoke and drink. It was very popular with the locals (we did not notice any tourists). And I can understand why. When a patron ordered a mojito, Ms. Yoshida ran outside to her small garden to gather mint. It was that kind of place. Ms. Yoshida made me their 80 year anniversary cocktail made of white rum, plum brandy and yuzu. It was a bit too sweet for me but it was well made. Mr. SR's Manhattan was perfectly tasty. Sadly, we had to leave after one cocktail each because it was a cash only place and we did not have enough. It was definitely an experience I will always remember and I hope you can visit before Ms. Yoshida decides to close permanently. Note: no pictures allowed except in the museum area.

Outside Yoshida Bar (and her small garden).

Our drinks at the "museum" at Yoshida Bar.

The "museum" at Yoshida Bar.

7. Bar Juniper (Osaka) - Recommended by Mr. Matsuba, this place was dark, sleek and modern, with an apothecary theme. It was beautiful, to say the least. Every bar seat had a spotlight from the top so when the bartenders served the drink, patrons can enjoy the taste of the cocktail and the look of the cocktail. Because we were at a gin bar, as the name suggests, we had a martini and a gimlet. The gin in the martini was Japanese made with botanicals that included yuzu, cherry blossom and shiso pepper. The gin in the gimlet was from Spain, and the drink used fresh limes and a bit of simple syrup. Both were delicious. Owner/bartender Osamu Takahashi also made tea with gin, which made Mr. SR's day because he loves tea and gin. The bar staff were very friendly and chatty. Because we were there when it opened, no one else was there and all attention was on us. Good thing too because Mr. Takahashi allowed us to try different types of gin including a Royal Dock (another navy strength gin), a gin they distill, and a couple of gins made in 1916. They were also happy to show off their ice carving skills, which I thoroughly enjoyed. 

Outside Bar Juniper.

Beautiful drinks, beautiful glassware, beautiful bar at Bar Juniper.

Mr. Takahashi at Bar Juniper at work.

Mr. Takahashi at Bar Juniper carving ice.

8. Bar Oscar (Fukuoka) - Recommended by Mr. Ueno, I can't say enough good things about Bar Oscar and Mr. Nagatomo Shuichi, the bartender and owner. Mr. Shuichi trained under Mr. Uyeda and is a follower of the hard shake. In fact, he still refers to Mr. Uyeda as his master. He also said he learned to speak English from Mr. Ueno. Bar Oscar has been around for 18 years. Located on the 6th floor, it has a nice view of the Daimyo neighborhood while smooth jazz played in the background. The clientele appeared to be a mix of business folks and people in their late 20s with money to spare. We did not notice any foreigners. Mr. Shuici and his journeyman (who made some of our drinks when Mr. Shuichi was away) made stellar drinks. When Mr. SR ordered his martini, they asked whether he wanted the twist in his drink or if he wanted to just have it spritzed over his drink. Mr. SR loved his martini so much, we ordered more drinks that evening and returned the following day for more. I enjoyed my cocktails as well. The daiquiri was refreshing, the whisky sour was citrusy, and the Manhattan was not too big, I also tried the Four Leaf Clover, an original recipe and award winning cocktail made of Midori and Hibichi whisky. In addition to the great drinks, I found Bar Oscar to be very friendly and hospitable. When we asked for a yakitori recommendation, not only did they provide us one but Mr. Shuichi also told his apprentice to walk us to their recommended place (no tourists) and made sure we got a table. On another evening, when we asked for a recommendation for a bar we should try, Mr. Shuichi not only recommended one but personally walked us over to his competitor's bar and introduced us to him. Now, that's hospitality.

The entrance to Bar Oscar.

The Bar Oscar "journeyman" laid out all the cocktail ingredients.

A tasty cocktail at Bar Oscar.

Mr. Shuichi kindly gave us a copy of the book of his "master," Mr. Uyeda.

If you have tried any of the above, or have other recommendations, please share your thoughts below.