Tokyo cocktail bars are remodeling from the Japanese around the world

Meet four bartenders and redefines the Japanese cocktail culture – bold signature drinks and vision for the future of bartenders.

hideyuki saito

After working in five different countries, back to Japan and now oversee the Tokyo version of the Hall Bar and the Golden Bar in the version.

Is it always your ambition to be a bartender?
No, I kind of stumbled upon it. After moving from Osaka to Tokyo, I worked at a restaurant where the manager asked me to take care of the bar. I didn’t look back.

Tell us about your experience working overseas.
First is London, a city with a real cocktail culture. People know their drinks very well. With so much energy in New York, the bars are always full. In Thailand and Vietnam, I learned a lot about food culture. And then in Qatar, it’s different again – you can only drink in certain areas and people really splash cash. It’s interesting to adjust the market with a sharp contrast.

How did you return to Japan?
There hasn’t been much change in Japan, but my mentality has it. I appreciate the food and beverage culture here, which continues to grow as I work at the Lobby Bar and Gold Bar in Edition.

What is the charm of these bars?
In Japan, there is nothing like that. The Gold Bars of Edition An Edition are an intimate space inspired by the golden age of cocktails, while the lobby bar looks at the Tokyo Tower, filled with natural light while also surrounded by greenery. They all have a special atmosphere and a unique drink plan.

What is your signature drink?
Reimagined daiquiri? It’s a sophisticated reinterpretation of a classic cocktail that includes Japanese Pasti, fresh basil and yellow cherry tomatoes.

More information: Follow the Gold Bars on the Instagram version @goldbaratedition

Yasuhiro Kawakubo

Kawakubo is an award-winning bartender who has created a charming cocktail menu in Tokyo Punch Room.

Why do you want to become a bartender?
When I was 15, I bought all kinds of cocktail books. Especially the title is Cocktail technologyinspired me. I think making a cocktail is similar to art or classical music. To reinterpret the classic cocktail, I started mixing drinks. Four years later, I left my home in Ibaraki Prefecture, Tokyo and started knocking on the bar in Shibuya, trying to find a job.

Does that work?
No, but I ended up finding a job at the dart bar through newspaper ads. A year later, I was trained as a classical bartender in Tokyo and then built experience abroad in Singapore, Paris and Sydney. I learned a lot in every country.

Why did you decide to return to Japan?
My old boss called me back to work as the bar manager at Bvlgari Ginza Bar where I trained many young bartenders. Then, the Tokyo Punch Room opened last year and I had the chance to run it.

What marked Tokyo’s fist from other bars?
This is a hotel bar without counters and large tables, which is rare. We don’t want any division between the bartender and the client. This style is also unique, drawing inspiration from the 19th-century London club. It was designed by Ian Schrager and Kengo Kuma, so it has Western and Japanese sensitivity.

What is your signature cocktail?
Bamboo Catana Martini. It combines a wet martini with a 19th-century Japanese cocktail called bamboo. The ABV is only 14%, and as a pre-dinner drink, it’s perfect.

More information: Follow Kawakubo on Instagram and @Japanesecraftpirits

Satomi Mizugishi

Jigger & Pony, formerly a former bartender at Singapore cocktail party, ranked fifth on the world’s 50 best bars in 2024 and is now a bar consultant in Kyoto.

What inspired your interest in cocktails?
my mom. After dinner, she used to drink those canned cocktails, which were very popular at the time. When I was old, I started joining her with gin and tonic.

What is the attraction of mixed beverages?
It feels like I’m in chemistry class, which is my favorite subject at school. I really liked it and took a bartender class in college. Most people see bartending as part-time jobs – I see it as a career.

How did Singapore’s opportunity arise?
Jigger & Pony’s legendary bartender Aki Eguchi took guest shifts at the Trunk Hotel while I was there. I was impressed by the way the bar worked and interacted with the guests in English, so he gave me a job.

What is the huge difference between Japan and Singapore?
Bars in Singapore are better for self-marketing. It’s a small country, but the number of bars on the top 50 Asia list is always double digits. There are many amazing bars in Japan, but they make no noise in the world. As a consultant, I want to help achieve this.

What is your signature cocktail?
I don’t think I don’t have one, but many people say my cocktail is very kind, although it’s easy to drink.

More information: Follow Mizugishi on Instagram @satomi.ngo

Masato Ishioka

Ishioka will win the 2024 Empire World-Class Japan Championship and will open its own bar in Hokkaido.

You started out as a pastry chef, right?
Yes, I graduated from a candy school in Saporo and headed to Tokyo where I worked in various stores. I love it, but I also develop a passion for cocktails.

What is attraction?
After buying Kazuo Uyeda’s cocktail book, I started learning to mix. I then visited various bars for inspiration for new flavors. Although this is a different industry, I think there are similarities between making pastries and cocktails when it comes to creativity.

Why did you decide to focus on cocktails?
During the less busy summer season, I had the opportunity to move to Bvlgari Ginza Bar as an intern and work as a chocolate shop at Ginza. I love being able to interact with customers that you can’t do in the kitchen. Immediately, I knew that was where I wanted to go.

Can you tell us about your new bar in Saporo?
I can’t say much yet, but the focus will be on cocktails and local ingredients. I’m very excited.

What is your signature cocktail?
Chocolate Martini. Previously, I focused on classic cocktails because I didn’t want it to look like a pastry chef playing bartender. But then I thought it would be a shame if I didn’t use my skills, so that’s what I started to do.

More information: Follow Ishioka on Instagram @masatoishiokao

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