Kōrakuen & Akihabara
It's not every day you get to sip your coffee or tea in a cultural property. Imasa is the real deal, an old timber merchant's shophouse dating from 1927…
Must-see nightlife in Tokyo
-
Shibuya & Shimo-Kitazawa
SG stands for 'Sip' and 'Guzzle' but also for award-winning bartender Shingo Gokan. Ground-floor Guzzle is a social, counter space; the house drink is…
-
Shinjuku & Northwest Tokyo
Arai-san established Lonely 50 years ago because he wanted his friends to always have a place to go. Some of those friends, like the creator of classic…
-
Shinjuku & Northwest Tokyo
A must-visit for whisky fans, Zoetrope has over a hundred varieties of Japanese whisky behind its small counter, including many hard-to-find bottles and…
-
Ginza & Tsukiji
A superb sound system showcases the 3000-plus vinyl collection that ranges from the likes of cool classic jazz to contemporary electronica. There are deep…
Sakurai Japanese Tea Experience
Harajuku & Aoyama
Tea master (and former bartender) Sakurai Shinya's contemporary teahouse is a must-visit for anyone hoping to deeper their understanding of o-cha …
-
Shinjuku & Northwest Tokyo
Bar BenFiddich is dark and tiny, with vials of infusions on the shelves and herbs hung to dry from the ceiling. The English-speaking barman, Kayama…
-
Tokyo
This swank and sophisticated little salon – think red velvet banquettes, round, low tables and shelves of books – has a unique cocktail focus: tea and…
-
Roppongi, Akasaka & Around
Gen Yamamoto takes the seaonal tasting menu concept and applies it to cocktails. Here they're made with fruits and herbs, with the same kind of devotion…
-
Shibuya & Shimo-Kitazawa
Mikkel Borg Bjergsø is a pioneer 'gypsy brewer', one who dreams up wild concoctions, but outsources the actual brewing. His beers are served at world…
-
Ginza & Tsukiji
So what if Sapporo's beers are not among the best you can quaff in Tokyo? Dating to 1934, the gorgeous art deco design at Japan's oldest beer hall –…
-
Kōrakuen & Akihabara
Down an alley of sketchy-looking drinking dens is this nirvana for craft-beer lovers. It's principally a bottle shop stocking hundreds of different beer…
-
Kōrakuen & Akihabara
With some 14 Japanese craft beers on tap, going for a reasonable ¥500/840 a glass/pint, plus good food (the deep-fried eel in batter and chips is…
-
Asakusa & Sumida River
This Norwegian coffee and cocktail bar brings its oh-so-cool vintage Scandi stylings to Asakusa at this outlet opened in 2018. The coffee is very good but…
-
Tokyo
Occupying a corner plot and with big windows and a cool arty vibe this is one of the Bakurochō area's more pleasant cafes. The espresso or hand-drip…
Shibuya & Shimo-Kitazawa
Near Yoyogi-kōen's often overlooked west gate is this small coffee shop, popular with local dog walkers and joggers. Which isn't to say that convenience…
Shinjuku & Northwest Tokyo
Never mind the impressive record collection, this eccentric jazz kissa (cafe where jazz records are played) is worth a visit just for the owner's…
Ginza & Tsukiji
Turret Coffee (right around the corner from Starbucks) makes some of Tokyo's best espresso drinks: the signature two-shot Turret latte (¥580) hits just…
Harajuku & Aoyama
At any given time, Koffee Mameya has 15 to 20 different beans on rotation from indie roasters around Japan (and some from overseas). Get a cup brewed on…
-
Shinjuku & Northwest Tokyo
Peak Bar has just slightly less soaring views than the New York Bar above it and a generous (by Park Hyatt standards) deal: three-hours ('Twilight Time';…
-
Harajuku & Aoyama
Yoshihiro Narisawa is (arguably, of course) the biggest name in contemporary Japanese cuisine. If you already knew that, and have the means, you probably…
-
Tokyo
Run by famed Kyoto tea producer Ippōdō, which celebrated 300 years of business in 2017, this teahouse is a fantastic place to sample top-quality o-cha …
-
Harajuku & Aoyama
Vent is currently Tokyo's hottest club, drawing top international house and techno DJs (which pull in packed crowds). It's a concrete vault of a space,…
-
Kōrakuen & Akihabara
'Maid cafes' with kawaii (cute) waitresses, dressed as saucy French or prim Victorian maids, are a stock-in-trade of Akiba. @Home is one that's suitable…
-
Shinjuku & Northwest Tokyo
Head to the Park Hyatt's 52nd floor to swoon over the sweeping nightscape from the floor-to-ceiling windows at this bar of Lost in Translation fame. There…
-
Shibuya & Shimo-Kitazawa
Kyoto Jazz Massive is a DJ team that has been mixing up jazz and electronica for decades. This basement boîte, which mixes cool concrete with funky 1970s…
-
Roppongi, Akasaka & Around
This popular expat hang-out in Roppongi has 24 taps, roughly half of which are devoted to Japanese craft beers. Pints (US-size) start at a reasonable (for…
-
Asakusa & Sumida River
Spend the day at the religious sites and end it at the Asahi altar, on the 22nd floor of the golden-tinged Asahi Super Dry Building. The venue itself isn…
-
Asakusa & Sumida River
Popeye boasts an astounding 100 beers on tap, including a huge selection of Japanese beers – from Echigo Weizen to Hitachino Nest Espresso Stout. The…
-
Odaiba & Tokyo Bay
For a few nights a week, the futuristic cruise-boat Himiko, designed by manga and anime artist Leiji Matsumoto, morphs into this floating bar. Board on…
-
Shinjuku & Northwest Tokyo
The drinks and decor here are totally average, but we're a sucker for an open-air rooftop bar – not as common as you'd think in Tokyo, where the night…
-
Shinjuku & Northwest Tokyo
Aiiro (formerly known as Advocates) has long been a hub in Shinjuku-nichōme, and is a good place to get an evening started – thanks to the all-you-can…
-
Tokyo
This stylish, contemporary counter bar offers a selection of sakes from 17 different breweries located throughout Japan's Toyama prefecture, across the…
-
Tokyo
Tokyo's luxury hotel bars outdo themselves to compete with one another but the Mandarin Oriental's might just be our favourite: managing to be both cool …
-
Kōrakuen & Akihabara
Jimbōchō, a neighbourhood known for its universities, now has a school for students of craft gin. Cocktail Works Jimbōchō carries some 180 bottles of it,…
-
Ginza & Tsukiji
The sign over the door here reads 'Coffee Only' but, oh, what a selection. Local legend Sekiguchi Ichirō started the business in 1948, sourcing aged beans…
-
Rise & Win Brewing Co. Kamikatz Taproom
Roppongi, Akasaka & Around
This craft-beer brewery is based in a village in Tokushima Prefecture, Shikoku, that has adopted a zero-waste program. The bar features an appealing…
-
Tokyo
The Peninsula Tokyo hotel's 24th-floor bar has dress-circle views across the Imperial Palace, Hibiya Park and Ginza and a generous happy hour (5pm to 8pm…
-
Harajuku & Aoyama
On weekday evenings in summer the neatly clipped lawn of the elegant Meiji Kinenkan (an in-demand wedding venue) is transformed into the city's most…
-
Harajuku & Aoyama
Expect a crowd dressed like they don’t care that wine by the glass starts at ¥1540. The wine is good (and the bottle list deep), but more importantly, the…
