Whether it's a drink before dinner or a nightcap at the end of the day, the Ginza district in Tokyo has some of the classiest bars in the world with unique, top-notch cocktails focused on items such as tea or Japanese whiskys. Here are my top 5 recommendations of bars in the area.
(1) Mixology Salon
(2) Bar High Five
(3) Bar Orchard Ginza
(4) Star Bar Ginza
(5) Lupin
(1) Mixology Salon
A really great cocktail bar on the 13th floor of GINZA SIX, Mixology Salon is a bar focused on tea based cocktails. "The sleek, narrow bar, equipped with just eight seats – six of which are at a bar – offers “teatails”, fragrant gyokuro and hojicha-flavoured cocktails served in delicate glassware available à la carte or via three, four, or six-course tasting menus".
Credit: TimeOut Tokyo
(2) Bar Orchard Ginza
As the name suggests, fresh, seasonal fruits form the basis for the cocktails at this classy bar near Ginza Station. Always innovating, the bartenders here are what you'd call open-minded traditionalists, drawing on a strictly limited array of mixology approaches to give their concoctions a little extra fizz...
(3) Bar High Five
One of the most famous bars in the city, with a perennial spot in the World's Top Bars. This is a must-visit that is worth all the accolades. Bar High Five is a pilgrimage for cocktail aficionados. Fans come from afar to catch master Hidetsugu Ueno’s famous pompadour, the hard shake and taste his beautifully balanced classic cocktails, such as the White Lady or locally inspired creations such as the Full Blossom. His diamond ice carving skills are legendary too should you be so fortunate as to witness them. Located in the heart of glitzy Ginza, this basement bar relies on interaction with guests to hone in on preferred flavours and spirits.
(4) Star Bar Ginza
This Tokyo bar’s specialty lies in rare Japanese whisky so request a cocktail built from a whisky base to receive something extra special. The knowledgeable bar staff will suggest and create bespoke potions according to your tastes. The attention to detail and precision cocktail making hail from the bar’s owner, Hisashi Kishi, award-winning bartender extraordinaire.
(5) Bar Lupin
A favourite haunt of writers, artists, poets and others involved in Tokyo’s literary scene since it opened in the late 1920s, Bar Lupin is steeped in history and has a timeless atmosphere.
