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…
Ebisu, Meguro & Around
Gem specialises in boutique sakes collected from all over Japan. There's a menu, which is always changing, but if you're here to broaden your appreciation…
Ebisu, Meguro & Around
Shinichiro Ogata, head of design house Simplicity has put everything into creating his ideal contemporary take on the traditional Japanese teahouse. The…
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…
Ebisu, Meguro & Around
It's hard to say which is more impressive at this dim, moody bar: the nine-page whiskey list or the collection of records. The latter (mostly jazz, blues…
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 …
Ebisu, Meguro & Around
One of the pioneers of Tokyo's now flourishing cocktail scene, Trench (a suitable name for a bar hidden in a narrow alley) is a tiny place with an air of…
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…
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,…
