Kyoto isn’t the first city most travellers associate with Japanese whisky. Tokyo has the famous cocktail bars, Osaka has a bigger late-night scene, and Yamazaki Distillery sits outside the city. But Kyoto is an excellent place to actually drink Japanese whisky. Around Kiyamachi, Sanjo and Pontocho, you’ll find everything from established whisky counters to tiny … Read more
Japanese whisky and bourbon can look similar in the glass, but they are not simply Japanese and American versions of the same drink. Bourbon is a legally defined American whiskey made from a mash containing at least 51% corn and aged in new charred oak. Japanese whisky has a different production framework and covers a … Read more
Rare whisky bars Tokyo in 2026 attract serious collectors and curious travelers seeking limited single casks, discontinued expressions, and aged Japanese whiskies that rarely appear on standard menus. Quick Answer The top rare whisky bars Tokyo in 2026 are Bar KAGE in Ginza for basement vault rarities, Bar BenFiddich in Shinjuku for creative single-cask and … Read more
Japanese whisky tasting Tokyo offers travelers one of the most rewarding ways to explore the depth and variety of Japan’s world-class spirits in a single evening. The city’s top bars create structured flights that let you compare single malts from different distilleries, experience blending philosophy and understand serving styles side by side. Quick Answer The … Read more
Kyoto is a surprisingly easy city for a proper whisky night. You don’t need to cross the city chasing famous bars. Several worthwhile places sit around Kiyamachi, Sanjo, Kawaramachi and Pontocho, close enough that you can start with a broad whisky selection, have dinner, then finish somewhere specialising in Japanese bottles. The trick is not … Read more
Japanese whisky has gone from a relatively niche category to one of the most sought-after styles of whisky in the world. But choosing a bottle in Japan isn’t as simple as buying the most expensive Yamazaki you can find. Some famous bottles are difficult to find at sensible prices, newer Japanese distilleries are producing excellent … Read more
Tokyo has no shortage of places to drink, but finding somewhere that feels genuinely interesting can take a little more effort. Beyond the crowded streets of Shibuya and the traditional whisky counters of Ginza, a different bar scene has developed. Former coffee-shop concepts have been reinvented as cocktail destinations, fashionable hotels have opened social lounges, … Read more
Tokyo looks completely different when you’re drinking 40 or 50 floors above it. At street level, the city can feel crowded and relentless. From a terrace high above Toranomon or a bar looking across towards Tokyo Tower, all that movement becomes part of the view. There is one catch: searching for the best rooftop bars … Read more
Roppongi and Shinjuku are two of Tokyo’s biggest nightlife districts, but they deliver very different nights out. Roppongi is compact, international and built around bars, restaurants, lounges and late-night clubs. Shinjuku is bigger and more varied, combining Golden Gai’s tiny bars, Omoide Yokocho, the neon streets of Kabukicho, karaoke, izakayas and major clubs. If you … Read more
Ginza is one of the best neighbourhoods in Tokyo for serious cocktails. Behind discreet doors, down basement staircases and several floors above the shopping streets, you’ll find some of Japan’s most respected bartenders working in remarkably small bars. The experience is very different from drinking in Shibuya or Shinjuku. Ginza cocktail bars tend to be … Read more