TOKYO BARS

Boasting more Michelin-starred restaurants than any other city in the world, Tokyo is no slouch when it comes to finding great places to drink.

Bar Mimi,

Ginza Fumiyasu Mimitsuka (“call me ‘Mimi”) serves up hospitality and drinks of the highest standard in his cocktail bar, one of many upmarket drinking spots in Ginza. Try his take on the Japanese Old Fashioned, featuring Nikka Whisky.

Goodbeer Faucets,

Shibuya There are 40 different draught beers available, carefully selected by manager DeDe who is a font of knowledge about Japan’s beer scene. Local brewers feature strongly, including a range of beers brewed especially for the venue by Baird Beer.

Nozakisaketen,

Shimbashi Shimbashi is the drinking mecca for Tokyo office workers, known as salarymen. This authentic izakaya (a Japanese gastropub of sorts) serves sensational sake along with yakitori, tempura and other tasty morsels.

Bar BenFiddich,

Shinjuku Another fine cocktail bar that was especially memorable for its hospitality. On closing time, our smiling host led us downstairs and eased us into a taxi, bowing his gratitude profusely. The Yamazaki Old Fashioned is a standout too.

Shinshu Osake Mura,

Shimbashi This standing-only bar in a shopping arcade serves sake, beer and whisky exclusively from the Nagano Prefecture. Choose from several different sake tasting flights, each showcasing a different Nagano sub-region, along with regional specialties such as horse stomach for the brave.