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…
Must-see nightlife in Japan
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…
Southern Higashiyama
Even if you're not spending the night at the Hyatt Regency, drop by the cool and cosy underground bar for a tipple or two. Kitted out by renowned design…
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 –…
Yokohama
Set over three compact floors, this Baird Brewing Company pub offers at least a dozen of its own beers on tap, from session JPAs (Japan pale ale) to smoky…
Southern Higashiyama
Located in the Furokawa-chō covered shopping arcade close to Higashiyama Station, this tiny casual bar is dedicated to promoting Japanese craft beer…
Yaeyama Islands
You can't do better than Cafe Taniwha as a first stop in Ishigaki. Owners and citizens of the world, Kuri and Fusa have created a snug, welcoming space…
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…
Downtown Kyoto
Weekenders is a tiny coffee bar tucked away in a traditional-style building at the back of a parking lot in Downtown Kyoto. Sure, it's a strange location…
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…
Central Honshū
Come for the Fukui Prefecture–grown green tea packaged for gifting, stay for the mind-blowing matcha (powdered green tea) soft ice cream. Onabi is 100m…
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…
Arashiyama & Sagano
Peer through the floor-to-ceiling windows that look across the Hozu-gawa and mountain backdrop as you order your coffee at this tiny cafe bringing…
Matsumoto & the Northern Japan Alps
It's hard to go wrong when you're at the bottom of the Iwatake slopes and are home base for the local brew, Hakuba Beer. This winter-only place is a top…
Kyoto
You can't visit the town of Uji without tasting some of its renowned tea and this lovely teahouse right near Byōdō-in is the perfect spot to do so. The…
Around Tokyo
Out of an Airstream caravan on the road to Kominato-kaigan, English-speaking Ku and Yusuke serve thirst-quenching caffeinated drinks, made from beans…
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…
Kanazawa & the Hokuriku Coast
What a delightful surprise to find excellent coffee in deepest Noto! The barista behind Kalpa's counter is also a third-generation lacquer craftsman; his…
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…
Kyūshū
A cool, young vibe pervades this spacious, mid-century-styled cafe perched above the arcade. Sip coffees from around the world or original coffee drinks…
Western Honshū
A convivial atmosphere (though it's fine to sit at the counter solo), walls decorated with sake labels, and an enormous drinks menu – just what you want…
Nara
In a small, wooded, brookside clearing between Nigatsu-dō and Kasuga Taisha, this quaint thatched-roof teahouse is one of Nara's most atmospheric spots…
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…
Hokkaidō
Inside the 90-year-old Kita-Hama Station, operating since 1986, Teishaba is decked out to look like a vintage rail car, with wood and burgundy-velour…
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…
Himeji
It's all about local sake at this modern, sophisticated standing bar, which stocks 270 varieties from Hyōgo, Himeji's prefecture. Touch screens let you…
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…
