Shingo Gokan

Things are Cooler—and Easier to Get Behind—When There’s a Reason

Shingo Gokan has received numerous international accolades as a bartender and commands global attention on the bar scene as the driving force behind SG Group, which has expanded from Shanghai to Okinawa and Tokyo, with each bar earning a spot on lists such as Asia’s 50 Best Bars and The World’s 50 Best Bars. We caught up with him during a break while he was serving cocktails as a guest bartender at Tales of the Cocktail®, the largest cocktail event in the U.S., to talk about topics including the versatility of iichiko Saiten—one of the “WA-SPIRITS”—in cocktails, the growing awareness of koji in the U.S., and his approach to bartending.

Text: Akira Suzuki / Photography: Koichi Mitsui / Composition: Contentsbrain / 
English translation: LIBER
Interview location: Loa (International House Hotel / 221 Camp Street, New Orleans 70130)

The Potential of WA-SPIRITS in the Cocktail Scene

You created a cocktail using iichiko Saiten, which is made with koji. What do you find appealing about it?

Most honkaku (single-distilled) shochu consumed in Japan has an alcohol content of around 20–25%, but iichiko Saiten is 43%, which I think is a big plus. Using something like this really expands the range of expression for Japanese bartenders when it comes to cocktails. Back when I was working at a bar in the U.S., I used to wish we had Japanese spirits with an ABV in the 40% range, like gin or vodka. That thought stayed with me, and after returning to Japan, I went on to develop a new brand of honkaku shochu called The SG Shochu, which has an ABV around 40%.

iichiko Saiten is incredibly user-friendly for Japanese bartenders working abroad, as well as for those of us in Japan who serve a large international clientele.

Honkaku shochu isn’t something you’ll find at every bar in the U.S. just yet, but how do you see its presence evolving in the future?

There’s definitely a direction I hope it moves toward. I think bartenders—and probably chefs and sommeliers as well—feel the same way, but honkaku shochu has a strong flavor profile because it’s made with koji and only distilled once. It clearly has depth and layers of flavor that other spirits don’t. If more bartenders and consumers in the U.S. come to appreciate those qualities, I think honkaku shochu could gain much broader traction in the American market.

Compared to five or six years ago, it seems like there’s been a shift in how well koji is understood and received in the U.S.

Definitely. Around ten years ago, people in the European food and beverage industry started saying that koji was something really interesting. As soy sauce and miso became more widespread in the U.S., people stopped referring to it as “rice malt” and started calling it “koji” instead.

The same thing happened with sake and honkaku shochu. Sake used to be called “rice wine,” and honkaku shochu was labeled “rice spirits,” but now more people just refer to them as “sake” and “shochu.” In the same way, more people understand what “koji” means now—and it’s almost like not knowing what it is makes you seem out of the loop. When I give seminars on beverages in the U.S., I’ll deliberately use the word koji as-is, and more and more people get what I’m talking about. I really feel like it’s gradually becoming more mainstream.

I think this trend was probably influenced by the restaurant scene in Northern Europe. Top chefs at Nordic restaurants really started paying close attention to koji. They didn’t just use Japanese ingredients like soy sauce and miso—they began making their own fermented seasonings and fermented foods using koji. Of course, Japanese cuisine played a key role in introducing the word koji to people in the U.S., but it wasn’t just that. As Europe’s top chefs became more aware of koji and fermentation, terms like “miso,” “shoyu,” and “koji” began to spread in the U.S. just as they were.

Pairing Cocktails with Food

What are your thoughts on pairing cocktails made with iichiko Saiten with food?

There’s a genre that’s starting to gain attention in the cocktail world called savory,which emphasizes umami, and I think it pairs really well with honkaku shochu. That’s probably because it’s a spirit made using koji, and also because it has traditionally been enjoyed with meals.

I see the process of pairing food and cocktails as something entirely different from just making cocktails. You need to understand the food and then think about which drink pairs well with it—that’s very much like what a wine sommelier does. Sommeliers aren’t just knowledgeable about wine; they know food as well. Otherwise, they couldn’t match wine with a dish.

It’s the same with cocktails—without the kind of knowledge and experience a sommelier has, you can’t really do cocktail pairings. Classic Japanese cocktails tend to be very technique-driven, while more modern, creative cocktails are all about concept. But cocktail pairing is more about palate and knowledge. We’re starting to see more people with that skill set, and for them, honkaku shochu is an incredibly versatile spirit.

If cocktail pairing continues to grow in popularity in the U.S., the next step will be getting the food industry involved. The bar industry is already significant, but if the culinary world joins in, the market for bars could expand even further. And when that happens, I think honkaku shochu—which pairs so well with food—will really have a chance to shine and spread rapidly.

Of course, pairing isn’t easy. If it’s done carelessly, it could leave a bad impression, and people might end up thinking wine or sake would’ve been the better choice. I hope it spreads gradually, in a thoughtful and well-executed way.

Sensing the Vibe and Dressing Accordingly

We once had the chance to see you doing a guest shift at a bar in Singapore. You were dressed in a more traditional style there—it was a different kind of cool from how you look today.

Right, so for example, today when I arrived in New Orleans and stepped into the venue for the first time, I took a look around and thought, “Okay, this is what the interior is like. There’s a DJ, and the music feels like this...” After getting a feel for the place, I decided before even getting in the elevator, “Yeah, today’s outfit isn’t the right fit,” and I went back to the dressing room to change.

So you assess the space and decide there and then what to wear? 

Exactly. It only takes about three minutes. But I think it’s the same with cocktails and bartending in general—you get a request from a guest for a certain type of cocktail, and you respond in the moment. It’s kind of like boxing, in a way.

The bartender I’m teaming up with at the counter today is from Sip & Guzzle, ⋆¹ and he’s sharply dressed—tie on, button-down shirt, very polished. And that’s great. But I thought, “In this setting, this other style suits me better,” so I changed. I also felt it would be better if the two of us at the counter didn’t look too similar.

⋆¹ Sip & Guzzle: A bar by SG Group that opened in New York in January 2024.

As Long as There’s a Reason Behind the Action, It’s Fine

In one of your past interviews, you mentioned that while it’s fine for staff to wear whatever has a clean and tidy look, you specifically ask them not to stick a ballpoint pen in their breast pocket.

The ballpoint pen is just an example—I want them to think about whether something fits the space or not. For instance, at The SG Club in Shibuya, the interior concept is inspired by the year 1860. And at The SG Tavern in Chiyoda, it’s based on 1870. So if someone’s walking around with a plastic ballpoint pen in their breast pocket in that setting, it just feels off, doesn’t it?

My current outfit is fairly classic, so a ballpoint pen wouldn’t really go with it. And if I had a notepad tucked in too, it might give off a “working” vibe, which could be off-putting for guests who are here to relax. If the pen were something antique that fit the overall aesthetic and didn’t break the sense of time and place, I’d be fine with it—it’s not something I outright ban as long as it doesn’t feel out of place.

That said, it’s probably tough to make a plastic ballpoint pen work with a bartender’s outfit. I think there are really only two reasons to carry a pen: one is to offer it to a guest, and the other is for your own use. And if it’s for the guest, it’s probably better if it’s not plastic. If it’s for your own use, there’s no need to stick it in your pocket where the guest can see it.

It’s the same with everything—cocktail-making, business, even the small details. As long as there’s a reason behind it, I’m okay with it. But if there’s no reason, I just can’t accept it. I always tell my staff, “Don’t casually say ‘Thank you for waiting.’” Only say it if the guest actually had to wait. Some people just say it out of habit, even when no one’s been waiting. That kind of thing has no meaning, so I tell them not to do it.

It’s the same with the ballpoint pen. If there’s a reason for it, go ahead and carry one. And if someone asks you why, and you can explain it, then that’s fine. But otherwise, it feels just like saying “Thanks for waiting” when no one was waiting—I always think of it that way.

At that point, you're no longer thinking—you're just going through the motions. 

Exactly. That’s it, right there.

I imagine you’d be a great boss to have, but maybe a little intimidating too! (laughs)

No, no. I used to be really particular about those kinds of things, but not so much anymore. Still, having a reason just looks cooler, don’t you think? It makes things easier to get behind.