Once again, the Tokyo International Bar Show brought together bartenders, bar professionals, and spirits enthusiasts from across Japan and around the world. In addition to tastings of spirits and cocktails, the event featured flair bartending performances, talk shows with top bartenders, and many other programs designed to deepen attendees’ appreciation of spirits. During this two-day celebration of Japan’s bar scene at its most vibrant, Sanwa Shurui took a bold new step with iichiko Saiten, a honkaku (single-distilled) barley shochu presented as a cocktail base.
Text: Miki Hayashibara / Photography: Koichi Mitsui /
Composition: Contentsbrain / English translation: LIBER
Japan’s Bar Culture Converges in Tokyo!
Bar Show season has returned once again! Held over two days on Saturday, May 10 and Sunday, May 11, the Tokyo International Bar Show 2025 – The Historical Journey welcomed guests from near and far. Known as one of the largest events in the global bar industry, Bar Show takes place in major cities around the world under regional titles and features stages with world-renowned bartenders as well as opportunities to enjoy rare and premium spirits from Japan and abroad. Tokyo, which was the first city in Asia to host the event, marked its 11th edition this year, with participation from 50 companies and organizations.
The exhibitor booths featured not only cocktail staples like gin, vodka, and whisky, along with a range of bar tools and accessories, but also many distinctly Japanese offerings—honkaku shochu, sake, and spirits made with traditional Japanese ingredients—which drew considerable attention. Tastings were available both straight and in cocktail form, captivating the hearts and minds of visitors. For those who rarely have the chance to try Japanese spirits, experiencing them in cocktails often served as the perfect introduction.
While Japan is often associated with a culture of pairing alcohol with meals, the atmosphere at the venue reflected the rise of cocktail and bar culture. Guests could be seen chatting with bartenders, sampling cocktails from various booths, and enjoying the experience of discovering their new favorite drink—one glass, one bottle at a time.
By the afternoon on both days, the venue was so crowded it was difficult to move through the aisles, and long lines stretched outside. At one point, entry had to be restricted due to the overwhelming turnout. Over the course of the two days, the event welcomed an estimated total of 14,100 visitors from Japan and abroad.
A long line of attendees waits to enter outside the venue,
with visitors arriving from across Japan and around the world.
The Sanwa Shurui booth also drew a large crowd. (Photo by the editorial team)
iichiko Saiten Finally Unveiled in Japan
At the Sanwa Shurui booth, iichiko Saiten—set to launch in Japan this June—made its first major appearance at a domestic liquor event. Traditionally, iichiko has been enjoyed in simple styles such as on the rocks, with water, or with soda, and has long been a familiar presence in izakayas (Japanese-style pubs) and at-home drinking occasions as a honkaku barley shochu.
However, iichiko Saiten is a departure from the norm. While most honkaku shochu typically has an alcohol content of 20–25%, this expression comes in at 43%, making it well-suited as a cocktail base. To give visitors a firsthand taste of its appeal, eight Japanese bartenders—active in both Japan and the U.S.—were invited to the booth, where they served a total of ten original cocktails.
Guest Bartenders at the Sanwa Shurui Booth
Julia Momosé
Owner-Bartender, Bar kumiko (Chicago)
Hiroyasu Kayama
Owner-Bartender, Bar BenFiddich (Shinjuku, Tokyo)
Takuma Watanabe
Owner-Bartender, Martiny's (New York)
Yuu Okazaki
Owner-Bartender, BAR AVANTI (Ginza, Tokyo)
Tsunetaka Imada
Bartender, Angel’s Share (New York)
Keisuke Goto
Owner-Bartender, Bar K-9 (Nagoya)
Kenta Goto
Owner-Bartender, Bar Goto (New York)
Sayo Toyokawa
Owner-Bartender, Bar BLUE (Kumamoto)
Bar Information
- Bar kumiko (Julia Momosé) 630 W Lake St, Chicago, Illinois 60661, USA
- Martiny's (Takuma Watanabe) — 121 E 17th St, New York, NY 10003, USA
- Angel’s Share (Tsunetaka Imada) — 45 Grove St, New York, NY 10014, USA
- Bar Goto (Kenta Goto) — 245 Eldridge St, New York, NY 10002, USA
- Bar BenFiddich (Hiroyasu Kayama) — Yamatoya Bldg. 9F, 1-13-7 Nishi-Shinjuku, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo
- BAR AVANTI (Yuu Okazaki) — MAXI-DO Bldg. 4F, 8-5-13 Ginza, Chuo-ku, Tokyo
- Bar K-9 (Keisuke Goto) — Plumeria Meieki 4-chome Bldg. 3F, 4-18-15 Meieki, Nakamura-ku, Nagoya, Aichi
- Bar BLUE (Sayo Toyokawa) — THE GINNAN Bldg. 4F, 12-16 Hanabatamachi, Chuo-ku, Kumamoto
The bartenders were divided into four teams and took turns behind the counter in pairs, skillfully crafting cocktails while explaining the features of iichiko Saiten. The dream collaboration of renowned bartenders—from top establishments and even overseas—quickly drew a crowd in front of the booth.
Toasts were shared with visitors throughout the day,
creating a lively and welcoming atmosphere at the Sanwa Shurui booth.
The guest bartenders created original cocktails that showcased the unique character of iichiko Saiten from a variety of angles—some inspired by the bottle’s color palette, others highlighting the fruity notes of the koji, and some crafted to be low in alcohol and gentle on the palate for those new to shochu. Drawn in by the familiar iichiko logo, visitors stopped by the booth and, after tasting the cocktails, responded with comments like “This is iichiko?”, “Delicious,” and “What a fresh new flavor!”
For those who requested it, iichiko Saiten was also offered straight. Many who sampled it expressed surprise, with particularly striking reactions such as: “This is completely different from any shochu I’ve had before,” “I usually don’t like shochu, but I love this,” “Unbelievably smooth for something that’s 43%,” “Unlike typical shochu, it has a character that holds its own even in cocktails,” and “I had no idea shochu had this kind of potential.”
Toward the end of the event, Tetsuro Miyazaki, General Manager of the Global Marketing Division at Sanwa Shurui, reflected on the experience:
“This event gave me a real sense that Japan has a much stronger passion and interest in cocktails than I had imagined. I was delighted to see not only the cocktails themselves being enjoyed, but also iichiko Saiten receiving such a positive response. I believe this marks the first step for honkaku shochu to move to the next stage.”
The Tokyo International Bar Show 2025 was a vibrant celebration that hinted at the continued growth of Japan’s cocktail scene. One of the keys to its future progress may lie in the unique appeal of Japanese spirits such as honkaku shochu and sake, evolving hand-in-hand with cocktail culture.