"Specializing in seasonal cocktails and with just eight tables inside, this quiet bar sits on a narrow side street in Azabu-Juban. There's no music, and Gen Yamamoto’s presence is more like a mixologist monk than a boisterous bartender. The parade of glassware created by Japanese artists adds a heightened visual and textural element. The way to go is a flight of cocktails that may include surprising ingredients like creamy sweet potato, tomatoes, or wasabi. Insider tip: The shop opens at 3 p.m., so go early and have your pre-dinner drinks here."

"Hiroyasu Kayama is both scientist and bartender at this bar on the ninth floor of an office building. Kayama has a collection of dried herbs, spices, and even bugs on the shelves behind the bar. The best seats are at the counter, where you can watch as Kayama creates from scratch a Campari using cochineal insects. To witness the red color come to life gets your mouth wet for the drink that awaits. The absinthe made with wormwood should also be on your radar. Best to tell Kayama what cocktails you like and let him recommend something for you."

"The Old Imperial Bar is an old-school Tokyo bar favored by some of Japan’s political and financial elite, who come for its demure and consistent service. The popular bar snack kaki pi —spicy rice crackers and peanuts—originated here and is still being served. Soak in the nods to Frank Lloyd Wright, who designed the original hotel: the Hopi-inspired carpet design, the terra-cotta grillwork, and the polychrome and gold-leaf fresco on the wall in the back of the room. Classic cocktails reign, such as a gin and tonic made with the Kyoto-distilled gin Ki no Bi, with notes of yuzu , green tea, and ginger."

"With its unusually high floor-to-ceiling windows offering one of the most spectacular views in the city, the New York Bar at the Park Hyatt Tokyo is consistently on the list of best hotel bars, and even had a starring role in Sofia Coppola’s Lost in Translation . The original cocktails shine, and if you’re hungry, the bar food comes from the New York Grill kitchen. There’s also live music after 8 p.m. Insider tip: If you’re in the mood for an intimate drink, go instead to the Peak Bar on the hotel’s 41st floor, which also has nice views of the city and delicious original cocktails."

"Amazing Sake Tasting I was with friends who wanted to learn about sake. Our biggest challenge was finding someplace open for lunch. Sake no Ana in Ginza was not only a great find, the variety and selection of sake was amazing. The sake sommelier here, Sakamoto-san (no relation), offered up everything from sparkling, nigori, junmaishu, and daiginjo, among many. Best of all, the tasting included some hard-to-find sake like Juyondai, Denshu, Fukucho which is made by a female brewer, and even one made with yeast—that went into outer space. As well, some of my favorites like Suzune and Dassai were included. We'll definitely go back again and again, for lunch or dinner. The menu is very basic izakaya fare, perfect for the sake tasting. And, Sakamoto-san was knowledgeable and friendly. Sake no Ana Chuo-ku, Ginza 3-5-8 81-3-3567-1133"

"American Bryan Baird makes some of the best craft beer in Japan at a brewery in Numazu, Shizuoka, with a few branches in Tokyo. The Harajuku Taproom is just off boisterous Takeshita Dori, packed with Japan’s kawaii youth and featuring grilled skewers and small plates such as crudités with garlic miso and fried chicken. The crowd here is a friendly mix of locals, expats, and beer-loving tourists. Each Tokyo Taproom has a different food menu, like pizza or kushiage , skewered, breaded, and deep-fried small bites. Baird’s portfolio of beer covers a wide range, from a citrusy Temple Garden Yuzu Ale to a Wabi-Sabi Pale Ale made with wasabi."

"Bar Trench And there’s the cocktails. Utterly unique (e.g., the South Americano, made of Gran Classico, Antica Formula and aged Cachaça) and based on recipes of a bygone era, they are the centerpiece of this teatro de alcohol and are blended using small-batch craft spirits such as Monkey 47 gin and a plethora of handmade bitters. But the real magic comes from the sage barkeeps (which is sort of like calling Einstein a mere “scientist”), whose encyclopedic knowledge of alcohol will keep your ears as entertained as your mouth and mind. But the Bar Trench experience goes way beyond the cocktails. There's also the chocolate-covered anise and coriander seed bar snacks, antique pewter absinthe spoons, a fountain used to serve several varieties of distilled wormwood, and the well-coiffed staffers. Bar Trench is a treat for the taste buds as well as the eyes."