Spirit of a city: five cocktails that taste of Tokyo

This article is part of a guide to Tokyo from FT Globetrotter

Matcha Yuzu Martini, by Shinobu Ishigaki of Bar Ishinohana

150-0002 2nd Yagi Building B1 3-6-2 Shibuya, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo

Japan is a small country with a very well established transportation system, and because of this, high quality ingredients from all over the country are easily available in Tokyo. The ability to make the most of Japan’s wonderful produce and ingredients is a great advantage of living in Tokyo. When I create a cocktail at Bar Ishinohana, I always try to make the most of the ingredients used to get the best flavour, condition and balance in the drink.

For this cocktail, I used yuzu juice from Kochi prefecture, an area in the south of the country on Shikoku Island that is known for its mountains, rivers and beaches. It also features matcha which is sourced in Nishio City (near Nagoya) in Aichi prefecture, an area famous for its green tea products. These ingredients are representative of Japan and popular nationwide, but also in Tokyo too, where you’ll see them featured on food and drink menus across the city.

Shake the ingredients together with ice in a cocktail shaker until cold. Strain into a chilled martini glass, and garnish with a twist of yuzu zest

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Satsuma Libre, by Yuya Nagamine of The SG Club

1-7-8 Jinnan, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo 150-0041

Shochu is one of the best-kept secrets when it comes to drinking in Japan. With a history of more than 500 years, this Japanese spirit is packed with character. It is produced mainly on Kyushu island in southern Japan, a land mass half the size of Scotland with more than twice the number of shochu distilleries compared to Scotch. Drinking shochu should be thought of as an authentic Japanese experience — and is the highlight of this Tokyo-inspired cocktail from our bar The SG Club.

Sweet-potato shochu — known locally as imo-shochu — has quite a bit in common flavour-wise with spirits born closer to the equator, such as tequila and rum. This variation on the classic Cuba Libre is filled to the brim with flavour, with each sip calling for the next until you’re back at the bar ordering another round of the same.

Squeeze the juice from the lime into a Collins glass filled with ice. Pour in the imo-shochu then fill up with cola and stir gently

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Wa-peritif, by Atsushi Suzuki of The Bellwood

41-31 Udagawacho, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo 150-0042

“Wa”: this short word refers to the distinctly Japanese aesthetic characterised by a fine appreciation for detail that is then distilled into apparent simplicity. This concoction from our bar The Bellwood is inspired by the Bamboo cocktail, a classic aperitif with its roots in Yokohama, Japan, dating back to the end of the 19th century. The Bamboo’s concise elegance and mature dryness gained immense popularity worldwide, inserting itself in almost every notable cocktail book since its creation.

The Wa-peritif draws on this historic classic, adding to it a modern oomph with a high-proof rice shochu. Enjoying a timely aperitif is among the highest of priorities for the enlightened drinker, and this cocktail is ready to whet your appetite for an evening out in Tokyo.

Add all of the ingredients to a mixing glass with ice, and stir well until the outside of the glass feels cold. Strain into a coupe and garnish with yuzu peel

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Catana Negroni, by Graham Kimura of Jeremiah

5-4-1 Shinjuku (1F Q Flat Building), Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 116-0022

This cocktail is inspired by one of the things Japan is best known for: the samurai. Since Tokyo is the capital, we thought it would be the perfect drink to represent the spirit of our city.

Our concept at Jeremiah is based on one of “The Professor” Jerry Thomas’s recipes, but with a twist. He was one of the true pioneers of bartending and known for many influential cocktails, such as the Blue Blazer, a hot whisky punch.

Our recipe was created as we imagined what type of drink Jerry would make when he witnessed the first samurai step foot in New York City in 1860. We thought that after seeing their elegant kimonos and katanas (Japanese swords), he would want to use a Japanese spirit. So we came up with the Catana Negroni, a twist on the classic. A Negroni calls for equal parts gin, Campari and sweet vermouth. However, we’ve substituted the gin with imo-shochu, made from sweet potato. (The reason we spelt Catana with a C instead of a K is because a reporter during that time did too, as he heard “Cat-Tana” instead of Katana.)

Stir all ingredients (except the bitters) in mixing glass. Strain over a large ice cube in an Old Fashioned glass and add the bitters. Serve with a small piece of yokan on the side

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OASIS Tokyo, by Shingo Miyachi of TwentyEight Bar

1-9-1 Higashi-Shinbashi, Minato-ku, Tokyo 105-7337, Japan

Tokyo is Japan’s largest city, where everything is concentrated, from the latest trends in technology, fashion, food and culture to the finest hospitality. But there are many gardens and parks such as Shinjuku Gyoen, Kokyo (Imperial Palace) Gaien National Garden and Odaiba Seaside Park — to name just a few — that are full of the blessings of nature and make you forget the hustle and bustle of the metropolis.

From TwentyEight on the 28th floor of Conrad Tokyo, I can see the Hamarikyu Gardens, which feature a seawater pond that changes level with the tides, a teahouse and the traditionally styled garden standing in contrast to the skyscrapers behind it. 

In my cocktail, OASIS Tokyo, I wanted to express a quiet moment of comfort in a busy city, adding a gentle scent of flowers and herbs and imagining that they have come from a field on a pleasant breeze. The citrus salt foam will make it even more refreshing. 

I am hoping that this cocktail gives you a little moment of oasis, until the day we can welcome you here.

Add all of the ingredients (except the salt) to a cocktail shaker with ice, shake well and strain into a glass. Add the citrus salt foam on top and garnish with Japanese herbs (yuzu leaf and hojiso) or edible flowers

What is your favourite drink that captures the spirit of Tokyo? Tell us in the comments

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