Keep an eye on these four in 2026!
New Year's Special: U30 Bartender Feature. - Part 1 -

The DoriPura editorial team has handpicked standout bartenders under 30 from across Japan—those making waves in competitions, independent projects, and guest shifts. We interviewed them about their current challenges, signature cocktails, and future goals. In Part 1, we introduce these two Tokyo-based talents!

writer：Ryoko Kuraishi

Left: A scene from the "Ultimate Bartender Championship 2025 Japan." Right: Activities at last year's "NOWHERE" event, which brought together 50 bartenders. This year, alongside "NOWHERE," he is also planning a cocktail event themed around tattooing, another passion of his. "Before becoming a bartender, I even wanted to be a tattoo artist. I want to properly study tattooing again and incorporate my own interpretation into cocktails to propose something new."

Kaito Watabe from THE TOKYO EDITION TORANOMON

Blending cocktails and culture to create a world only you can envision.

The first is Kaito Watabe, who moved to THE TOKYO EDITION TORANOMON (Tokyo) this January after working at BAR NOW (Yokohama). Born in 1999, he is 26 years old.

In 2022, while attending a fashion vocational school, he began working part-time at an authentic bar in Tsurumi that he frequently visited.

Bartending seemed to fit Watabe, who had always wanted to work in a creative field. Starting with classic cocktails, he began practicing flair and studying mixology, eventually competing in competitions.

"I wanted to absorb not just classics, but all knowledge and skills related to bars.
I try not to compartmentalize things by genre in my daily life, as I feel it limits possibilities."

The following year, he joined Yuya Asato's "Bar Prima." After working at the affiliated "Bar NOW," he remains there today.

For Watabe, who believes "bartenders are performers," competitions represent an ideal opportunity to express himself as a creator.

The year he joined "Bar Prima," he entered the "Moon Shine Cocktail Competition 2023" and was selected as a Finalist in the Bartender category. The following year, in his third year of his career, he won the championship at the same competition.