The trail of "MIZUNARA" Masahiko Endo, who introduced Japanese style to Hong Kong!

He moved from Fukuoka to Hong Kong and opened MIZUNARA: THE LIBRARY in February 2015. Masahiko Endo has introduced Japanese style bartending and hospitality to Hong Kong. He is planning to open "Mizunara：In Tokyo" in Kagurazaka, Tokyo on June 8, 2024! We caught up with Mr. Endo to find out more about his trajectory as a bartender.

writer：Miyako Kai（香港在住）

Former aspiring musician and bartender.

In Hong Kong, where the bar scene is rapidly evolving, Masahiko Endo heads MIZUNARA: THE LIBRARY, which has been offering a unique Japanese-style appeal since its opening in February 2015.

Mr. Endo, who had lived in Fukuoka since junior high school and had been absorbed in music and aspired to become a composer, first encountered the world of bars after graduating from college.

He says, "I couldn't find a job in music, so I thought it would be a good opportunity to study, so I started working at Blue Note and Hard Rock Café in Fukuoka.

He considered it only a temporary job, but at the age of 25, he gave up his music career when he met a junior musician whose talent he felt he could never catch up with even if he worked hard for 20 years.

It was then that he was approached by a local bar and decided to make a go of it as a bartender.

At my new job, I was the lowest-ranking bartender, and they gave me detailed instructions on everything from how to walk, talk, and stand...After a year, I was finally allowed to pour water, then gin and tonic in my second year, and finally in my third year, I was given other cocktails to work with."

After slowly gaining experience, Endo eventually became the bar manager at the new restaurant, where he worked for a total of 13 years.

During that time, he won the Suntory Cocktail Award for Best Cocktail in 2008!