Tokyo International Bar Show 2025
DRINK PLANET-like topic is this!

The Drink Planet editorial team participated in the Tokyo International Bar Show 2025 held at Prism Hall in Tokyo Dome City on May 10 (Sat.) and 11 (Sun.).The DRINK PLANET editorial team each participated in the show from different perspectives and in different ways, and we enjoyed this year's show!

writer：Drink Planet

A world-class lineup of amazing bartenders!

In a change from last year, the Tokyo International Bar Show 2025 was held in rainy weather.

It rained so hard that a warning was issued on the 10th, and it was cloudy on the 11th, although the rain was averted.



It was as if the people involved in the event were whispering before the show opened that "the turnout might be slow this year," but from the time the doors opened at 11:00, bar fans flooded the venue, so much so that the admission was restricted (an annual tradition!).The number of visitors was about 1,000 over the two days of the event.



The total number of visitors was approximately 14,000 over the two days.



On the first day of the event, a long line formed immediately after the opening of the Suntory booth, located right next to the main stage.



Last year, the bar was closed to the outside world, but this year, it was an open-style bar.



The bar was open to the public, but this year it was an open-style bar with 5 to 7 bartenders, including Shingo Gokan, serving cocktails related to the four seasons at a square counter.

Nikka Whisky (Asahi Breweries, Ltd.), which invites world-famous and extraordinary bars every year, invited "Handshake Speakeasy" from Mexico City, which was ranked No. 1 in The World's 50 Best Bars 2024.



Following "Schumann's Bar" from Munich, Germany, "Drink Kong" from Rome, Italy, and "Kwãnt Mayfair" from London, UK, were the big names.



We will report on Nikka Whisky's booth in a special report at a later date!



Also, "iichiko Saiten," which was finally launched in Japan, made its first appearance at the bar show.

Top bartenders from overseas, includingKenta Goto, Takuma Watanabe, and Tsunetaka Imada from New York and Julia Momosé from Chicago, also came to Japan for this bar show.



(The Japanese team was awesome too!).

The "iichiko Cocktail Competition IRODORI-Sai" will be held in Japan soon, check here for more details!