A week ahead of the full unveiling of the 2023 edition of the Asia¡¯s 50 Best Bars rankings, the top 51-100 bars across the continent have been announced ¡ª with plenty of appreciation for old favorites and stunning newcomers across Japan.
Despite opening last spring, Gold Bar has already secured the No. 56 spot in the list. Located off the lobby of the Toranomon Edition hotel (itself only one year older), this trendy spot boasts aesthetics as equally captivating as its cocktails ¡ª both of which managed to impress reviewers enough to earn Japan¡¯s top spot in the back half of the 2023 rankings.
Old standbys like Kyoto¡¯s (No. 81), Nara¡¯s (No. 88) and (No. 92), just steps away from Tokyo¡¯s Ebisu Station, also earned their due acclaim. However, it¡¯s newcomers that seem to be stealing most of the limelight. Representing Osaka¡¯s bustling Umeda shopping and nightlife district, made its first entry into the 50 Best list at this year¡¯s No. 62 spot.
A city the size of Osaka has its fair share of must-visit watering holes, but the same couldn¡¯t necessarily be said for far-flung and sparsely populated locales like Kumamoto or Naha ¡ª until now. The Kyushu city can now raise a glass to , the city¡¯s first bar to crack the Asia¡¯s 50 Best rankings at No. 84. Several hundred kilometers across the ocean to the south, the Okinawa capital can likewise thank (No. 80) for putting it on the map for the first time.
In total, Japan¡¯s seven bars on the 51-100 list trail only Singapore¡¯s eight spots for overall awardees.
There are still plenty of preeminent bars across Japan yet to be named ¡ª including Nara¡¯s stellar Lamp Bar and Tokyo¡¯s Ben Fiddich, just to name a few. Imbibers will have to nurse their drinks until the top 50 bars are announced on July 18 live from Hong Kong and broadcast on the .
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