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Bar Benfiddich

Tokyo

A deeply personal expression of Japanese drinking

Hidden within Tokyo's bustling Shinjuku district, Bar Benfiddich is the deeply personal brainchild of Hiroyasu Kayama, a bartender whose approach to drinks is shaped as much by agriculture, history and travel as it is by bartending technique. The bar feels like an extension of Kayama himself: restrained, atmospheric and filled with the tools, ingredients and curiosities that inform his work behind the counter.

Kayama's connection to the land is central to the experience. Raised in an agricultural family, he continues to grow herbs, spices and other produce, bringing them into the bar and transforming them into ingredients for his drinks. The back bar is akin to an apothecary, lined with jars of botanicals, spices and curious concoctions. Homemade vermouth and absinthe sit alongside a rotating selection of ingredients, allowing Kayama to build drinks that are deeply rooted in nature while drawing on his fascination with different cultures and flavours.

There is a strong sense of theatre to the experience, but never one that feels forced or performative. Herbs are crushed, bottles opened, and ingredients assembled with an assured, almost ritualistic rhythm. His team works closely around him, anticipating what is needed and allowing the process to unfold seamlessly, as guests remain riveted to his fluid movements. It is a hypnotising choreography.

What ultimately distinguishes Bar Benfiddich is its spirit of curiosity. Kayama is uninterested in simply mimicking familiar flavours; instead, he uses unusual ingredients and traditional techniques to create drinks that invite discovery. It is a bar that rewards an open mind – a cocktail omakase in its truest form. 

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