Bar Chamucos

Up a flight of stairs in a building in Ginza 6-chome, BAR CAMUCOS (バーチャムコス) serves carefully made cocktails and a generous range of spirits in a relaxed setting. Despite its Ginza address, the bar has a straightforward menu with no cover or service charge. It also opens early, making it easy to stop by earlier in the day.

Once seated at the counter, a cocktail that lets its ingredients shine is a natural place to start. The Yuzu Japanese Whisky Sour pairs Japanese whisky with yuzu’s tartness and a smooth foam, bringing citrus aroma and the whisky’s depth into focus. It is a well-regarded choice. Other inventive cocktails draw on Japanese ingredients: the Matcha Martini brings out Uji matcha’s flavor in a creamy style, while the gin and tonic with Miyazaki kumquat and Kochi ginger balances fruit sweetness with a gentle bitterness.

For a slower pour, the extensive whisky and tequila selections are worth exploring neat or on the rocks. The premium tequila selection includes Chamucos Blanco, made from 100% organic agave and the namesake behind the bar, as well as Cava de Oro Extra Añejo, aged for five years. Together, they offer a chance to explore tequila’s range of character. The whisky list ranges from rare Japanese labels such as Suntory Hibiki, Chichibu’s Ichiro’s Malt and Hokkaido’s Akkeshi to Scotch single malts. Half pours are also available for sampling a few at a time.

Dim lighting and comfortable music set a quiet mood, well suited to settling in with a drink away from the bustle. Smoking and cigar use are also permitted inside, for a relaxed spell with a favorite drink.