The Unique Tokyo Bar That Turns Every Cocktail Into A Performance

If anyone demonstrates the Japanese concept of "kikubari," or sharing one's spirit, it might be bartender Yuzo Komai. Not only does he pour spirits for his customers at Bar Centifolia in Tokyo, but he does so with a personal zest that turns every cocktail order into a dazzling performance, putting his name among the world's top bartenders. Whether it's whipping blue fire across the bar, chopping ice cubes into diamonds with a katana, or conjuring smoke baths with liquid nitrogen, Komai earns authentic awe from anyone who's sat across the bar top from him, as he demonstrates why he's the Suntory Cocktail Award Champion, hosted by the distiller of one of Japan's greatest whiskies, and a social media star.

Indeed, his performative displays of cocktail-making are ideal for social media, where his prowess is regularly on display. In clips and reels, Komai shakes, stirs, flicks, twists, and pops cocktails like Lejay Chocolatre — the drink that won him the championship. The drink brings together Lejay Caramel Liqueur, Mozart Rose Gold Chocolate Cream Liqueur, 12-Year-Old Bowmore Scotch, and rock salt before pouring. However, it's "Japanese Harmony" that takes the social media cake. The cocktail of Uji matcha and Kyoto whisky is mixed in a glass surrounded by blue fire that somehow burns no one. "Witnessing this splendid spectacle allows you to feel the moment where Japan's aesthetic and enchanting passion intersect," he explains on the bar's Instagram page.

For Yuzo Komai, every minute step of cocktail creation gets special — almost religious — attention, from the delicate three-finger grasp of the bottle while pouring, the ballet pirouette of his nickel silver bar spoon, the elasticity in the wrists while shaking, the pregnant pause before the drop of an olive into the glass, and the slice of fruit with a knife by certified "traditional master craftsman" Takeshi Saji. The more than 100 antique glasses the cocktails are served in can wow almost as much as the performance. Even the vodka shots come in glasses hung from Venetian glass decanter set inside a Fabergé egg covered in Swarovski crystals. Accouterments and garnish, including flowers arranged in the ikebana spirit, also help transform the cocktails into virtual works of art, with tiny teddy bears adding whimsy.

Komai's passion and motivation can be summed up in the name of the bar, Centifolia, which is a type of rose with 100 petals. Comparing each petal to a year, Komai hopes the bar will last 100 years because of his dedication. It's certainly visible in the attention and validation he's earning, and the dream seems likely to become reality. It also offers a unique insight into Japanese culture, inspiring visitors to incorporate more Japanese ingredients into cocktails, like adding miso to bloody Marys, and encouraging proper pouring etiquette. As he explains in one Instagram post, "Bringing the spirit of the samurai and the grandeur of a dragon to customers—that is the essence of Japanese-style hospitality."