The Verdict
Hiroyasu Kayama farms his own ingredients. The wormwood in the Martini, the gentian in the bitters, the herbs in the night's drink — much of it comes from his family land in Saitama, pressed and distilled by the man pouring it. Bar BenFiddich is a small counter on the ninth floor of a Nishi-Shinjuku office building, and there is no printed menu.
You tell Kayama what you feel like; he reaches for a fresh stalk, a mortar, sometimes a sickle, and builds the drink in front of you. The Wormwood Martini — gin stirred with wormwood he grows and macerates himself — is the house signature and the reason the bar sits among the best in Asia.
The Bar
Kayama trained in Italy and apprenticed in herbal medicine before opening BenFiddich in 2013. The room seats roughly eight to fifteen at a counter, takes a maximum of five guests per booking, and runs from early evening to about two in the morning. Expect to spend from around ¥2,000 a drink, more for the rarer botanicals and the vintage Karuizawa and independent whisky bottlings he keeps behind the bar. Behind the No. 9 placing on the 2025 Asia's 50 Best Bars list is a working farm and still, not a marketing line.
Why It Works for Solo Dining and a First Date
The counter is built for watching. A solo guest gets the full performance — the stalk cut, the mortar, the slow build — and a couple gets a shared subject that needs no small talk. It is one of the more rewarding seats in Tokyo for an intentional solo evening or a first date that wants substance over spectacle.
Not For
Not for a group night out or anyone in a hurry. Bookings cap at five, each drink is built by hand and arrives slowly, and there is no list to point at. If you want bottle service, a DJ, or a fast round before dinner, this is the wrong floor.
Frequently Asked
What is Bar BenFiddich known for?
Bar BenFiddich is a farm-to-glass cocktail bar in Nishi-Shinjuku, Tokyo, run by bartender Hiroyasu Kayama, who grows and distils many of his own botanicals. It is best known for the Wormwood Martini, made with wormwood he cultivates himself, and for having no fixed menu — drinks are built to your mood at the counter.
How much does a drink at Bar BenFiddich cost?
Expect to pay from around ¥2,000 per drink, with rarer botanicals, vintage Karuizawa whisky and independent bottlings costing more. There is no set menu in the Western sense; you order by conversation, and the bill reflects what Kayama pours. Budget several thousand yen per person for a short visit.
Where is Bar BenFiddich and how do I get in?
The bar is on the ninth floor of the Yamatoya Building at 1-13-7 Nishi-Shinjuku, Shinjuku-ku, a short walk from Shinjuku station. The counter seats only a handful of guests and takes a maximum of five per booking, opening from early evening until about two in the morning; reserve ahead, especially on weekends.
Is Bar BenFiddich worth visiting?
For anyone serious about cocktails, yes. BenFiddich ranked No. 9 on Asia's 50 Best Bars in 2025 and features on the World's 50 Best Bars list, and its farm-to-glass approach is genuinely rare. It is not a casual or group venue — it rewards a curious solo drinker or a couple who want to watch a specialist work.