Worth a Journey

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The World’s 100 Best Cocktail Bars

Lamp Bar

Nara, Japan

  1. THE WORLD’S BEST COCKTAIL BARS WORTH A JOURNEY · 2026 ✦ ✦ N° 7 2026

Top 10

Lamp Bar

The cocktail bar occupies the first floor of a building a few minutes from Kintetsu Nara Station and is run by Michito Kaneko, winner of the 2015 World Class competition. Bartenders build each drink to the customer's stated tastes, with no written menu.

Highlights

  • Lamp Bar Negroni
  • Custom cocktails from preferences
  • Local Nara gin

Good to know

  • Cover charge of about 500 yen per person
  • No drink menu, so state preferences
  • Larger groups seated upstairs or in back room

Also in Japan

  1. Hedonist N° 1 Hedonist Osaka
  2. Furansu Cocktail Bar N° 5 Furansu Cocktail Bar Kanazawa
  3. Yu N° 6 Yu Takayama
  4. L'Escamoteur N° 9 L'Escamoteur Kyoto
  5. Bar Nayuta N° 10 Bar Nayuta Osaka
  6. Bar Benfiddich N° 15 Bar Benfiddich Tokyo