Tucked away in a quiet corner of the serene Zentis Osaka hotel, Upstairz bar offers a calming retreat from the city’s pulsating nightlife. The space carries a clean, refined polish, anchored by an island bar with a row of cosy little booths running along one wall. However, don’t let its relaxed, living room-like ambience fool you into thinking this is just another hotel drinking den.
Upstairz bar is led by award-winning bartender Norihiko Furuse, who has made his mark in some of the region’s top industry competitions. At the 2022 Rémy Martin Bartender Talent Competition, he placed in the top eight, while at Diageo World Class 2024, he secured a spot in the Japan top ten.
What’s particularly interesting about Upstairz is its long list of original cocktails, many of which are built around fruit, herbs and shochu, a clear Japanese spirit distilled from rice, barley, sweet potatoes or buckwheat, similar to vodka.
On the menu, you’ll find Furuse’s Wine of Citrus Heart, an immensely drinkable blend of gin, grapefruit, shiso and Timut pepper, which won the Refreshing Challenge at the 2022 Diageo World Class Japan final. For a Japan-inspired concoction, the Wasabi Smash offers a lip-smacking introduction to the iconic flavours of wasabi and shiso, rounded out with lemon, orgeat, tequila and gin.