TOSHIRO’S BAR トシローズバー — Restaurant in Kutchan

We missed our bus and stumbled upon this bar while we waited for the next one. How lucky we were… we were seated at the bar and soon realized that the star bartender/mixologist was Toshiro (the owner) himself!! We had cocktail after cocktail, each more special than the last. We even decided to miss the next bus to stay longer. There was a small mishap whereby one of the staff spilled some water next to us (no big deal) but they were beyond apologetic and decided to give us some house-made sour cream and onion popcorn. As it turns out, the very same waiter was Toshiro’s wife. A family business!! They were patient and encouraging while I attempted to order using my basic Japanese and even sent us away with some stickers as keepsakes. We were lucky to find this spot and you will be too. In case you’re interested, we got the Smoked Old Fashioned, the signature Japanese Old Fashioned (with local Nikko whiskey), and Toshiro’s self-described favorite drink to make: the “Toshigarita”, with homemade ginger syrup and smoked chili...

Best drinks in Niseko, hands down. Drinks are creative and beautifully presented. Toshiro makes every drink himself, at least when I’ve been there. We enjoyed sitting at the bar and watching the drink making process. We also had no problem getting seats, which is uncommon for the busy winter season. Hidden gem, will return, thanks for a few good nights!

1yr later update: still the best drinks in Niseko. Toshiro and his wife (I’m so sorry we didn’t get your name!) work seamlessly and efficiently to create the well known omotenashi atmosphere one would expect of a high end bar in Japan. We ended up here three nights in a row - the first night we enjoyed the guest bartender Masato Ishioka and his Don Julio creations. The next two nights we mostly drank the house specialties and whisky. We’ll definitely see you again in the...

As cocktail explorer, me and my husband probably had the best drinks at this bar! Simply the best bar in Niseko! The ambiance, the service, and most importantly the drinks were amazing. They have a wide variety of Whiskeys and cocktails (some are signature ones by Toshiro-san —owner and bartender). We had to come back almost all nights that we stayed in Sansui— it’s that good! Definitely recommend, and a must try is the “Toshigarita” which is probably the best version of Margarita I had. 🤤 and the blue drink that they had in partnership with Molton Brown - they gave me miniature perfume with it too! Overall this is a great experience, best way to unwind and relax after crashing on...