"The Bellwood," located in Shibuya, has made its debut in the prestigious "Asia's 50 Best Bars" awards, ranking as the top bar in Asia!"

Jul 26, 2023

On July 18th (Friday), the bar awards ceremony, "ASIA'S 50 BEST BARS 2023," organized by William Reed Business Media, took place at the ceremony venue in Hong Kong's ROSEWOOD Hotel and also online. This event recognized and honored 50 bars from all over the Asia region. Among the awardees was "The Bellwood," managed by Bellwood Experiment Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Shibuya-ku, Tokyo), located in Udagawacho, Shibuya.

"The Bellwood" achieved the 49th position in the rankings. Led by Atsushi Suzuki, a bartender and owner with a history of winning global cocktail competitions, the bar celebrated its 3rd anniversary on June 20th last month. It made a remarkable leap from last year's 87th position in the same awards.

About "ASIA'S 50 BEST BARS"

"ASIA'S 50 BEST BARS" is an award created in 2016 as the bar version of "ASIA’S 50 BEST RESTAURANTS," aiming to encompass the rapidly evolving bar scene in Asia. The award's voting panel consists of over 250 drink experts, including renowned bartenders, consultants, and cocktail specialists from various regions in Asia. They rank the top 50 bars by nominating seven establishments they believe are the most outstanding in Asia from their visits over the past 18 months.

The panel members travel across a wide range of bars, covering countries from East Asia to South Asia, including China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Japan, Korea, India, Indonesia, Singapore, Thailand, and Malaysia. This diverse approach reflects the richness and diversity of the overall drink culture in Asia.

ASIA’S 50 BEST BARS https://www.worlds50bestbars.com/asia/

・The Bellwood

The concept of the bar combines the atmosphere of a cafe from the Taisho era with a modern touch. It offers a unique and modern specialty tea experience. Enjoy the "喫 (の) むKAISEKI" menu, which expresses traditional Japanese kaiseki cuisine through cocktails, as well as the innovative sushi bar "BELL SUSHI" hidden within the bar, with no visible signboard. It provides a novel and enjoyable space, offering a bar experience like no other.

Address: 41-31 Udagawacho, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo.

・Suzuki Atushi

Born in Shitamachi, Katsushika-ku, Tokyo, they began their bartending career at a local bar and spent about six years honing their skills at various bars in Tokyo. At the age of 24, they embarked on a solo journey to the United States. After working at the renowned New York establishment, "Angel's Share," they sought further international experience and moved to London. They later relocated to Canada and achieved victory in the Buffalo Trace Cocktail Competition held in Toronto in 2013.

Returning to Japan in 2014, they received an offer from Mr. Shingo Gokan, the current representative of SG Group, to work as the head bartender at "Speak Low" in Shanghai, China. In 2017, representing China, they participated in the Seagram's Masters Global Cocktail Competition and emerged as the champion, marking the first time a Chinese representative had won in a world-class cocktail competition. In the same year, they became the first Japanese bartender to receive the prestigious "Bartender of the Year" award at the DRiNK MAGAZINE BAR AWARD, an event hosted by DRiNK MAGAZINE, which disseminates information about the bar industry in Asia.

Returning to Japan in 2018, they played a significant role in launching "The SG Club" in Shibuya, Tokyo. For about six years, they served as the group manager of SG Group and in June 2020, they opened their first independent venture, "The Bellwood." In February 2023, they separated from the SG Group. Currently, they continue to work as a bartender, conducting seminars, bartender training sessions, guest bartending events, and various other activities both domestically and internationally.

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