[Until February 2026] Once a month, get intoxicated by the bartender's skills on the top floor of a hotel in Kobe
I found a truly luxurious event......!
Kobe Port Tower Hotel is located right next to Port Tower. Once a month, bartenders active in Kobe come to this top-floor restaurant bar to serve special cocktails and drinks.
titled"KOBE BAR PORT CRUISE"。
This event, which held its first event in August,It will continue seven times until February next year (2026)That's it!
While sharing the first session, we will share the highlights of this event.
Two award-winning bartenders opened the show
Sunday, August 17. Facing the Kobe Port Tower Hotel, my heart was already pounding.
The reason is that this time's guest bartenders are Kazuya Morisaki and Minoru Ikuta, who won first and second place at last year's (2024) Suntory The Cocktail Awards!
On this day, in addition to the two award-winning cocktails, the offerings included a seasonal cocktail created by Mr. Morisaki.
Spring 'Hirahira' evokes the image of cherry blossom petals dancing; summer 'Sansan' is filled with the brilliant sun; autumn 'Sakusaku' is like stepping on fallen leaves; and winter is 'Shinshin' when snow piles up.
Despite the intense heat, the refreshing summer cocktail 'Sansan,' made with myoga, sold out the first to sell.
Despite being the first visit, many people have come to visit.
When they see the faces of their familiar customers, their expressions brighten up. Bartenders may be seen as quiet and not very talkative, but there are actually many cheerful and chatty bartenders who enjoy conversation.
Port Tower right in front, excellent location
The venue, the restaurant bar "HIDE OUT," is located on the hotel's top floor, the 13th floor.
Except for the elevator and the entrance side, the other three sides are glass-walled, allowing you to see Kobe's sea and city all around, and even the mountains.
At the counter seats facing Port Tower, you can enjoy the autumn cocktail 'Sakusaku' a bit early.
As the sun sets, the atmosphere becomes very moody.
When eating out, I hadn't considered a local hotel before, so this was the first time I learned about this restaurant. Customers and bartenders who visited were also amazed, saying, "I never knew such a great place existed."
As the name HIDE OUT suggests, it truly feels like discovering a hidden gem in Kobe.
Every month, meet bartenders in new ways.
This event, which will continue until February next year, is held on Sundays. The guest bartender changes every month, so each month brings a different taste, so you can enjoy it again and again.
Sunday, September 21
September's bartenders are Eriko Inoue from BAR OWL and Yoshio Kimura from SAVOY Cinq.
Under the theme "Tower Night Serenade," you can enjoy cocktails accompanied by background music centered on traditional Japanese music from the Showa and Heisei eras.
Sunday, October 19
In October, Takushi Takahashi from BAR September's Lion and Kazuaki Umano from BAR UMA-LA. It's a night to enjoy cocktails made with tequila.
Even if you're not a fan of tequila, which has a bit of a strong taste, making it a cocktail might make it easier to drink.
Sunday, November 16
In November, there will be an episode featuring three female bartenders: Reika Ono from Bar Le Bateau, Saori Fukura from Bar Covo, and Miyako Tanaka from OLD KOBE BAR.
This day was the day of the Kobe Marathon. With themes of beauty and wellness, we offer cocktails that help your mind and body regain their usual rhythm.
From December onward, only guest bartenders are confirmed.
December
・Mimosa Pudica 崔廣成さん
・Bar HONOR Ukyo Ono
January
・Bar Andante Kenji Akai
・BAR Roxy Takahiro Hasegawa
・BAR SLOPPY JOE Kunihiko Nobuhara
February
・The Nineteenth Bar 宮森和哉さん
・Bar UNPAS Kyoichi Muramoto
・Kazuki Kawakami from Bar cask
Kobe has countless bars.BAR MapThere are about 200 of them listed in the magazine.
Bars are, of course, places for drinking, but as Kobe-born paper-cutting artist Ittetsu Narita said, "Bars are all about people," it's no exaggeration to say that the bartender's personality is "the bar itself."
I also wanted to try opening a new shop, but I couldn't help but want to meet my familiar master, so I ended up going to my usual place...... That's the dilemma.
precisely because"Meeting a New Bartender"This might also be one of the ways to enjoy this event.
Isn't it a very attractive event for those who regularly go to bars?
Of course, bar beginners who have never been to a bar or are hesitant to enter but admire it but find it hard to enter, are also very welcome.
・No charge fee
・Cash-on system where you pay on the spot for each drink
・One bowl about 1000~1500 yen
・No reservation required
It's a very easy style to participate in, so don't miss this opportunity~.
For details, please check the special website at the end of the article. The "cocktail diagnosis" that lets you find the perfect cocktail for you is also fun.
"We want to liven up Kobe's nights"—the desire of both hotels and bars
The company that organized this event, Kobe Port Tower Hotel, is a hotel and real estate business firm that actively contributes to the community by hosting children's cafeterias and inviting children from care facilities to hotel dinners.
As part of this, they called on bartenders to say, "I want more people to learn about Kobe's bar culture" and "I want to liven up Kobe's nightlife."
It's wonderful that so many bartenders share that sentiment. To be able to hold it for seven consecutive months is equivalent to a full season in professional baseball!
I love going to bars, but the first thing that surprised me when I saw the lineup of guest bartenders this time was, 'What an impressive lineup.'
Less than half of the shops are places I've been to, but the rest are places I've always wanted to visit soon, or I've heard of their names.
Moreover, except for Mr. Ikuta in August, everyone else is a master, the owner-bartender. In other words, the face of the shop. Even though the shop should be busy on Sundays, they take time off or delay opening hours, taking a break for Kobe.
Kunihiko Nobuhara, who serves as the bartender's contact point for this event (scheduled as a guest next January), says the following:
"Not a single bartender who approached me refused. Especially in December, the restaurant is busy."
Hearing that, I was deeply moved by everyone's love for Kobe.
A special night brought to you by bartenders who love Kobe. Be sure to visit and savor cocktails packed with skillful techniques while enjoying the night view!
▼ Special Website
https://www.kobe-porttower-hotel.com/hideout/kobebarportcruise/
[Writer Profile]
Hitomi Goraku
A writer from and living in Kobe. Active in economic media outlets such as NewsPicks.
Until March 2025, he served as a writer for Kobe City's official note.
I'm not a big drinker but enjoy the atmosphere of bars, and I've been hooked on bar hopping for years.
My dream is to live in a house with a veranda and a view of the sea.