Punch Room Tokyo shakes its way to the top

At Punch Room Tokyo, a loungey bar inside The Tokyo Edition, Ginza, director of bars Yasuhiro Kawakubo tells his staff to stick to a 30-second explanation of the menu for any guest who appears interested in the bar’s concept. You suspect that many of his guests (a mix of locals and tourists) would be happy to hear him out if he launches into a long explanation — especially after his recent win at Asia’s 50 Best Bars 2026, where Punch Room Tokyo was the highest-ranked Japanese bar at No. 23, climbing 13 places from last year after only opening two years ago.