Is there a cover charge at Bar Little Happiness?

No cover charge at all. You only pay for your drinks.

Do I need a reservation?

No reservation needed — walk-ins are always welcome. Reservations are also accepted.

Solo guests are very welcome. Counter seating is available.

Do tourists and foreign visitors pay the same price as locals?

Yes, all guests pay exactly the same price. English, Korean, and Chinese menus are available.

Do you accept credit cards?

Yes, we accept Visa, Mastercard, JCB, and American Express.

Is there an English menu?

Yes, we have menus available in English, Korean, Chinese, and other languages.

What kind of whisky do you have?

We carry over 1,000 bottles including rare Japanese whiskies (Sakurao, Saburomaru, Chichibu, Kanosuke, Akkeshi and more), Scotch, and Irish whisky. Owner-bartender Mika Tanimoto has personally visited distilleries across Japan and Scotland to curate the selection.

What kind of rum do you have?

We carry Japanese rum (including LAODI) as well as Caribbean, Jamaican, and Barbados rums.

Your Complete Guide to Visiting a Whisky Bar in Hiroshima for the First Time

Name: Ian Chang Special Tasting Event at Bar Little Happiness
Start: 2026-07-04T18:00:00+09:00
End: 2026-07-04T22:00:00+09:00
Location: Bar Little Happiness

If you’ve never visited a specialist whisky bar before, or if you’re visiting Hiroshima and wondering where to go for an exceptional drink, this guide is for you. Bar Little Happiness has been welcoming first-time visitors, solo travelers, tourists, and whisky enthusiasts for over twenty years, and I’ve tried to address every question that people hesitate to ask before they come through the door.

Can I Come Alone?

Absolutely. In fact, the majority of our guests arrive solo. The counter setting is designed precisely for this: you have your drink, the atmosphere is calm, and conversation happens naturally if you want it. There is no pressure to be part of a group, and no one will make you feel out of place for drinking quietly on your own.

Is One Drink Okay?

Yes. We have no cover charge, and all prices are clearly listed on our digital menu. You can come in, try one glass, and leave when you’re ready. The only thing we ask is that you don’t stay for an extended period on a single drink — since there’s no cover charge, we rely on reasonable turnover to stay open.

I Don’t Know How to Order — What Should I Do?

The digital menu has photographs, descriptions, and prices for everything. You don’t need to know whisky terminology, and you don’t need to flag down the bartender — the menu is designed so you can browse and choose at your own pace. If you’d like a recommendation, simply say “please suggest something” and let us know your flavor preferences, how you’d like to drink it, and roughly what you’d like to spend. With over 1,000 bottles on the back bar, we can find something for almost anyone.

Is There a Dress Code?

No dress code. Come as you are, straight from work or straight from sightseeing. A few gentle suggestions for enjoying the experience: keep perfume light, since whisky is about aroma; keep conversation at a moderate volume, especially at the counter; and handle the glassware with care. That’s all.

What About Younger Guests?

Increasingly, younger guests are coming in after discovering whisky through YouTube or social media and wanting to try the real thing in a proper setting. You won’t stand out. If anything, I enjoy introducing first-timers to bottles that they wouldn’t find in a supermarket — the experience of discovering what whisky can actually be, outside of the standard commercial releases, is something I find genuinely satisfying to share.

Mika’s Perspective

When I started Bar Little Happiness, the most important thing to me was creating a place where someone could sit quietly and enjoy a single exceptional glass. Not a noisy place, not a bar that requires you to know the right things in advance. The door is open to everyone who’s curious. Whether you’re a whisky specialist or someone who’s never tasted it before, I want you to leave having found something you didn’t expect. That’s what keeps me here after twenty years.

Read the original Japanese column: little-happiness.jp/columns/hiroshima-first-whisky-bar/

Bar Little Happiness | Hiroshima, Japan
Rum & Whisky specialists | 1,000+ bottles | English menu available
Open Mon–Sat 7PM–12:30AM, Sun 7PM–midnight
No cover charge. Walk-ins welcome.
english.little-happiness.jp