Written by Mika Tanimoto, Owner-Bartender, Bar Little Happiness — Hiroshima’s specialist whisky & rum bar with 1,000+ bottles “Whisky is like planting a tree. You plant it for the next generation. When the tree grows tall, people can enjoy its…
Written by Mika Tanimoto, Owner-Bartender, Bar Little Happiness — Hiroshima’s specialist whisky & rum bar with 1,000+ bottles “The way I live is cool enough, isn’t it?” he laughed — and I was completely captivated. When I visited Saburomaru Distillery…
The Story of Mika Tanimoto: From Working Poor at 22 to Running One of Japan’s Great Whisky Bars Some origin stories begin with passion and clear direction. Mika Tanimoto’s begins with almost none of either — and that, in a…
Twenty Years of Running a Bar My Way: What Criticism, Doubt, and a World Expo Taught Me Bar Little Happiness turns twenty in 2026. Before we get there, I want to write about the year that led up to it…
The Quiet Philosophy of Bar Little Happiness: Space, Light, and the Door That Feels Like a Distillery People often tell me that Bar Little Happiness feels calm. Not just pleasant, but specifically calm — a quality they notice but can’t…
Inside Ikawa Distillery: The Hand-Fill, the Production Line, and Japan’s Most Remote Whisky The last article covered why Ikawa Distillery exists — the philosophy of Juzan, the paper and forestry company that spent fifty years trying to understand how to…
Glenmorangie Harrison Ford Limited Edition: When a Real Whisky Lover Lends His Name Celebrity whisky collaborations are common enough to be forgettable. A famous name on a label, a photoshoot in a distillery, a limited run that sells on recognition…
Ikawa Distillery and Juzan: Whisky Made with the Southern Alps’ Living Water The drive took four hours. Four hours up into the Southern Alps, past dam after dam, through switchbacks that felt increasingly like a different country. My guide —…
Hiroshima, 80 Years On: A Bar Owner’s Thoughts on Knowing the Facts On August 6th, 2025, Hiroshima marked 80 years since the atomic bombing. The children’s representative at the Peace Memorial Ceremony opened their address with these words: “For a…
Wine Cask Finished Whisky: When Grapes and Barley Share One Glass You pour it, take a breath, and your first thought is: this cannot be whisky. The aroma is berries, white grape, something floral and delicate. You check the label…