Craftroom

Craftroom is a tiny cocktail bar two floors below ground in the Osaka Ekimae Daiichi Building, a short walk from Osaka Station. It opened in 2020, in the middle of the pandemic, and within a few years it had earned recognition from Asia's 50 Best Bars: in 2025 it ranked 58th on the extended list of positions 51 to 100, its second year on the list. It is one of the most respected places to drink in the city.

The bar is run by Ryu Fujii, who trained at the celebrated Bar K in Osaka and was runner-up in the global final of the Diageo World Class competition in 2016. His style is classic cocktails with a twist, on a menu that changes with the seasons, and there are well-made non-alcoholic options for those not drinking. Whisky lovers are well served too, and the bar is known for a small touch of its own: pies that change monthly, an unusual and welcome snack alongside a drink. Jazz plays in the background throughout the evening.

There are just six seats at the counter, so this is an intimate experience where you can watch every drink being made and talk to the bartender about what you like. Finding it is part of the fun; look for the small sign in the basement corridors of the building. Because space is so limited, it is wise to arrive early in the evening or to contact the bar in advance, and to keep groups small. It opens Monday to Saturday; check its website or social media for current hours before you go.

Prices reflect the quality of the drinks and the craft involved, so expect to pay more than at a standard bar. The bar suits couples, solo travellers and serious cocktail fans rather than groups looking for a lively night out, and it is a calm place for a first or last drink of the evening. If you are new to cocktail bars of this calibre in Japan, it helps to know that service is unhurried and precise: order one drink at a time, tell the bartender which spirits and flavours you enjoy, and expect each cocktail to be built carefully in front of you.

The Osaka Ekimae Daiichi Building is a short walk from JR Osaka Station, Umeda and Kitashinchi stations, so it fits easily into an evening of dinner in Umeda before a nightcap here.