14 December 2015
Main Bar, Tokyo Kaikan, Fukoku Building Hibiya, Tokyo, Japan
Bar
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Far East
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Japan
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Tokyo
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The old fashioned American taste cocktails in Main Bar, Tokyo
Kaikan
Under the US military administration from late 1940s to
early 1950s, the General Headquarters, the Supreme Commander for the Allied
Powers (GHQ/SCAP) placed the government in Daiichi-Seimei building in
Marunouchi. There was Tokyo Kaikan along the rows of building in Palace side
including Daiichi-seimei building. In Tokyo Kaikan, there were various famous restaurants,
ball rooms and Bars. This building is one of the symbol of food culture in
Tokyo. Marunouchi and Hibiya area is business area in Tokyo. The building of
Tokyo Kaikan was temporary closed for renovation till 2018. Main Bar and
Rossini have opened at Fukoku Building next to Hibiya park.
The Tokyo Kaikan was established on 1920. This building had
a lot of ball rooms for the weddings or business events. The largest ball rooms
had the capacity of five hundred tables for the banquet. After the World War
II, The Tokyo Kaikan had been requisitioned by the US military government as
American Club of Tokyo. Through the requisition under GHQ/SCAP, American
cultures of upper class of United States as cocktails, table manner, cooking
technique or service had come to this building. The staff and habit in this
building showed vestige of Old golden ages of America.
The Main Bar used to be crowded with officers under the US
military administration, late 1940s. The officers tell the recipes or fashion of
cocktails from United States. There were several legacy cocktail, now known as
the signature cocktails from Tokyo Kaikan. Kaikan style Gin Fizz and Dry Martini
were signature cocktails related with the US officers. The former cocktail has
the cute story, told in Tokyo Kaikan, that some officers who wanted to drink
from morning order Gin Fizz with milk to show drinking just a glass of milk. General,
Douglas MacArthur was very strict not to drink some alcohol in early morning. The
taste of this Gin Fizz was very creamy but had nice balance of sweetness and
sourness. I hope American who has grandfather as US officer in Tokyo 1940s, to
taste this cocktail as his or her grandfather. The taste or flavour had not
changed.
Kaikan style Gin Fizz
The other one, Dry Martini is very famous cocktail known as
the king of cocktail in Japan. The recipe was very simple. Mr. Kiyoshi Iamai, former
Chef Bartender at Tokyo Kaikan, investigate on Martini. He built up original
recipe and technique of Martini at Tokyo Kaikan. A lot of cocktail geeks in
Tokyo had experience to try Dry Martini at Tokyo Kaikan.
You can taste these cocktail at the Royal Bar in Palace
Hotel Tokyo. The Bartender, Mr Imai had moved to the Hotel as the Chef
Bartender.
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