The Guest from Tokyo

Guests here in the Engadin can explore a curated menu of his signature cocktails, each built around a single fruit that provides his famed “twist.” Everything else remains resolutely classic, a balance of tradition and subtle innovation that resonates beautifully against the alpine backdrop

From Ginza to the Alps
Finding Ito‑san in Tokyo is an initiation of sorts. His bar, LAND BAR artisan, sits quietly on the fourth floor of an unassuming office building in the Ginza district. Only a soft, glowing sign reveals its presence. A signal meant for those “in the know.” With no more than nine seats, the experience feels almost like a secret, shared only among regulars, “friends of friends,” and the global tastemakers who have elevated it to Asia’s 50 Best Bars Discovery.
At the Kulm Country Club, the numbers are considerably greater. Yet those lucky enough to secure a seat at Ito‑san’s bar quickly discover that the experience remains every bit as focused, intimate, and finely crafted as in Tokyo.

A Classic Craft Brought Into the Present
Ito‑san draws inspiration from the great American bar traditions that migrated to Japan during the 20th century, with the 1990s serving as his personal touchstone. “What worked well in Japan then still works today,” he explains. “I mix my cocktails classically, but I bring flavour into the present through my use of seasonal fruits, sourced from farms that guarantee the highest quality.” This philosophy becomes tangible in every pour. His quiet precision, gentle attentiveness, and almost meditative approach create an atmosphere in which the smallest gestures take on meaning. Time slows. The bar becomes a stage for subtle artistry.

The Twist
At the Kulm Country Club bar in St. Moritz, Ito‑san demonstrates his signature “twist” with remarkable simplicity. For his Apple Gin & Tonic – part of the Alpine Cocktail Menu by Ito‑san – he slices a crisp apple, peels it with practised ease, then blends it with gin before finely straining it into a chilled glass. A lift of tonic water, a squeeze of lime, and the cocktail emerges: refreshing, elegant, modern, and pure enough to satisfy even the most dedicated classicists.

Unexpected Connections
Across the ice rink, the alpine night glows with the gentle light of Carsten Höller’s Pink Mirror Carousel. Ito‑san pauses and smiles. “That quietly glowing carousel reminds me of the solitary sign outside my bar in Ginza. It’s our signal that we’re open,” he says. “My guests understand this instinctively. They come when it glows — whether it’s in Tokyo or in the Alps.” And indeed, once seated at his bar in St. Moritz, guests quickly recognise the same sense of discovery: finding Ito‑san is well worth the effort.