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ORIGAMI: Kentaro Wada Folds Japan's Farms and Crafts into Six New Cocktails, 45 Floors Above Tokyo
Updated: 5 days ago
The new menu at The Bar at The Ritz-Carlton, Tokyo follows its first appearance on Asia’s 50 Best Bars list
The Bar at The Ritz-Carlton, Tokyo presents ORIGAMI, a new menu of six original cocktails. Created by Head Bartender Kentaro Wada and his team, the offering looks to the Japanese art of paper folding for its approach to structure and transformation.
The menu is The Bar’s first new collection in almost two years, and its first since entering Asia’s 50 Best Bars at No. 75 on the 2026 51–100 list.
ORIGAMI follows The Spirit of the Wind, The Bar’s previous menu inspired by Japan’s landscapes and changing seasons. Where that collection looked to the natural world, ORIGAMI focuses on how Japan creates. It considers the concentration of the maker, the discipline behind an exact form and the possibilities that can emerge from a simple starting point.
“Origami is an art of small, precise, and methodical decisions. A single fold changes everything that follows, and making a cocktail is much the same,” said Kentaro Wada, Head Bartender at The Bar. “We wanted to make a menu that could only belong here. Many of the ingredients come from farmers and producers we know personally. The drinks are our way of introducing their work to our guests.”
The Team
ORIGAMI also reflects the evolution of The Bar itself. At the center of this is a dedicated bartending team led by Wada, the 2018 Chivas Masters Japan Champion. Originally from Osaka, Wada looked back towards his roots while developing the menu where his research took him through several regions of Japan—meeting producers and exploring ingredients in the very places where they are grown. He is joined by recent competition winners Taku Kojima, Xiaoxiang Liu, and Mizuki Hoshino forming a team with several generations of award-winning Japanese bartending talent.
Their role extends beyond service. The team develops the menu, tests techniques and builds direct relationships with the people who grow and make its ingredients. Wada personally visits farms and producers to understand their methods and the character of their produce before deciding how it should be used.
The new menu includes Japanese mint sourced directly from Iiri Farm and roses grown by Saki in Okuizumo. These relationships give each cocktail a clear point of origin. The producer’s work remains present even after the ingredient has been transformed. The result is a different expression of hotel-bar luxury.
The Origami Collection
Koinobori is a clear, carbonated take on the Japanese shochu highball. iichiko Shinwa is combined with yabunikkei cordial, Oita Sada sparkling water, and fresh seasonal herbs sourced directly from Iiri Farm in Moriyama, Shiga Prefecture, allowing the drink’s botanical profile to evolve with what is at its seasonal peak. Japanese cinnamon leaf gives the drink a distinctive herbal finish, while its simple appearance conceals a more complex structure, making it a fitting introduction to the menu.
Kusudama draws on the classic Mockingbird. Don Julio 1942 is paired with “Me” Unfiltered Nama Genshu Origarami Sake, iichiko Special, Horii Shichimeien hojicha, Japanese mint and hebesu citrus. The roasted character of the tea gives depth to the freshness of the mint and citrus.
Kochō reworks the Vesper Martini with Japanese tea and rose. Monkey 47 Dry Gin, KI NO TEA Kyoto Dry Gin and Lillet Blanc are combined with a sencha cordial made using tea from Horii Shichimeien. Rose from Sahime in Okuizumo gives the cocktail its floral character.
Named after the Japanese expression for sunlight filtering through trees, Komorebi begins with the structure of a Harvey Wallbanger. HAKU Japanese Craft Vodka is mixed with Ajimu Fortified Wine “Xavier,” Kawachi Bankan citrus and Madagascar vanilla. Kuromoji oil adds a dry, woody spice.
Kabuto takes its name and form from the traditional samurai helmet. Bacardí 8, Mancino Vermouth Rosso and Campari form the base, with dainagon red bean paste adding richness. The drink is finished with vanilla ice cream and agar jelly set to hold its shape at the table.
Kohaku Ume is made with a house-aged umeshu that takes more than three months to mature. Inspired by the Scarlet O’Hara, it pairs Michter’s Rye Whiskey with Shiga Nanko plum, Tokachi haskap berry and Setouchi lemon. A mechanical flower opens as the cocktail is served, giving physical form to the idea behind the menu.
The physical menu itself serves as an extension of the ORIGAMI narrative. Rather than a conventional list, each cocktail is represented by its own bespoke origami artwork crafted from Japanese-patterned paper and attached to the menu. Before tasting a drink, guests are invited to engage directly with these three-dimensional creations, using the shape, pattern, and tactile details of the paper to discover the inspiration and narrative behind each cocktail.
The launch follows The Bar’s inclusion at No. 75 on The 50 Best Bars Asia 2026 extended list.
ORIGAMI launched on 28 August 2026 and will be available at The Bar at The Ritz-Carlton, Tokyo through January 2027. The six cocktails are priced from ¥3,900.