FRENCH CONNECTION 1920s PARIS MEETS MODERN DAY TOKYO AT AN INNOVATIVE BAR
A corridor library lined with antiques and absinthe-toned lights leads to the entrance of Virtù, the flagship bar of the Four Seasons Hotel Tokyo in Otemachi. Inside the 39th-floor bar, city views stretch from floor-to-ceiling windows. Art deco-style lacquer furniture, stained glass, and Swarovski crystal décor mixed with Japanese silk fabrics evoke a Parisian salon from the Roaring ‘20s.
Before joining Virtù in 2022, head bartender Keith Motsi—born in Zimbabwe but raised in Leeds, Yorkshire in Britain—worked as a mixologist in London, Bermu- da, Beijing, and Seoul. He now manages an international team specializing in French and Japanese drinking culture and contemporary renditions of classic libations. Japan is a bartenders’ playground filled with inspiring products—from small-batched craft spirits to micro-seasonal fruits.
Motsi cuts a charismatic figure in his signature red jacket and wears his love of Champagne (Krug is his favorite) and cognac on his crimson-colored sleeves. Cognac stars in two cocktail highlights: the Fig Cognac & Spices (with fig, spices, chai tea, and clarified milk) and the Yuzu Nagi (with yuzu Japanese citrus gin, juice, liqueur, and bitters).
A chamber hidden in a walkway behind the library stores a collection of rare cognacs and other premium spirits. The housemade ume (plum) brandy features in the Smoked Ume Fashioned (with bourbon and hinoki cypress wood bitters) and the Signature Highball (with whisky, hinoki bitters and seltzer).
Trend-focused options, popular with younger customers, are also available. There are tea-based, vegan, and low- or non-alcoholic drinks on offer, such as the Champs De Violet cocktail (non-alcohol gin, lavender, violet, Calpis soda and seltzer).
Visitors seeking exclusive or casual experiences are both welcome. Guests can book the private room featuring a separate bar and skyline views or enjoy a burger and beer in the main area. If guests want to continue the East-meets-West theme, a suggested snack is karaage (fried chicken) or truffle fries with Champagne.
Virtù captures the bygone elegance of 1920s Paris and the future-driven energy of 2020s Tokyo—all combined with a high level of service that's timeless.
Motsi says: “One of the joys of bartending is that it’s always evolving and never stops. From learning traditions, customs, and really what our guests here in Japan value (as a lot of it can be unspoken) it has elevated my craft and strengthened my passion for it.”
Address: 1-2-1 Otemachi, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo
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