- Thailand’s capital, especially the central areas of Sukhumvit and Phrompong, is home to a large Japanese community, and that means great bars and restaurants
- We’ve got you covered on the best places to eat, drink and party
Thanks to its sprawl and tendency to overload the senses, visitors to Bangkok could be forgiven for missing what amounts to an entire secret world, flourishing right alongside some of the more tourist-friendly haunts. A city hiding just under the surface, more akin to Tokyo or Osaka: the rewarding world of Japanese Bangkok.
Over the past few decades Thailand has quietly become a home for Japanese factories and offices, as well as an education hub for overseas Japanese, and now hosts one of the largest populations of expatriate Japanese in the world.
More than 100,000 Japanese call Bangkok home, mostly professionals and young people drawn to the country for its comparatively low cheap cost of living and as an escape from the strict social mores that define and constrain life in Japan.
For visitors, discovering this community " concentrated in the Sukhumvit Road and Phrompong neighbourhoods " can feel like gaining entry to a rarefied world full of impeccable dining, nightlife and relaxation for a fraction of the cost of the same experiences in Japan.
"I've always loved Japanese food and culture, so it's great living in a city with a large Japanese expat community," says Bangkok resident Larry Gordon, a quality and development manager for a jewellery company.
"I never feel like the experience is watered down for foreign tastes and it's fun to explore what's on offer. It's like travelling without going anywhere."
For Gordon, that means lunch sets at Mitsumori, a somewhat upscale but still reasonably priced yakitori spot downtown. For dinner, he is a regular at the long wooden sushi counter at Sushi Juban. "It's hidden down a side street in Asoke and it feels very Japanese when you walk in: the walls are lined with sake bottles and the waitstaff are dressed in kimonos."
The Japanese community has also been a boon for Bangkok's nightlife. A night out for Gordon might start at Jidori Cuisine Ken, a temple to all things chicken that serves high-end yakitori along with iced Hojicha (a Japanese green tea) and Sapporo draft beer.
Then he might stumble up the road to Waon Piano and Scotch, a piano bar right out of 1980s Tokyo where husband-and-wife team Akira and Aiko will keep your glass full and ashtray empty as long as you are willing to sing along to their piano and guitar duets.
Taeko Pellaux is a Japanese translator living in Bangkok, a city she has grown to love.
"I like the city because it is energetic, chaotic, alive, international and tasty," she says. "Where I am from in Japan is a small town where the population is ageing and it is really quiet " sometimes I do not meet anyone when I walk from the railway station to my parents' house at night.
"But Bangkok is so alive. It is easy to meet people from all over the world … you can enjoy great food from street stalls to high-end restaurants."
One such high-end restaurant is Sushi Masato, the passion project of chef Masato Shimizu, who honed his skills at the best sushi restaurants in Tokyo and New York before settling in Thailand, where he continues to serve some of the best omakase dinners you'll find in any country.
An example of the kind of alchemy that can be achieved when Thai and Japanese hospitality come together is Jua, a modern izakaya that is equal parts raucous and sophisticated " the perfect place for people who want a strong start to a rowdy evening.
Pellaux revels in Thailand's famously relaxed and open culture. "I do not feel the pressure that I would if I was working in Japan as a member of Japanese society," says Pellaux.
"Here I can be just an independent Japanese in a big Asian city."
The Tokyo tradition of semi-secret "micro" bars is also represented " our favourite is Hailing Whisky bar. Hailing has remained Japanese whisky lovers' best kept secret in the Thai capital for its impeccable selection of spirits and convivial atmosphere in which to enjoy them.
If you prefer your liquor clear, sake bar Orihara Shoten feels as if it has been lifted from a Kyoto side street right into the heart of pulsing downtown Bangkok.
The Japanese presence in Bangkok isn't confined to restaurants and bars; there are whole apartment compounds catering to Japanese residents, along with Japanese schools for all ages, fully stocked Japanese markets and shopping malls, as well as a bevy of local businesses catering to the community.
"Japanese supermarkets have good quality and wide-ranging products," says Pellaux. "It's so good to have a large population of us in Bangkok because used Japanese books are pretty available. I love the Kinokuniya bookstores " and there are even manga cafes."
Where to Eat
Mitsumori of Tokyo: While it's famous for its charcoal-grilled chicken, you will keep coming back for the soba " made from imported Hokkaido flour. It may seem casual, but bookings are vital; website: mitsumori-bkk.com.
Sushi Juban: Hidden in a nondescript dead-end alley " and difficult to navigate once you're inside, as no one seems to speak a word of English " Sushi Juban is worth the effort, especially for the straw-cooked fish, a delicacy rarely found outside Japan; Sukhumvit 23, Bangkok, tel: +66 2 259 2813.
Jidori Cuisine Ken: The best yakitori in town served in a low-key and sophisticated setting worthy of any restaurant in Kyoto rather than a side street in raucous Bangkok; 10/12 Sukhumvit Soi 26, Bangkok, tel: +66 2 661 3457.
Sushi Masato: Japan-born but made-famous-in-New-York sushi master Masato Shimizu has brought his expertise to Bangkok. The food is some of the best anywhere, but the real joy is Shimizu himself; website sushimasato.com.
Jua: The yakitori is excellent but the real draw here is the vibe and the other clientele. A better mixing of Japanese hospitality and Bangkok cosmopolitan fun would be hard to find; 672/49 Charoenkrung Soi 28, Bangkok, tel: +66 2 103 6958.
Where to Drink
Waon Piano and Scotch: We do not want to give too much away about Waon, so as to not spoil it. Suffice to say it is considered one of the best bars in the world; 10/11 Sukhumvit 26 Bangkok, tel: +66 2 258 1709.
Hanakurata: The second, and slightly more happening location of the popular Japanese cocktail bar, Hanakurata in Sathorn boasts the impeccable craftsmanship of bars in Japan with a more high-energy, laid back vibe. The food is extremely tasty, if slightly eccentric; Sathorn Soi 10, Bangkok, tel +66 097-140-7403.
Hailing Whisky Bar: All of the quiet, locals-only intimacy of a good speakeasy without any of the pretence. Whisky fans will be agog at the selection of increasingly hard to find Japanese bottles, but do not let the big labels seduce you: put yourself in the capable hands of the bartender; 4/11 Sukhumvit 33, Bangkok, tel +66 2 662 1576.
Orihara Shoten: This joint venture between Japanese sake exporters Orihara and local spirits distributors BB&B offers hundreds of sakes and other Japanese tipples. Still not well known outside the Japanese community, Orihara Shoten is the place to blow off steam and get Osaka-level drunk; Park Lane, Sukhumvit Soi 63 (Ekkamai), Bangkok, tel: +66 2 382 0131.
Where to Relax
Pranpuri Wellness: This Tokyo-headquartered wellness centre offers a wide range of spa services and an authentic Onsen Suite with hot spring water shipped direct from Japan. An elegant, urban alternative to the traditional Japanese outdoor hot spring; website: panpuri.com.
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