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Bar Little Happiness in Nagarekawa, Hiroshima: a back bar lined with 1,000 bottles of whisky and rum, and a heart-shaped window

Every encounter is meant to be.
Welcome to the world of Rum & Whisky.

Story

It began in 2006. I was 22 and could hardly drink.
After studying law at university and working my first job, I started with a tiny coffee stand, just a few square meters borrowed from a corner of a parking lot.

Twenty years have passed since then. Facing my guests across the bar, and traveling to distilleries in Scotland, Martinique and across Japan, I have come to know countless makers and what they put into their work.

Along the way, I became certain of one thing:
whisky and rum taste even better when you know the hearts of the people who make them.

Traditions handed down through generations. Philosophies held to, even against the times. Someone’s almost stubborn dedication. Over decades, all of it becomes a single bottle that reaches us.

I want to be the “filter” that carries the makers’ hearts across the glass to you.

*“Lito-Hapi” is our nickname for Bar Little Happiness.

For Rum&Whisky Lovers

...............

A large door inspired by a whisky warehouse.
A small heart-shaped window.

                      A hidden space surrounded by
1,000 bottles of rum and whisky.

Whisky and rum bottles seen through a heart-shaped window
The counter seats at Bar Little Happiness, with bottles lining the walls
1,000 bottles of rum and whisky, chocolates made for the bar, and a private room

Try These First

...............

Two things to try first

Lito on a Journey
Single casks I selected for my 20th anniversary.
The Sakurao is a first in Japan: the first cask Sakurao Distillery ever released to a bar, with notes of green apple and honey.
The Ichiro's Malt is a malt & grain single cask, something that rarely comes about. It is mellow and smooth, like café au lait.
Lovely neat, on the rocks or as a highball.

Chocolates made for the bar
16 chocolates a chocolatier created only to pair with whisky and rum, some with Japanese miso, kombu or yuzu. Enjoy how they change the aroma of your glass.

Review

Google review (5 stars, in Korean): a bar I recommend to whisky lovers in Hiroshima, with legendary bottles
Google review (5 stars): I thought I disliked whisky, but the bartender helped me find many delicious ones. So many drinks you can only find here
Google review (5 stars): an incredible amount of whisky. You order on a tablet and get an explanation for each glass. The chocolate is excellent too
Google review (5 stars): an outstanding range of Japanese whisky, many limited bottles sourced across Scotland, and half pours available
Google review (5 stars): came to try Japanese whisky and was not disappointed; hard-to-find bottles on the shelf

Media

Media coverage: BS Fuji TV, books on whisky and bars, the Asahi Shimbun newspaper, the manga Wakako-zake, and Whisky Voice

Distillery visits

Whisky and rum makers from around the world
have visited Little Happiness.

Makers who visited Bar Little Happiness: the manager of Montebello distillery (Guadeloupe), the owner of Laodi distillery (Laos), and the owner of Shizuoka distillery, with owner Mika Tanimoto

Scotland

Highlands, Speyside, Lowlands and more

Owner Mika Tanimoto visiting distilleries in Scotland (Highlands, Speyside, Lowlands)
Owner Mika Tanimoto visiting distilleries in Scotland (Highlands, Speyside, Lowlands)
Owner Mika Tanimoto visiting distilleries in Scotland (Highlands, Speyside, Lowlands)
Owner Mika Tanimoto visiting distilleries in Scotland (Highlands, Speyside, Lowlands)
Owner Mika Tanimoto visiting distilleries in Scotland (Highlands, Speyside, Lowlands)

Islay

My first visit was in 2008

　
Owner Mika Tanimoto visiting distilleries on Islay
Owner Mika Tanimoto visiting distilleries on Islay
Owner Mika Tanimoto visiting distilleries on Islay
Owner Mika Tanimoto visiting distilleries on Islay
Owner Mika Tanimoto visiting distilleries on Islay

Japanese whisky

All across Japan, from Hokkaido to Kagoshima

Owner Mika Tanimoto visiting whisky distilleries in Japan
Owner Mika Tanimoto visiting whisky distilleries in Japan
Owner Mika Tanimoto visiting whisky distilleries in Japan
Owner Mika Tanimoto visiting whisky distilleries in Japan
Owner Mika Tanimoto visiting whisky distilleries in Japan
Owner Mika Tanimoto visiting whisky distilleries in Japan
Owner Mika Tanimoto visiting whisky distilleries in Japan

Japanese rum

From the now-closed Nine Leaves to Iejima

Owner Mika Tanimoto visiting rum distilleries in Japan
Owner Mika Tanimoto visiting rum distilleries in Japan
Owner Mika Tanimoto visiting rum distilleries in Japan
Owner Mika Tanimoto visiting rum distilleries in Japan
Owner Mika Tanimoto visiting rum distilleries in Japan

The Caribbean

Martinique, Guadeloupe, Marie-Galante

Owner Mika Tanimoto visiting rum distilleries in the Caribbean (Martinique, Guadeloupe, Marie-Galante)
Owner Mika Tanimoto visiting rum distilleries in the Caribbean (Martinique, Guadeloupe, Marie-Galante)
Owner Mika Tanimoto visiting rum distilleries in the Caribbean (Martinique, Guadeloupe, Marie-Galante)
Owner Mika Tanimoto visiting rum distilleries in the Caribbean (Martinique, Guadeloupe, Marie-Galante)
Owner Mika Tanimoto visiting rum distilleries in the Caribbean (Martinique, Guadeloupe, Marie-Galante)

New World

New Zealand

Owner Mika Tanimoto visiting a distillery in New Zealand
Owner Mika Tanimoto visiting a distillery in New Zealand
Owner Mika Tanimoto visiting a distillery in New Zealand
Owner Mika Tanimoto visiting a distillery in New Zealand
Owner Mika Tanimoto visiting a distillery in New Zealand
Owner Mika Tanimoto visiting a distillery in New Zealand

Mexico

Tequila, too, to broaden my knowledge

Owner Mika Tanimoto visiting tequila distilleries in Mexico
Owner Mika Tanimoto visiting tequila distilleries in Mexico
Owner Mika Tanimoto visiting tequila distilleries in Mexico

Event

Ian Chang speaking at the counter of Bar Little Happiness with owner Mika TanimotoSPECIAL TASTING ── 2026.7.4An Evening with Ian Chang of Komoro DistilleryA special tasting with the master blender who led Taiwan’s Kavalan Distillery to world No.1.Read the story

Events with makers

Tasting sessions

A tasting event with makers at Bar Little Happiness
A tasting event with makers at Bar Little Happiness
A tasting event with makers at Bar Little Happiness

Distillery tours

Often followed by dinner with the makers

　
A distillery tour and dinner with the makers
A distillery tour and dinner with the makers
A distillery tour and dinner with the makers
A distillery tour and dinner with the makers
A distillery tour and dinner with the makers
A distillery tour and dinner with the makers
A distillery tour and dinner with the makers
A distillery tour and dinner with the makers
A distillery tour and dinner with the makers

Taiwan Whisky Festival

Our original bottling

Taiwan Whisky Festival and an original bottling of Bar Little Happiness
Taiwan Whisky Festival and an original bottling of Bar Little Happiness
Taiwan Whisky Festival and an original bottling of Bar Little Happiness
Taiwan Whisky Festival and an original bottling of Bar Little Happiness

Rum festival

2,000 people gathered at Alice Garden, Hiroshima

A rum festival at Alice Garden, Hiroshima
A rum festival at Alice Garden, Hiroshima
A rum festival at Alice Garden, Hiroshima
A rum festival at Alice Garden, Hiroshima

Pairing nights

Live demonstrations by a chocolatier

A whisky and chocolate pairing night with a live chocolatier demonstration
A whisky and chocolate pairing night with a live chocolatier demonstration
A whisky and chocolate pairing night with a live chocolatier demonstration
A whisky and chocolate pairing night with a live chocolatier demonstration
A whisky and chocolate pairing night with a live chocolatier demonstration

Guest bartending

From sports events to official receptions.

Owner Mika Tanimoto bartending at an outside event
Owner Mika Tanimoto bartending at an outside event
Owner Mika Tanimoto bartending at an outside event
Owner Mika Tanimoto bartending at an outside event

A Gift of Thanks

In 2012, when the bar turned seven,
I wanted to leave something behind for all the trust and kindness I had received.

That wish led me
to help build a clinic in a village in Ghana, Africa.

I had no special connection there.
But I knew those seven years had been blessed with warm encounters,
and I wanted to leave that gratitude somewhere, quietly.

The clinic still stays in my heart
as a quiet milestone.

A clinic built in a village in Ghana, Africa, in 2012 to mark the bar’s 7th anniversary, with the villagers

Every encounter is meant to be.
Welcome to the world of Rum & Whisky.

INFORMATION

SNS / Contact
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Hours
                   
Mon–Sat: 7:00 pm – 12:30 am
Sun: 7:00 pm – 12:00 am
Closed
Open almost every day (closed when I travel to visit distilleries)
Please check Google map for the latest hours.
Address
Rolling Nagarekawa 1F, 5-14 Nagarekawa-cho, Naka-ku, Hiroshima
TEL
082-247-5779
Seats
18 seats (counter and a private room for up to 8)
Full-venue bookings are not available.
How to enjoy
Each pour is 30 ml, from ¥1,800 to ¥90,000 — a wide range to choose from. Most bottles are also available as a half pour.
If you find a favorite, I can fill a 30 ml bottle for you to take home.
Payment
No cover charge / Cash and credit cards
Smoking
E-cigarettes only

Peace of mind guarantee.
Every one of my 1,000+ bottles is on my tablet menu with photos, a description and a clear price, in 10 languages. You will know the price before you order, so feel free to ask me anything.

Q&A

Q. Do I need a reservation?
No. To reserve, send me a DM on Instagram (@littlehappiness7), or call during opening hours.
Q. Is it easy to visit alone?
Yes. Many of my guests come alone. The menu shows a description and price for every bottle, so it is easy to choose even on your first visit.
Q. It's my first visit. What do you recommend?
Start with Lito on a Journey and a chocolate made for the bar. Every bottle is on the tablet menu, and if you tell me your budget and what you like, I'll choose a glass for you.
Q. Is ordering done on a tablet? Will there be much conversation?
The tablet is there so you never have to worry about prices. You can order from the tablet or simply ask me. Ask me anything about whisky and rum. I will share stories of the makers I have met on my distillery visits, and the background of each bottle that does not fit on the screen. If you are not sure, tell me your budget and what you like, and I will choose a glass for you.
Q. Do you serve cocktails?
This is a whisky and rum bar, so I only offer a few cocktails, such as a gin and tonic made with Hiroshima gin. You can enjoy any whisky or rum as a highball or on the rocks. I kindly ask guests not to visit for cocktails only.
Q. Can I drink Sakurao from Hiroshima?
Yes. I always have more than 30 limited Sakurao bottles, including a Sakurao you can only find here.
Q. Can I try Japanese rum?
Yes. I always have more than 200 rums, including rare Japanese rums you will hardly find anywhere else — from Okinawa, Kagoshima and other parts of Japan, some from distilleries I have visited myself. Tell me what you like and I will help you choose.
Q. When are you closed?
I close the bar on days when I travel to visit distilleries. Please check Google Maps and Instagram for the latest opening days.
Q. Can I take something home?
Yes. I can fill any bottle you like into a 30 ml bottle to take home. My own bottlings, from casks I selected, are also available to buy (limited quantities). A nice souvenir of your trip.
Q. Can I come with a group?
Yes. There is a private room for up to 8 guests. There are 18 seats in total, including the counter, and full-venue bookings are not available. This is a place to enjoy drinks quietly, so I kindly ask loud, rowdy guests not to visit.
Q. Why do you run the bar on your own?
For 17 years, I worked together with my staff to build a bar where the people who work there are properly rewarded. After much soul-searching, I chose to stand behind the counter on my own. I wrote about how that came to be in my column [Part 2] Letting Go of Growth.
The counter and back bar of Bar Little Happiness in Nagarekawa, Hiroshima

Bar Little Happiness

Nagarekawa, Naka-ku, Hiroshima

A large door inspired by a whisky warehouse.
A small heart-shaped window.
A special space surrounded by
1,000 bottles of rum and whisky.

Read more

Whisky & Rum Notebook

Stories about whisky and rum from Little Happiness,
and now and then, my thoughts from day to day.

See all

Enjoy at home:
Little Happiness Miniature Collection

Shopping

Whisky and rum bottles from our online shop

A small bottle can open up a new world.
To whisky lovers and rum lovers around the world.

Rare bottles you have always wanted to try,
now within easy reach in a small size.

I ship within Japan only.
Visiting from abroad? Order online at least 3 days before your visit
and pick it up at the bar.

From the bottle collection of a bar with 20 years of history, sent with care.

Online shop