The “Fate” Called Online: From an Online Order to a Visit to Our Bar
2026.10.05
In short: A couple from Hokkaido who first found us through our online shop came all the way to Hiroshima to visit the bar. I share that encounter, why people choose bottles online, and how you can order our whisky and rum from afar.
I believe every encounter with whisky or rum is fate disguised as chance.
That is true not only of the moment you open the bar’s door, but also of a single click from somewhere far away.
The other day, something happened that made me truly happy.
A couple came all the way from Hokkaido to visit the bar.
They were customers who had previously chosen Octomore of different vintages from our online shop, as a gift for the husband.
And they told me that the purpose of this trip to Hiroshima was “to come to Little Happiness.”
I don’t know whether they really meant it or were just being kind.
But I was moved, and so happy!
The bottle they chose online had become the destination of their trip.
It was a moment when a connection born far away came together in a real space.
On the day, I guided them through bottles such as Secret Islay, Ardnahoe, an older Kilchoman sherry cask, and an Auchentoshan from a Château Lafite cask,
and they enjoyed pairings with chocolates made especially for bars.
The whisky talk we shared over our glasses became an irreplaceable time for me.
A connection that began online, building up into real “memories.”
I was truly happy to share that moment.
The reasons people choose bottles online really vary from person to person.
- Bottles you want to try at least once, but can’t easily buy as a full bottle
- As a gift, to send someone a little at a time of flavours that match their taste
- Interested in the bar, but too far away to visit
- To enjoy a favourite bottle little by little, at your own pace
- At a bar, there’s a limit to how much you can drink
Whatever the reason, I believe the act of choosing that bottle is an expression of trust in our bar.
That these “chances that are really fate” keep adding up, across Japan and around the world,
is the greatest joy for me.
💻 For Those Far Away
Even if you are far away, we can deliver our whisky and rum through our online shop (shipping within Japan only).
I would be happy if you found your own “bottle of fate.”
https://shop.little-happiness.jp/
For bottles shown on Instagram but not in the online shop, please send us a DM and we can help you individually.
Every encounter is meant to be. Welcome to the world of Rum&Whisky.
Mika Tanimoto, Bar Little Happiness
[About the author]
Mika Tanimoto
CEO, Little.m Inc. / Owner-bartender
Since 2006, I have run Bar Little Happiness, a whisky and rum bar in Nagarekawa, Hiroshima. I visit distilleries in Japan and around the world and write about the people who make the spirits. Recipient of the Hiroshima City Excellent Skilled Worker Award.
“Whisky and rum taste even better when you know the hearts of the people who make them.”
[Visit the bar] 📍 Bar Little Happiness
Rolling Nagarekawa 1F, 5-14 Nagarekawa-cho, Naka-ku, Hiroshima
Mon–Sat 7:00 pm – 12:30 am / Sun 7:00 pm – 12:00 am (closed when I travel to visit distilleries)
No cover charge, no reservation needed
