The much-anticipated third venture from the team behind Toko restaurant, tokonoma shochu bar +
lounge, opened on 2 December 2009, heralding a new trend in drinking this summer. Shochu.

‘The popularity of Toko and the ensuing demand for space has been huge, increasing exponentially over
the last couple of years. Through tokonoma shochu bar + lounge we have been able to expand Toko as a
restaurant, while at the same time creating an entirely new destination for lovers of all things Japanese‘, said tokonoma Bar Manager, Paul Birtwistle.

Shochu, Japan’s other indigenous beverage, is distilled from a number of raw materials including
superfood barley, buckwheat, sweet potato and sugar making it utterly smooth and the perfect ingredient for the mouth-watering cocktails on offer at Tokonoma. Better still, it contains only 1/3 of the calories of vodka, so it’s no surprise it is very popular with fashionable Japanese women:

‘Once only popular with the ‘oldies’, shochu has enjoyed a resurgence through Japan’s hip, young things - women in particular, thanks to its low calorie count, says Birtwistle.

‘And although any real scientific proof of this is yet to be seen, shochu fans claim the after effects are far more muted compared with those of beer or sake. That’s a good enough reason for me anyway,’ he
added.

Architect Matt Darwon, who first worked his magic on Toko, has created the complete ying to Toko’s yang, giving Tokonoma a soft, smooth and fluid look and feel, in comparison to Toko’s raw and sharpedged
interior.

Artist, Reni Kung, who created the stunning sun-like light sculpture comprising 60,000 matchsticks at Toko, has once again used everyday raw materials to create a light sculpture for tokonoma. Made entirely of lentils, perspex, resin and metal objects, the sculpture is an impressive 11 metres long and is
entitled ‘Water’.

Maintaining Toko’s unique brand at every touch point, tokonoma shochu bar + lounge will allow for 250
standing or 150 seated and is available for large or small events, with many private and exclusive spaces
in its innovative design.