Order your very own custom-made movie cocktail at Hachigatsu no Kujira!
Posted on February 19, 2021
Hachigatsu no Kujira—taking its name from the 1987 film with Bette Davis, “Whales of August”—is a bar that specializes in film-themed cocktails. With walls lined to the ceilings with movie posters and an owner with a movie-cocktail repertoire numbering over 20,000, this is undoubtedly a place for the film aficionados out there. Even if your favorite movie isn’t explicitly featured on the menu, if the staff have seen it before (chances are they have), they’ll improvise a custom-made creation right there for you!
photo by @aika_kano
The amber yellow tones contrasted with the dark wood create a warm and soothing atmosphere as you walk in. There are pictures of the most famous cocktails on display just to add to your excitement. As the bar holds over 600 types of liquor, just imagine all the possible combinations.
photo by @_hungry34_
We love the Beauty & the Beast cocktail for its simple elegance, perfectly capturing the image of Belle in her yellow gown as she holds her red rose to her chest. The cocktail which only existing in its current state of beauty for a brief moment—before it is consumed—parallels the ephemeral beauty of the rose in the film.
photo by @remi__412
This Burlesque-inspired cocktail with its assortment of exotic fruits takes its influence from the film’s extravagant costumes and stage sets filled with color and flare.
photo by @kassa_shin_127
Can you take a guess? This sophisticated gin-based cocktail embodies the striking green hair and the orange suit worn by the Joker in the 2019 film with Joaquin Phoenix.
photo by @yu__ka514
You can even order a glass of Olaf, the good-natured snowman from Frozen! Watching him melt in the glass is a little sad, so Frozen lovers might want to drink this one up as quickly as possible to avoid potential heartbreak.
photo by @zundapoppo1117
The flash of orange adorning this dashing cocktail pays homage to none other than the 1971 cult classic film, Clockwork Orange by Stanley Kubrick. The thinly sliced pieces of peel conjure an image of the distinctive lashes on the main character, Alex.
photo by @kae_nylove
The pink and poise of these two drinks in our hands would almost lead us to believe we inhabit the the glamorous lives of the characters in both Sex and the City (left) and Baby Driver (right).
photo by @aika_kano
On the left, we have an extravagant rendition of the animated-movie Tangled that is based on the German folktale of Rapunzel. What is most striking about this cocktail is the exquisite presentation of the lemon rinds trailing out from the glass, serving as a motif for Rapunzel’s long, braided hair. On the right, we have a red and green cocktail that most likely references the colors of the Rent movie poster.
photo by @waaa_56
Is that a magical love potion? The enticingly delicious rose and fruit clad Romeo & Juliet cocktail on the right might just give us a taste of true love.
photo by @remi__412
Other film-themed cocktails featured on the extensive menu that you might want to give a shot include Psycho, Taxi Driver, Grand Budapest Hotel, Trainspotting, among countless others.
Access:
28-13 Udagawacho, Shibuya City, Tokyo 150-0042
Hours: 18:00-4:00 (limited hours due to coronavirus restrictions)
500 yen cover charge & cash only
non-smoking area available upstairs
Written by: Maya Kimura Watts
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