Akina is set to welcome one of the world’s most celebrated international cocktail destinations as Lamp Bar from Nara, Japan, ranked among Asia’s Top 46th Bar in Asia’s 50 Best Bars 2025, arrives in Mumbai and Hyderabad for an exclusive, one-night-only guest shift. The takeover is being facilitated by All things Nice and brings a globally respected Japanese bar experience to Indian audiences.

Led by legendary bartender Michito Kaneko, winner of the World’s Best Bartender title at the Diageo Reserve World Class Cocktail Competition 2015, Lamp Bar is widely regarded as a destination bar in itself. The bar is known for its deeply personal, menu-free cocktail philosophy that places Japanese hospitality at the heart of every guest interaction.

Unlike conventional cocktail bars, Lamp Bar does not offer a fixed menu. Instead, Kaneko and his team engage with each guest to understand their individual preferences, moods, and flavour profiles before crafting completely bespoke cocktails on the spot. Each drink becomes a personalised expression of craftsmanship, intuition, and hospitality.

Michito Kaneko, Founder at Lamp Bar, said,
“The cocktail philosophy of Lamp Bar is craftsmanship. Both of my parents are artists, and because of that background, I incorporate elements of art into each cocktail. This fusion of craftsmanship and art defines our cocktail philosophy.”

Lamp Bar is also known for its extraordinary back bar collection, a rare replica copper pot still, and three individually themed bar rooms that create intimate and immersive drinking experiences. Bringing this internationally acclaimed Japanese bar experience to Mumbai for the first time, the Akina Mumbai takeover offers guests a rare opportunity to sample four exclusive Lamp Bar cocktails alongside Akina’s bar bites and à la carte menu.

Speaking on the collaboration, Hitesh Keswani, Managing Director of Aspect Hospitality, said,
“Akinas ethos is immersive and interactive dining and slowing the pace to enjoy the moment. This collaboration is about cultural exchange and learning as much as it is about cocktails. Lamp Bar is an international benchmark for what thoughtful hospitality and craftsmanship look like. Bringing their bar from Japan into our space just blended with our philosophy well and allows us to showcase Japanese tradition along with Mumbai’s evolving bar culture with ease.”

Born in Nara in 1981, Michito Kaneko comes from an artistic family and began his career working as a cook and construction worker before discovering bartending. After early roles at Bar Tender in Wakayama and Bar Old Time at Fujita Hotel in Nara, he opened Lamp Bar in 2011. Following a Top 10 placement at the Diageo World Class Japan competition in 2014, Kaneko won the Japanese championship in 2015 and went on to become the global champion among more than 50,000 bartenders worldwide in Cape Town, South Africa. Known for his disciplined technique, calm precision, and deep respect for omotenashi (Japanese hospitality), Kaneko continues to influence contemporary cocktail culture internationally.

Akina’s interiors celebrate balance, movement, and storytelling, rooted in Japanese design ethos and layered with international influences. From its rattan patchwork ceiling and organically flowing floors to the luminous mother-of-pearl bar that evokes the seas connecting Japan to the world, the space reflects why this takeover aligns seamlessly with Akina’s philosophy.

Mumbai Takeover
Date: Friday, 20th February
Time: 8:00 PM – 11:00 PM
Venue: Akina, Ground Floor, Raheja Ascent, Sudam Kalu Ahire Marg, Worli, Mumbai, Maharashtra 400030.

Hyderabad Takeover
Date: Saturday, 21st February
Time: 8:00 PM – 11:00 PM
Venue: Terrace, THE LOFT, Silpa Gram Craft Village, HITEC City, Hyderabad, Telangana 500081.