Take Five: Shingo Gokan Opens First Bar in Hong Kong

Ahead of the opening of his first establishment in Hong Kong, bar-industry veteran Shingo Gokan connects with Prestige for an exclusive on why he’s come to this city and what guests can expect.

If the myriad guest shifts and new establishments, and the return of Asia’s 50 Best Bars to Hong Kong aren’t proof that this city’s bar scene is on the rise once more, then one of July’s – if not the year’s – most exciting openings will settle the argument once and for all: Japanese expert Shingo Gokan is opening his first bar here this month, aptly named Gokan.

The founder of SG Group has created and helmed some of the most celebrated bars across the globe, including The SG Club in Tokyo, Shanghai’s Speak Low, El Lequio in Okinawa and, most recently, Sip & Guzzle in New York. Several have ranked among the 50 Best Bars in their respective regions, making Gokan “the most successful bartender and bar owner”, as the listing called him in 2020. So what brings his empire to Hong Kong?

“Hong Kong is one of my favourite places to visit because it has the best bar scene in Asia,” says Gokan with a smile during our exclusive interview. “I’ve done so many guest shifts here over the last 10 years, which goes to show my affinity to this city. It’s also physically close to Shanghai, Tokyo and Okinawa, so I’ve always wanted to do something here.” To set up shop in our city, Gokan teamed up with new business partners Russell Stradmoor and Amanda Cheung – both experienced operators in the industry with multiple F&B brands under their belts – who’d envisioned creating something special with Gokan after approaching him in 2022.

“Over time, we got to know each other well, and I started to really understand their passion,” he says. “They’re great partners to have for my first bar in Hong Kong. Everything else just fell into place.” Once Gokan, Stradmoor and Cheung agreed on the concept, things began to move quickly, and earlier this year the three of them decided on the perfect location for Gokan: 30 Ice House Street.

Although the bar shares the man’s name, the word gokan has a Japanese homonym meaning “five senses”, a coincidence that spurred him to explore the idea of “fives”, which also forms part of Japanese culinary tradition: alongside gokan are goho (five cooking methods), gomi (five tastes) and goshiki (five colours). 

“I’ve been told by many people that my name is perfect for the hospitality and F&B industry, and because of that I’ve always wanted to open a bar based around this idea of the five senses,” he explains. “The idea of fives has been around for centuries. Japanese bartending, on the other hand, is much newer – around 100 years only – so I had this idea of bringing these very traditional Japanese culinary concepts into the modern bar scene. I want to introduce this type of comprehensive experience to Japanese bartending to the world, whether through a great food menu, the interior design, the music and even the lighting. It’s an entire experience.”

The idea of “fives” informs almost every aspect of his new bar. Take, for example, the menu, which includes both alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks. The latter feature five categories based around five different colours, while the former focuses on the same number of distinct flavours: sweet, sour, spicy, bitter and umami. 

“Each section will have three drinks, the first being a highball, the second on the rocks, and the third one straight up,” Gokan explains. “When guests go to a cocktail bar, sometimes it’s easy to become confused, because there’s a lot of information on the menu. If you go to very classic bars, they might be divided by the base spirits of each cocktail, but this doesn’t really help you imagine what kind of drink you’d get. Gokan’s menu is designed to be very easy to understand, and guests will be able to imagine exactly what type of drink they’re ordering. If you want a sour highball, just pick the first one in the first category. If you want a drink straight up and spicy? Just pick the third one in the fifth category. Simple.”

Drinks aside, food also plays a significant role, and it’s no surprise someone of Gokan’s stature would collaborate with only the best. In this case, it’s chef-owner Zaiyu Hasegawa, who helms Tokyo’s two-Michelin-star restaurant Den, who’s joined by chef Tsukasa Uraguchi, formerly of Arbor.

“As the idea came from Japanese cuisine, naturally I wanted to work with a chef who’s familiar with traditional Japanese food, but we also need them to be flexible enough to work with our bar’s concept,” says Gokan. “Zaiyu is probably the only one I know who has extensive knowledge of Japanese culinary traditions but also the flexibility and know-how to put a twist on them to make them more fun for a bar setting. The way he reinterprets Japanese food is fun, memorable and delicious, and we work in very similar methods, so I knew he was the only person I would want to collaborate with.” 

Whenever a big name opens a new bar in a new city, high expectations are unavoidable, but Gokan remains unfazed. After all, with a track record like his, it’s easy to see why his confidence never falters. 

“Quality is really my number-one priority,” he says when asked what success would look like. “When it comes to awards, I think as long as you’re putting out high-quality drinks and service, they’ll come eventually. If that comes, of course it’ll make me happy, but I try not to think about it too much. It’s not something I consciously chase. 

“And I don’t feel any pressure either. I get to express myself through the creation of a new bar, whether it’s creating the menu, making the drinks or building the space. It’s almost like painting or singing – I just really enjoy the process, doing what I’m passionate about. So no, I don’t feel any pressure at all.”