Kana Arai

The Climb

The line from kitchen to bar is clear in this career. Kana Arai started as a cook at Italian restaurant, where the work would have been shaped by timing, heat, and repetition. She then moved behind the bar as a bartender at shot bar, and later as a bartender at authentic bar, building a service style through different room types and different demands. Since 2012, Kana has been bartender of BAR AVANTI in Ginza, Tokyo, a post that places her in a bar defined by drinks, food, and a guest experience that has to hold together from first order to last round.

Today

The stated aim stays practical: “We want our customers to go home with smiles on their faces, from delicious cocktails and great food.” That puts the work on two tracks at once: what is in the glass and what the room feels like while it is being served. She also says: “The name \"AVANTI\" means \"to move forward\" or \"please feel free to come in\", so we try to give people come to Avanti a fun time with good drinks, make them feel like they are going to do their best tomorrow.” Read as service language, it describes a bar that is meant to be open in tone, steady in pace, and useful to the guest beyond the last sip.

Career - Bartender, BAR AVANTI, Ginza, Tokyo (2012–present) - Cook, Italian restaurant - Bartender, shot bar - Bartender, authentic bar

Signature

Kana's signature cocktails include Baika no Zui, Gin&Tonic, and White Lady. The set shows range across the bar: a list that can hold a classic Gin&Tonic and White Lady alongside a named house cocktail, with the same attention to balance and guest-facing clarity across each build.

In Their Words “The name \"AVANTI\" means \"to move forward\" or \"please feel free to come in\", so we try to give people come to Avanti a fun time with good drinks, make them feel like they are going to do their best tomorrow.” “We want our customers to go home with smiles on their faces, from delicious cocktails and great food.”

Recognition

Kana's honors include World Class 2018 Japan Finals overall winner (2018). That recognition places her work in a competitive field where control, consistency, and service under pressure are part of the measure.

FAQ Where did Kana Arai work before? Kana Arai's earlier career included Italian restaurant, shot bar, and authentic bar. What recognition has Kana Arai received? World Class 2018 Japan Finals overall winner (2018).