Bar Lupin
A historic literary bar in Ginza, Tokyo, opened in 1928 and famed as a gathering place for Japanese writers such as Osamu Dazai and Sakaguchi Ango.
Last updated September 26, 2026
AI crawler reads
No AI crawler has read this profile since Oct 28, 2026.
Overview
Bar Lupin (ルパン) is a historic bar located in Ginza, Chuo-ku, Tokyo, Japan. It opened on October 3, 1928, founded by Yukiko Takasaki with the support of literary figures she had met while working at a Ginza café in the early Showa period, including Izumi Kyoka, Satomi Ton, Kikuchi Kan, and Kume Masao. The bar's name derives from Maurice Leblanc's Arsène Lupin novels; the translator Hojo Tatsuo, a customer, suggested the name after an earlier proposed name, "Gloucester," was rejected as disrespectful. The signboard design was borrowed from the Lupin collected works. From its early days, Lupin was a members-only establishment with introduction requirements, served by waitresses, until it was renovated into a counter bar in 1936. The renovation introduced an L-shaped counter made of 7.5-meter and 1.6-meter ash wood. During World War II, the bar was temporarily closed; in 1941 it was renamed "Pantei" under the Western-style name prohibition, and in 1944 it closed under wartime ordinances. In January 1945, the building escaped a direct hit in the Ginza air raid but suffered blast damage. In March 1946, it reopened as a coffee shop while alcohol sales were still prohibited, sometimes secretly serving whiskey in teacups. In November 1946, Sakaguchi Ango, Osamu Dazai, and Oda Sakunosuke visited, and photographer Hayashi Tadahiko took their photograph, which became widely known as "the photo of Dazai." Alcohol sales resumed freely in May 1949. Lupin became known as a "literary bar" (bundan bar), attracting writers such as Kikuchi Kan, Nagai Kafu, Kawabata Yasunari, and later Kawaguchi Matsutaro, Ibuse Masuji, Funahashi Seiichi, Ishikawa Tatsuzo, and Kaiko Takeshi. Painters Fujita Tsuguharu, Togo Seiji, Okamoto Taro, and film director Ozu Yasujiro were also regulars. In 1972, the aging building was rebuilt, but the original interior was removed, stored, and faithfully recreated; the bar reopened in 1974, operating only in the basement thereafter. In 1978, the 50th anniversary was celebrated at the Imperial Hotel with over 250 attendees. Yukiko Takasaki left the bar due to illness in 1981 and passed away in 1995 at age 88. Her relative Takashi Takasaki had begun working as a bartender in 1951 and continued until his death around 2008. The bar celebrated its 75th anniversary in 2003 and 80th in 2008 with commemorative glasses, and its 90th anniversary on October 3, 2018. In recent years, the popularity of the manga and anime "Bungo Stray Dogs," which features Lupin, has brought many young female and international customers. The bar's popular menu items include single malt whiskey and Moscow Mule. Sakaguchi Ango was fond of the Golden Fizz. The current establishment is located at Tsukamoto Fudosan Building B1, 5-5-11 Ginza, Chuo-ku, Tokyo, and operates from 17:00 to 23:30 (last order 23:00), closed on Sundays, holidays, and Mondays (open on weeks with holidays).
History
Bar Lupin was founded by Yukiko Takasaki and opened on October 3, 1928, in Ginza, Tokyo. Before opening, Takasaki had worked at a Ginza café in the early Showa period, where she became acquainted with literary figures such as Izumi Kyoka, Satomi Ton, Kikuchi Kan, and Kume Masao, who supported the establishment. The bar's name was suggested by Hojo Tatsuo, a translator of the Arsène Lupin series and a customer, after an initial proposal to name it "Gloucester" (after the British Duke of Gloucester who visited Japan for the Emperor's enthronement) was rejected as disrespectful. The signboard was designed based on the Lupin collected works. Originally, Lupin operated as a members-only bar with an introduction system, served by waitresses, until it was renovated into a counter bar in 1936. The renovation introduced an L-shaped counter made of ash wood, measuring 7.5 meters and 1.6 meters. During World War II, the bar faced several challenges. In 1941, due to the prohibition of Western-style store names, it was renamed "Pantei" (麺包亭). In 1944, it was closed under wartime ordinances. In January 1945, the building escaped a direct hit during the Ginza air raid but suffered blast damage. In March 1946, it reopened as a coffee shop while alcohol sales were still prohibited, and it is said that whiskey was sometimes secretly served in teacups. In November 1946, Sakaguchi Ango, Osamu Dazai, and Oda Sakunosuke visited the bar, and photographer Hayashi Tadahiko took a photograph of them that became famous as "the photo of Dazai." Alcohol sales resumed freely in May 1949. In the post-war period, Lupin became a renowned literary bar. Writers such as Kawaguchi Matsutaro, Ibuse Masuji, Funahashi Seiichi, Ishikawa Tatsuzo, and Kaiko Takeshi frequented the bar. Painters Fujita Tsuguharu, Togo Seiji, Okamoto Taro, and film director Ozu Yasujiro were also regulars. In 1951, Takashi Takasaki began working as a bartender at the request of his sister. In the 1960s, writers and cultural figures such as Sato Sanpei, Komatsu Sakyo, Hoshi Shinichi, and Goto Meisei became regulars on the first floor. A group of medical professionals established the "Lupin Medical Society" for annual private gatherings. In 1972, the aging building was rebuilt, but the original interior was completely removed and stored, then faithfully recreated. The bar reopened in 1974, operating only in the basement thereafter. In 1978, the 50th anniversary was celebrated at the Imperial Hotel with over 250 attendees. In 1981, Yukiko Takasaki left the bar due to illness, and the bar shifted its focus to younger customers, attracting many young people from across the country. Yukiko Takasaki passed away in 1995 at the age of 88. In 2003, a commemorative glass was produced for the 75th anniversary, and in 2008, another for the 80th anniversary. Bartender Takashi Takasaki passed away around 2008. On October 3, 2018, the bar celebrated its 90th anniversary. In recent years, the popularity of the manga and anime "Bungo Stray Dogs," which features Lupin, has led to an increase in young female and international customers, with the 15 counter seats sometimes filled by female customers right at opening.
- 2018
90th anniversary on October 3; increased visitors due to 'Bungo Stray Dogs'.
- 2008
80th anniversary commemorative glass produced; bartender Takashi Takasaki passed away.
- 2003
75th anniversary commemorative glass produced.
- 1995
Yukiko Takasaki passed away at age 88.
- 1981
Yukiko Takasaki left the bar due to illness; focus shifted to younger customers.
- 1978
50th anniversary celebrated at the Imperial Hotel with over 250 attendees.
- 1974
Reopened, operating only in the basement.
- 1972
Building rebuilt; original interior stored and later recreated.
- 1951
Takashi Takasaki began working as a bartender.
- 1949
Free sale of alcohol resumed in May.
Products and positioning
Historic literary bar in Ginza, known as a gathering place for Japanese writers and a cultural landmark.
Single malt whiskey
Popular menu item.
Moscow Mule
Popular cocktail.
Golden Fizz
Cocktail favored by Sakaguchi Ango.
Sources3 sources
Cite this profile: Cite the canonical profile. /brand-wiki/bar-lupin · Editorial policy · How profiles are compiled