Smart Drinking Expands:
Asahi Group to Open Low- and No-alcohol Pop-up Bars
in Japan and South Korea
(Tokyo, Japan – May 2, 2025) – Smart Drinking Co., Ltd., a part of Asahi Group Holdings, announced the launch of its #SUMADORI Me pop-up bars as part of a new campaign promoting inclusive and responsible drinking. The bars, which will offer more than 10 types of cocktails with either no or low alcohol content of 0.5% or 3%, are set to open sequentially in Nagoya, Osaka, and Fukuoka, Japan, as well as Seoul, South Korea, starting April 25 for a limited time.
The pop-up bars are built around the concept of "Discover yourself to enjoy life your way," which encourages both drinkers and non-drinkers to discover beverages that best suit their personal tastes and lifestyles. Visitors will be able to choose from a wide range of original cocktails with 0%, 0.5%, or 3% alcohol created for the campaign.
In addition, Original Cocktail Workshops (available by reservation only) will be held, allowing participants to take a simple patch test to determine their alcohol tolerance level, which they can then use to create customized cocktails suited to their alcohol sensitivity and personal taste preferences.
The Asahi Group launched its Smart Drinking project in 2020 to encourage both drinkers and non-drinkers to enjoy social drinking with mutual respect. The concept has been brought to life through practical implementation since the opening of a bar specializing in no- or low-alcohol beverages, SUMADORI-BAR SHIBUYA, in Tokyo in 2022. Building on customer feedback from this ongoing initiative, the new campaign aims to expand the experience by launching pop-up bars in three cities in Japan and one in Korea. The pop-up bar in Seoul’s popular Seongsu-dong district will blend the Asahi Group’s Smart Drinking project with lifestyle trends popular among young Korean adults to promote a fun and responsible drinking culture.
| Nagoya | Fri., April 25 to Wed., May 7; 9AM – 8:30PM (8PM last order) FabCafe Nagoya (Rayard Hisaya-odori Park Zone1, 3-6-18 Marunouchi, Naka-ku, Nagoya, Aichi Pref.) |
|---|---|
| Osaka | Fri., August 8 to Sun., August 17; 11AM – 7PM (6:30PM last order) Plat Umekita (Grand Green Osaka, 5-94 Ofukacho, Kita-ku, Osaka, Osaka Pref.) |
| Fukuoka | Fri., October 31 to Mon., November 3; 11AM – 7PM (6:30PM last order) Fukuoka Daimyo Garden City Stage (2-6-50 Daimyo, Chuo-ku, Fukuoka, Fukuoka Pref.) |
| Seoul | Sat., July 19 to Thu., July 31; 11AM – 8PM (7:30PM last order) Marly (47 Yeonmujang-gil, Seongdong-gu, Seoul) |
Note: Dates and times are subject to change.
Asahi Breweries, a part of Asahi Group, launched Smart Drinking in Japan in December 2020 to help create a society where both drinkers and non-drinkers can enjoy social drinking with mutual respect. Since 2021, the amount of pure alcohol (grams) in various Asahi products has been increasingly disclosed publicly, along with the development of minimal-alcohol beverages that contain very low (less than 1%) amounts of alcohol. The company’s goal is for beverages with 0% to 3.5% alcohol by volume (ABV) to account for 20% of total beverage sales in Japan by 2025. In January 2022, Asahi Breweries established Smart Drinking Co., Ltd. as a joint venture with Dentsu Digital Inc. to strengthen initiatives such as identifying and understanding changing and diversifying consumer preferences to support the development of products and services for a world that embraces diverse styles of drinking.