Inside twelv.: Tokyo’s Porsche-inspired sake bar

Inside Tokyo’s hidden sake bar with a Porsche soul

At twelv., Norihiro “Taca” Tacamizuma brings together rare sake, Japanese craftsmanship and a lifelong love of Porsche.

May 12, 2026 | 8 min read

Man leaning on roof of black classic Porsche 911 Carrera S/C

In central Tokyo, local legend Taca crafts unique experiences at his invite-only sake bar. The same passion and attention to detail have led him to building an impressive Porsche collection, with its community playing a huge role

It’s early morning on a Monday in Tokyo, but the traffic is already brutal. It feels as though the entire city has been drawn in by a unifying energy over the past few days. It’s Formula 1 race weekend and hordes of motorsport fans are heading off to the Suzuka Circuit. Norihiro Tacamizuma – known to all simply as Taca – found himself right in the middle of the snarl-up. Now he’s rushing to get to twelv., the sake bar he owns, after a weekend spent watching his favourite racing drivers.

“I love motor racing,” he says from his seat in this dimly lit bar, having just parked his classic black 911 Carrera S/C outside. “I love cars, of course. And I love Porsche.” He’s riding high on the adrenaline rush of the motorsport event, but his passion for fast cars isn’t limited to just one weekend a year. It’s a warming energy that burns deep inside of him.

“I love going to the racetrack, whether it’s with my 911 GT2 RS or any other of my sportscars,” he tells us. “For me, the GT series cars are for the racetrack. I don’t just collect racing cars to show people. I actually use them. My friend drives a 911 GT3 RS, and I always ask him why he keeps driving it in the city. It’s difficult, right? I always tell him he should go to the racetrack.”

This, he believes, is the only way to truly experience the adrenaline of the drive.

Taca’s classic 911 Carrera S/C is in mint condition – and a jewel in his expansive Porsche collection

Side view of black Porsche 911 Carrera S/C parked on Tokyo street

Rear view of black Porsche 911 Carrera S/C parked on Tokyo street

Dashboard close-up of black Porsche 911 Carrera S/C

Original Porsche leather on seat of black Porsche 911 Carrera S/C

Stitched jacket in backseat of Porsche 911 Carrera S/C

From nightlife to craft sake

Taca’s other great passion is sake. Over the course of the morning, he gives us an in-depth guide into the qualities and range of the revered Japanese alcoholic beverage. He had been engaged in Tokyo’s vibrant nightlife scene from a young age, before transitioning to the fashion business, during which time he frequently travelled outside of Japan.

At some point, this changed how he saw things. His fascination with other cultures, especially European and American cultures, had a spin-off effect – a growing appreciation of the ancient culture of his homeland. It was one centred on craftsmanship, especially what makes something valuable beyond just how it looks.

Man sitting in dimly-lit sake bar in Tokyo, surrounded by glasses — For sake bar owner and Porsche fanatic, Norihiro ‘Taca’ Tacamizuma, travelling the world led him to a deeper appreciation of the culture of his homeland

“At a certain point, I realised how great and valuable Japanese culture is,” says Taca. “So I started thinking of outputs that value culture – and that’s how I started my sake business.”

At twelv., his hidden away, invite-only bar, everything revolves around the experience of drinking sake. And it’s not just the unique taste that matters, but also the presentation. The interior design, moody lighting, music and, most importantly, clientele. Every detail plays a role in how Taca presents the unique experience of enjoying a glass of rare Japanese rice wine, hand-selected by himself based on four strict criteria – organic, premium, sparkling and craftsmanship.

“The experience is very important,” stresses Taca, bringing out a few of his handmade glasses to show off. “The experience is the core concept. Even the glass is important. This sake involves a lot of craftsmanship, and it’s organic too. So, if you change the glass, the taste changes as well.”

Three handmade sake glasses lined up side-by-side on a table — Just like a glass of wine, craft sake is best enjoyed in a glass specifically designed to enhance its flavour and aroma

Taca is a creative mind obsessed with detail, and he’s even designed some of the glasses himself. Several are handmade in Japan. This craftsmanship-centred approach also applies to the sake itself, which comes from regions all over the country.

“The sakes you see here are all craft sake,” explains Taca. “They are all made naturally and organically, whereas the sake found in general markets may contain artificial additives, preservatives, added alcohol or dyes. But, here at my bar, everything is rooted in nature.”

Taca also has many unique concepts and bottles at his bar. For example, sparkling sake. “Sparkling sake is a very new concept, and I noticed it early on,” he says. “Ten or twelve years ago, nobody would have understood the concept. We are very fortunate to have a skilled brewery with a special technique for making our iconic bio sparkling sake, which ages like champagne. We also have aged sake made in the traditional way, which offers a completely new flavour profile, as if it were a newly invented flavour. I guess it’s similar to my Porsche cars – old but new.”

Hands holding up a bottle of craft sake behind three glasses of sake — One of the things Taca pioneered at his bar was sparkling sake – a concept that was unimaginable a decade ago but is now becoming increasingly popular

It’s fascinating how many of the things he loves about sake are also things he loves about Porsche. Attention to detail, for example. A rich history. An obsession with craftsmanship and quality. And, most importantly, a minimalism that serves a purpose. These are the things that draw guests to his bar, from all walks of life – from Formula 1 racing drivers to creative professionals, artists, and CEOs of global conglomerates – where they stay well into the night, often talking about cars.

A childhood fascination with a Porsche toy car that turned into a lifelong passion

“I always loved Porsche, almost since I was born,” Taca says. When he was a child, his grandmother gave him a toy Porsche car. He was too young to understand what it was at the time, but he remembers how it made him feel.

“It’s an iconic design. The 911 never changes.”

Funnily enough, he has another toy Porsche standing proudly in the centre of the DJ console at his sake bar. When asked about it, he laughed and said a friend from Switzerland had brought it to him as a gift. The miniature yellow 911 is a replica of his friend’s real car, which he has back home. It’s a sweet – and perhaps even subconscious – homage to a childhood dream that still burns bright.

Yellow Porsche 911 Turbo toy car in box — Taca’s sake bar hides a lot of clever details, including a nod to his Porsche passion in the case of a yellow toy 911 on top of the DJ booth, a gift from a friend from Switzerland

The first time he saw a Porsche in real life was when he was in second grade at school. He was immediately attracted by its shape. “Forty years ago, Japanese cars were heavily influenced by American cars in terms of both design and size,” he says. “They had been big and rigid squares. But Porsche was curvy, so it stood out.”

Today, he owns several Porsche sportscars. There’s a 911 GT2 RS, a type 996.1 GT3 and the 911 Carrera S/C he drove here in today. There’s also a new 911 GT3 (type 992.2) in a special PTS colour, which will be arriving soon. It’s a car he’s been waiting on for a very long time and says that he can’t wait to meet it.

Cherry blossom season in Japan is magic – even more so when a classic 911 Carrera S/C like Taca’s is involved

Man stepping out of black Porsche 911 Carrera S/C

Close up of Porsche crest surrounded by cherry blossom petals

Black Porsche 911 Carrera S/C driving on Tokyo street

Close up of man behind the wheel of a Porsche 911 Carrera S/C

Wide angle shot of black Porsche 911 Carrera S/C in Tokyo

Owning a Porsche has completely changed the way Taca thinks about driving

Taca loves driving – he is not one for leaving his Porsche in the garage, gathering dust. He especially loves the quiet hours; early in the morning or late at night, when that feels even more vivid.

“When I drive my Porsche, I feel an echo, as if there’s a synergy between me and the car,” he says in explanation. “As I have a creative mind, I feel a lot of kinship with Porsche because the car has a lot of character as well.”

What draws him to the brand, though, isn’t merely emotion. It’s the history, the nostalgia and the community that surround the cars themselves.

Man in sunglasses looking up at cherry blossom trees in Japan, classic Porsche 911 S/C behind — Whether it’s drives through the Japanese countryside or night rides in the city, Taca never misses an opportunity to take his classic Porsche 911 out for a spin

“Tokyo is a big city with a lot of Porsche owners,” says Taca. “The people who like Porsche have their own little tribes here. It’s not everyone in one pot. I think it’s because of the widespread ‘otaku’ culture in Japan [the Japanese term for a particular type of obsessive fandom].

“We hyper-focus on one specific thing and then join the group that obsesses over it as well. So rather than there being just one big group of Porsche owners in Tokyo, there are smaller communities with their own niche interests. For example, there are classic Porsche lovers, Porsche motorsport lovers and new Porsche lovers.”

Taca is a regular at many of these meet-ups – not just at home either. When he’s oversees, he often gets invited to the ones near him.

Black Porsche 911 Carrera S/C driving between cherry blossom trees in Japan — Taca is so popular among the Porsche crowd in Tokyo that people will stop him on the street to say hello

A drive that Taca hopes will last a lifetime

“I’ve been thinking that this could be my last new Porsche,” says Taca wistfully, talking about his latest acquisition, his forthcoming 911 GT3. “Because I’m older already – I’m 53.”

He doesn’t dwell on this thought for long, however it almost feels as if he yearns to preserve the perfection of this latest 911. To capture a moment in time that feels special and which he doesn’t want to lose. But perhaps it might mean that there will be more classic Porsche cars for him in the future instead. When it comes to Porsche, can you ever really have enough?

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