[Event Report]Japan’s special ambassador, Masaharu Fukuyama, appears at “THE NIKKA WHISKY TOKYO” opening ceremony

Nikka Whisky Co., Ltd. (Head office: Tokyo, President: Kazutomo Tamesada) celebrates its 90th anniversary this year. To commemorate this, “THE NIKKA WHISKY TOKYO” will open for a limited time from Wednesday, August 7th to Monday, December 25th, 2024. In conjunction with this, singer-songwriter and actor Masaharu Fukuyama, who is the “Nikka Whisky Domestic Special Ambassador,” will be invited to “THE NIKKA WHISKY TOKYO” on Tuesday, August 6th, 2024.

First, Nikka Whisky Company President Kazutomo Tamesada gave a speech. Next, Master Brand Leader Hiroyasu Kato of the Global Business Strategy Department gave a presentation explaining the concept of “THE NIKKA WHISKY TOKYO”. Afterwards, Masaharu Fukuyama took to the stage for a talk session in which he shared his impressions of “THE NIKKA WHISKY TOKYO” and how to enjoy whiskey. He spoke about his appointment as ambassador and the appeal of Nikka Whisky from the flagship bar “THE NIKKA WHISKY TOKYO”.

■Nikka Whisky President Kazutomo Tamesada gives a speech, explaining his thoughts on the new communication concept: “We want people to enjoy life itself through whisky.”

At the beginning of the opening ceremony, Nikka Whisky President Kazutomo Tamesada gave a speech. Regarding the background of Nikka Whisky’s new communication concept for its 90th anniversary, “Whiskey for Enjoying Life,” he said, “First, the philosophy of our founder Masataka Taketsuru, second, Nikka’s high reputation overseas, and third, diversity.” He continued, “It expresses our wish that people enjoy life itself through whiskey.”

Afterwards, Hiroyasu Kato from the Global Business Strategy Department gave a presentation. He explained the name of the store, saying, “We included ‘TOKYO’ in the name to appeal to the world from Japan.” He also explained the three areas: “The Lounge -MEET-, which is for the neo-classical young generation; The Bar -EXPLORE-, which is for whiskey lovers who want to feel innovative and innovate; and The Shop -ENRICH-, where you can take home the joy of living.”

■Fukuyama has been appointed Nikka Whisky’s special domestic ambassador! “I’ve always wanted to be a man who looks good in alcohol and bars, so I was very honored to receive this offer,” he said, expressing his joy!

During the talk session, Masaharu Fukuyama, who was appointed as Nikka Whisky’s special domestic ambassador, appeared on stage. When asked about the moment he heard about the ambassadorship, he smiled and recalled his feelings at the time, saying, “I’ve always wanted to be a man who looks good in alcohol and bars, so I was very honored to receive the offer.”

In keeping with Nikka Whisky’s slogan, “Whiskey for the enjoyment of living,” we asked Fukuyama how he usually enjoys whiskey. He told us his own way of enjoying whiskey, saying, “I often drink it straight or with soda, but I also enjoy it twice up (mixing whiskey with room temperature water in a 1:1 ratio). I try to change the way I drink it depending on my physical condition.”

Fukuyama is currently in the middle of a nationwide tour and we learned that he enjoys whiskey in between his busy schedule, saying, “After taking on a tense tour, I drink whiskey to relax my mind.”

■When Fukuyama saw the menu at “THE NIKKA WHISKY TOKYO,” he was impressed by the cocktails, which he described as “an evolution of cocktail-making techniques and ideas that go beyond common sense.”

Next, Tomoyoshi Naoki from Nikka Whisky’s Global Business Strategy Department appeared. He introduced the menu that will be served at “THE NIKKA WHISKY TOKYO.” After the introduction, Fukuyama commented, “It’s an evolution of ideas that go beyond common sense and cocktail-making techniques. Repeated preparations have led to original cocktails!” He also talked about how to enjoy drinking, saying, “I like the time when the tension between us melts, just like the ice melting little by little with the alcohol.”

At the end of the opening ceremony, Fukuyama signed a whiskey bottle. Although he was a little hesitant to sign the label, he displayed the signed bottle on a shelf lined with Nikka whiskey, and THE NIKKA WHISKY TOKYO was completed. At the end, he sent a message saying, “I hope everyone will come and find the drink of their life.”

■President Tamesada says about “THE NIKKA WHISKY TOKYO”: “I want people to experience the value of the new Nikka Whisky and enjoy it to their heart’s content!”

In response to a question from Nikka Whisky President Kazutomo Tamesada, he spoke about the aim of opening “THE NIKKA WHISKY TOKYO”, saying, “We thought about how Masataka Taketsuru would have promoted whisky if he were alive today. In line with his words, ‘I want people to drink for the enjoyment, not to get drunk,’ we want people to actually experience the value of the new Nikka Whisky, which embodies our communication concept of ‘whisky for the enjoyment of living,’ and to enjoy it to their heart’s content.”

Regarding the type of people he would like to enjoy “THE NIKKA WHISKY TOKYO,” he said, “I haven’t decided who I would like to enjoy it at yet. I would like people to come to this bar and discover and experience their own way of enjoying whiskey.”

<"THE NIKKA WHISKY TOKYO" Opening Ceremony Outline>

■Date and time: Tuesday, August 6, 2024 10:00-10:40 (Registration begins at 9:30)

■Venue: THE NIKKA WHISKY TOKYO

[1F AOKI Omotesando Building, 3-5-27 Kita-Aoyama, Minato-ku, Tokyo 107-0061]

■ Guest: Masaharu Fukuyama

■ Speaker: Kazutomo Tamesada, President of Nikka Whisky Company, Ltd.

Hiroyasu Kato, Master Brand Leader, Global Business Strategy Department, Nikka Whisky Company Ltd.

Nikka Whisky Company, Ltd. Global Business Strategy Department Sponsorship & Events Leader

Naoki Tomoyoshi

■Contents: Greetings from President Kazutomo Tamesada / Presentation by Hiroyasu Kato / Talk session /

Representative Q&A by President Kazutomo Tamesada / Photo session / Preview

Guest Information

■Special Ambassador

Masaharu Fukuyama

Born on February 6, 1969 in Nagasaki Prefecture.

In 1990, he made his debut as a singer-songwriter with “In the Rain of Memories.”

Since then, he has been active in a wide range of fields, including music, acting, photography, and radio personality.

He is currently breaking the all-time record for the highest total single and album sales by a male solo artist.

In April 2023, the Sunday Theatre drama “Last Man – The Blind Investigator,” in which he starred, recorded high weekly viewership ratings. In December of the same year, he provided the theme song “Soubou” for the movie “If I Could Meet You Again at That Flower Hill.” In addition, in the Disney 100th anniversary film “Wish,” which was released in December, he was the Japanese voice actor for King Magnifico, the most terrifying villain in Disney history.

She provided the theme song “Hitomi” for the Kansai TV/Fuji TV drama “Haru Ni Ni Tara” which will air in January 2024.

Starting in April, she will perform the theme song “Universal Gravitation” for the Nippon Television information program “DayDay.”

They are currently holding a six-month nationwide arena tour, “WE’RE BROS. TOUR 2024 Flowers and Bees, Tears and Music.” (38 performances in 18 locations nationwide), with an audience of 300,000.

About “THE NIKKA WHISKY TOKYO”

“THE NIKKA WHISKY TOKYO” is a flagship bar where customers can experience Nikka Whisky’s new communication concept, “Whiskey for the Enjoyment of Living.” With two bar areas, “The Lounge -MEET-” and “The Bar -EXPLORE-,” as well as a merchandise area, “The Shop -ENRICH-,” the bar will propose to customers the rich individuality and diverse ways to enjoy whiskey.

[Business period]

August 7, 2024 (Wednesday) – December 25, 2024 (Wednesday)​

【business hours】

Weekdays: 17:00 – 23:30 (Last Orders 23:00)

Weekends and holidays: 14:00-23:30 (last orders 23:00)