Digital Happy Hour Brings Fun to Social Distancing

April 9, 2020

TOKYO – Japanese spirits e-commerce site dekantā today launch their online channel, ‘Japanese Whisky Lockdown’, offering an eclectic mix of comedy, whisky news, live music, and cultural trends, such as face yoga, in a bid to ease the boredom of lockdown for Japanese whisky and culture fans internationally. With bars, pubs and restaurants closing across the globe due to the COVID-19 outbreak, a new trend has emerged in Japan to allow people who are social-distancing to enjoy a drink with friends and family while chatting via video messaging apps. The trend is called ‘On-nomi’ (オン飲み), which means ‘online drinking party’, and it was the inspiration for dekantā’s new entertainment channel.

Hosted by Yokohama-born stand-up comedian Kilara Sen (Asia’s Got Talent, Laugh Factory 2016 Shortlist for ‘Funniest Person in the World’), ‘Japanese Whisky Lockdown’ will air on the dekantā website and social media channels every Friday at 8:30pm EDT, starting Friday 10 April 2020, with episodes available on-demand after that date. For every episode aired, dekantā will make a donation to the USBG National Charity’s Bartender Emergency Assistance Program and encourage viewers to do the same. In the first episode, Kilara Sen will be receiving a lesson in face yoga from Healthy & Beauty Specialist and Face Yoga Instructor Koko Hayashi (Keeping Up With Kardashians; Shark Tank), alongside dekantā Founder and Director Makiyo Masa, getting a dance lesson from outspoken, independent singer-songwriter, rapper and producer GIRLI (“between PC Music, bubblegum pop, punk and rap, each one treading a line between catchy and deliberately discomforting,” The Guardian), and hearing the latest Japanese whisky news from drinks blogger ‘Whiskey Richard’ (nomunication.jp). “If hearsay is to be believed, alcohol is a tonic against viruses, and of course, laughter is always the best medicine – so our show will keep you in peak physical condition!” said presenter Kilara Sen. “Japanese Whisky Lockdown will be partly like a fast-paced variety show, partly like a big whisky tasting with your friends on video conference. We will be blending both Japanese and international humour and culture, in perfect harmony, just like a fine Japanese single malt.”

Japanese whisky specialists dekantā have an international community of clients who are referred to as the ‘dekantā family’. Founder Makiyo Masa and the wider dekantā team have previously enjoyed connecting with clients through social media, newsletters, client events and the dekantā blog, which covers Japanese whisky news and topics of wider Japanese culture. “I hope our new channel will help bring the international dekantā family even closer together in these challenging times,” said dekantā Founder and Director Makiyo Masa. “Kilara Sen is an exceptional talent, and a bright-shining personality to bring some joy and laughter into people’s lives, covering both in-depth Japanese whisky features and rib-tickling comedy sketches.”

To view episodes of dekantā TV’s ‘Japanese Whisky Lockdown’ and more information about the channel, visit dekanta.com/tv.

Notes to Editors:

dekantā Founder Makiyo Masa, ‘Japanese Whisky Lockdown’ presenter Kilara Sen, and Head of Content Liam Hiller are available for interview. Please RSVP to arrange, Miriam Rune: miriam@dekanta.com / +44 7740 339 628.

dekantā Newsroom: https://dekanta.com/press/

Press library: https://dekanta.com/press-library/

Visit this folder for high resolution images of Kilara and guests, and more information about this week’s guests.

About dekantā

dekantā offers the world’s largest online selection of authentic Japanese spirits with an inventory of over 2,000 products, and, since the opening of its online store in 2015, has shipped more than 20,000 bottles to customers around the world. A family owned and run business, dekantā’s founders have been selling collectibles since 1985 and specialize in rare, collectible, and new release single malt Japanese whisky. dekantā offers worldwide delivery on an extensive range of Japanese single malt whisky, Japanese grain whisky and Japanese blended whisky, in addition to Scottish whisky released for the Japanese market only. More recently, Japanese wine has been introduced through the dekantā Cellar, and spirits from wider Asia through dekantā Oriental.

About Presenter Kilara Sen

Kilara is a bilingual stand-up comedian, actress and presenter who has entertained crowds at comedy clubs and corporate events from Tokyo to New York. She fuses a mixed Western comedy style with her particular brand of Japanese humour, alongside celebrity impressions and satirical sketches.

Kilara made the shortlist for Laugh Factory’s ‘The Funniest Person in the World’ 2016 and has performed at the ‘Sakura Matsuri’, one of the biggest Japanese festivals in the U.S, in Washington D.C. She performs regularly in hotels across Tokyo and was ambassador of Tokyo for Henry Golding’s (Crazy Rich Asians) TV travel show ‘Welcome to the Railworld’ (8TV/Malaysia). She has performed widely in Japan, hosting a wide variety of events from U.S. Navy Friendship Day, and the Yu-gi-oh World Championship, to the Hanukkah lighting ceremony.

Her broadcast appearances include Asia’s Got Talent (AXN), Zenryoku! Datsuryoku Times (Fuji TV/ Japan), Enta no Kamisama (NTV/Japan), BBC ‘Sounds’ podcast and Paul Hollywood Eats Japan (Channel 4 – April 2020).

Kilara’s showreel: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C6GH3VQbPro

youtube.com/kaoricomedy
instagram.com/kilaracomedy
twitter.com/kilaracomedy

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