Nikka Whisky Distilling Co. will open a whiskey bar in Tokyo in its bid to rekindle the drink's popularity.
The distiller said the Nikka Blenders' Bar at its headquarters in the Minami-Aoyama district will open Friday, when the company celebrates its 70th anniversary.
The bar will stock at least 70 of the distiller's 80 varieties of whiskey.
Nikka's professional blenders will periodically be assigned to the bar to talk with customers about their preferences, it said.
Whiskey consumption has been on the decline in Japan since the end of the asset-inflated bubble economy, prompting distillers to woo drinkers through live concerts and entertainment events at distilleries.