Kumar Bahukhandi
Toki Premium Club Soda hosted One Night in Toki-O in Kolkata for the very first time at Miss Ginko on 7 March. The evening celebrated contemporary Japanese culture. It was inspired by the idea of Traditions Reinvented, where old and new Japan come together. The experience brought together music, art, craft and Japanese-style dining. Guests got a glimpse of Tokyo’s vibrant creative spirit in the heart of the city.
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One night in Toki-O in Kolkata
The venue transformed into a lively cultural setting where music, design and interactive experiences unfolded through the evening. Throughout the venue, guests discovered spaces that reflected both traditional inspiration and modern creativity, creating an atmosphere that felt distinctly Japanese while resonating with Kolkata’s vibrant cultural sensibility.
Commenting on the occasion, Rohini Menezes, Category Manager (The House of Suntory), Suntory Global Spirits in India, said, “With One Night in Toki-O, our intention was to create an experience that brings together different expressions of creativity while offering guests a glimpse into the spirit of Toki™ and the cultural inspiration behind it. The evening was designed to blend music, art, craft and food in a way that feels immersive yet approachable. Hosting this experience in Kolkata for the first time made it even more meaningful, as the city has such a deep appreciation for culture, creativity and shared experiences. It was wonderful to see guests engage with the different elements of the evening and make the experience their own.”
Music played a defining role in shaping the atmosphere of the evening. A vinyl set by Sindhi Curry introduced guests to the warmth and richness of analogue sound, setting the tone for the evening, followed by an energetic live performance by PhreshPrince.
Alongside the music, guests explored an interactive creative space featuring hands-on activities such as trinket making and matchbox printing, along with screen printing of an exclusive one-time Kolkata-inspired tote print, allowing attendees to create personalised keepsakes from the evening.
The venue also featured art installations inspired by the historical cultural exchange between Japan and Kolkata, interpreted through the philosophy of Toki, which means “time” in Japanese — a reflection of the balance between tradition and reinvention. One installation, Nihonga: A Tokyo Spring in Calcutta, paid tribute to Japanese artists such as Yokoyama Taikan, Hishida Shunsō and Kampo Arai, who visited and worked in Calcutta in the early 20th century. Conceptualised as a visual walkthrough, the installation brought together scroll paintings, drawings and music to imagine an artistic dialogue across time. At its centre was an imagined story between Koharu, a Japanese artist and Shamisen player from Tokyo, and Mukul, a musician from Calcutta, whose shared exploration of music and painting reflected the spirit of cultural exchange between the two cities. Through hand-painted canvases inspired by Nihonga techniques and accompanying soundscapes, the installation created an immersive space where memories of Tokyo and Kolkata converged, echoing Toki’s philosophy of tradition meeting reinvention.
The experience was further brought together through a specially curated Izakaya-style menu by Miss Ginko. Inspired by the relaxed and social spirit of Japanese izakayas, the food added a convivial element to the gathering. Through its blend of music, art and Japanese hospitality, One Night in TokiO offered Kolkata a distinctive cultural evening and a fresh way to experience the contemporary spirit of Japan.
About House of Suntory
Since 1923, Suntory has been renowned as the pioneer of Japanese Whisky for its House of Master Blenders and for their Art of Blending. Founder Shinjiro Torii built Japan’s first malt whisky distillery in Yamazaki, and the Suntory legacy continued with Torii’s son and Suntory’s second Master Blender, Keizo Saji, who continued to establish distilleries including the Hakushu distillery. As the generations of Suntory’s master blenders carry on, Suntory Whisky remains committed to heritage and innovation. The House of Suntory has been named four-time Distiller of the Year at the International Spirits Challenge in London, UK (2010, 2012, 2013, 2014). Suntory Whiskies are subtle, refined and complex. The portfolio includes two single malt whiskies: Yamazaki—Japan’s number one single malt, multi-layered and profound, and Hakushu—verdant, fresh, and delicately smoky; and two blends: the noble blend, Hibiki—Japan’s most highly awarded blended whisky and Suntory Whisky Toki. The House of Suntory portfolio also offers Roku Japanese Gin and Haku Japanese Vodka. Created from Japanese ingredients by the master artisans at the House of Suntory, Roku Gin and Haku Vodka represent the nature and spirit of Japan. This year, the House of Suntory celebrates one hundred years of whisky innovation—a major milestone not only for the brand’s history but for Japanese spirits culture as a whole.
