Presented by Brandon J. Grilc, M.S.

Join Brandon Grilc, owner of one of Japan's few Tiki bars, The Kazan Room, as he takes us on a journey to explore everything Tiki-related in Japan. This seminar will delve into Japan's former and current Tiki bars and discuss their place in Japanese culture. It will also look at the local characters in the Tiki scene and provide insight into the highs and lows of importing a new cocktail culture to Japan.

Brandon Grilc is an architectural historian who, along with his wife Kimberly, helped bring the history of Tiki, tropical cocktails, and rum appreciation to Japan in 2018. They opened The Kazan Room in 2022, the first Tiki bar ever in Kobe, Japan. Brandon has published multiple articles and been on many award-winning cocktail podcasts. Kimberly is one of Japan’s top-ten competitive female bartenders (2023).