Some of Japan’s most popular and beautiful gravure models want you to stay home during the spring vacation period.

April 29 kicks off the string of Japanese holidays collectively known as Golden Week. In contrast to Japan’s more traditional vacation periods Oshogatsu (New Year’s) and Obon (in early August), for which people are expected to go back to their home towns and spend time with their extended family, Golden Week is a modern convention that was created to give people some much-needed leisure ad entertainment time to spend wherever they want.

Unfortunately, this year Golden Week is coming smack dab in the middle of the coronavirus pandemic, as people across the nation are being strongly cautioned to stay home and help stop the spread of the disease. But in a country where time off from work is so rare and precious as Japan, how can you convince people not to head straight for the beaches, shopping centers, and other crowded, cluster candidate locations?

By offering online drinking parties with beautiful swimsuit models. That’s the plan from gravure talent agency R.I.P., anyway with its R.I.P. Girls Sakaba @Zoom Branch initiative.

▼ Two of the participants, Rina Hashimoto (left) and Tomomi Morisaki (right)

A total of nine of R.I.P.’s models will be participating in the virtual sakaba (bar) project, in which they’ll be holding remote drinking parties with fans through video chat app Zoom. Up to five fans can join in each party, which lasts 30 minutes, and each model will be holding five parties per day.

For fans who want to knock back a cold one with Hashimoto, those chances come on the evenings of April 29 and May 6, while Morisaki’s dates are April 29 and May 3.

https://twitter.com/rinasketch/status/1253344406008205319

Also taking part in R.I.P. Sakaba@Zoom Branch are Shiori Usui and Yukiko Kawaji, who will be hosting as a team on May 3…

…Maity and Airi Ikejiwa, who jointly host on May 2…

…and solo hosts Minori Inudo (May 2), Aya Hazuki (May 6), and Miu Nakamura (April 29 and May 6).

Tickets are required for the parties, and can be purchased online through ticketing service Livepocket. All tickets are priced at 6,600 yen (US$62), with the exception of the ones for Morisaki’s parties, which command a premium at 7,700 yen. Note that the ticket is simply for a seat at the virtual table, and you’ll still have to provide your own food and drink, unless you’re of the mindset that the feast for the eyes and ears is enough that you don’t need any other refreshment.

“Let’s all stay home with smiles on our faces!” the project’s announcement invites, and if this sounds like the social distance you can get behind, tickets can be purchased here. Just don’t forget to set up a snazzy digital background for the chat.

Source, images: PR Times
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