Japanese whisky is a style of

whisky Whisky or whiskey is a type of liquor made from Fermentation in food processing, fermented grain mashing, mash. Various grains (which may be Malting, malted) are used for different varieties, including barley, Maize, corn, rye, and wheat. Whisky ...

developed and produced in

Japan Japan is an island country in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean off the northeast coast of the Asia, Asian mainland, it is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan and extends from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea ...

. Whisky production in Japan began around 1870, but the first commercial production was in 1923 upon the opening of the country's first whisky

distillery Distillation, also classical distillation, is the process of separating the component substances of a liquid mixture of two or more chemically discrete substances; the separation process is realized by way of the selective boiling of the mixt ...

Yamazaki Yamazaki or Yamasaki (written: lit. "mountain promontory") is the 22nd most common Japanese surname. Less common variants are and . Notable people with the surname include: * Amy Yamazaki, British actress * Arturo Yamasaki, Peruvian-Mexican fo ...

. Broadly speaking, the style of Japanese whisky is more similar to that of Scotch whisky than other major styles of whisky. There are several companies producing whisky in Japan, but the two best-known and most widely available are

Suntory (commonly referred to as simply Suntory) is a Japanese multinational corporation, multinational brewing and distilling company group. Established in 1899, it is one of the oldest companies in the distribution of alcoholic beverages in Japan, and ...

and Nikka. Both of these produce blended as well as single malt whiskies and

blended malt A blended malt, formerly called a vatted malt, or pure malt, is a blend of different single malt whiskies from different distilleries. These terms are most commonly used in reference to Scotch whisky, or whisky in that style, such as Japan ...

whiskies, with their main blended whiskies being Suntory , and Black Nikka Clear. There are also many special bottlings and limited editions.

Style

The production of Japanese whisky began as a conscious effort to recreate the style of Scotch whisky. Pioneers like

Masataka Taketsuru was a Japanese chemist and businessman. He is known as the founder of Japan's whisky industry and Nikka Whisky Distilling. Born to a family that had owned a sake brewery since 1733, he traveled to Scotland in 1918 to study organic chemistry and ...

carefully studied the process of making Scotch whisky, and went to great lengths in an attempt to recreate that process in Japan. The location of Yoichi in

Hokkaidō is the second-largest island of Japan and comprises the largest and northernmost prefecture, making up its own region. The Tsugaru Strait separates Hokkaidō from Honshu; the two islands are connected by railway via the Seikan Tunnel. The ...

was chosen particularly for its terrain and climate, which were in many ways reminiscent of Scotland (although financial constraints resulted in the first distillery actually being built in the more convenient location of Yamazaki on the main island). By 2024, products labeled as "Japanese whisky" will conform to new regulations. Japanese whisky must be fermented, distilled, aged and bottled in Japan, use some portion of malted grain in its mash, and use water sourced from Japan. One facet of the style of Japanese whisky comes from the way in which blended whisky is produced, and the differing nature of the industry in Japan. Despite the recent rise of interest in single malt whiskies, the vast majority of whisky sold in the world is still blended. In Scotland, while a particular brand of blended whisky may be owned by a company that also owns one or more distilleries, it is common for blended whisky bottlers to trade single malt whiskies. The components of a blend may involve malt whisky from a number of distilleries, which may be owned by different companies. In Japan, however, the industry is

vertically integrated In microeconomics, management and international political economy, vertical integration, also referred to as vertical consolidation, is an arrangement in which the supply chain of a company is integrated and owned by that company. Usually each ...

, meaning whisky companies own both the distilleries and the brands of blended whiskies, and do not trade with their competitors. So a blended whisky in Japan will generally only contain malt whisky from the distilleries owned by that same company.

History

Two of the most influential figures in the history of Japanese whisky are Shinjiro Torii and

. Torii was a pharmaceutical wholesaler and the founder of Kotobukiya (later to become

). He started importing western liquor and he later created a brand called "

Akadama is a naturally occurring, granular clay-like mineral used as soil for bonsai trees and other container-grown plants. It is surface-mined, immediately sifted and bagged, and supplied in various grades; the deeper-mined grade are somewhat harde ...

Port Wine Port wine (, ; ), or simply port, is a Portuguese wine, Portuguese fortified wine produced in the Douro, Douro Valley of Norte, Portugal, northern Portugal. It is typically a sweetness of wine, sweet red wine, often served with dessert wine, ...

", based on a Portuguese wine which made him a successful merchant. However, he was not satisfied with this success and so he embarked on a new venture which was to become his life's work: making Japanese whisky for Japanese people. Despite the strong opposition from the company's executives, Torii decided to build the first Japanese whisky distillery in Yamazaki, a suburb of Kyoto, an area so famous for its excellent water that the legendary tea master

Sen no Rikyū , also known simply as Rikyū, was a Japanese tea master considered the most important influence on the ''chanoyu'', the Japanese "Way of Tea", particularly the tradition of '' wabi-cha''. He was also the first to emphasize several key aspect ...

built his tearoom there. Torii hired Taketsuru as a distillery executive. Taketsuru had studied the art of distilling in Scotland, and brought this knowledge back to Japan in the early 1920s. While working for Kotobukiya he played a key part in helping Torii establish the Yamazaki Distillery. In 1934 he left Kotobukiya to form his own company—Dainipponkaju—which would later change its name to Nikka. In this new venture he established the

Yoichi distillery is a Japanese whisky distillery. It is located at , a List of towns in Japan, town in the Yoichi District, Hokkaido, Yoichi District, Shiribeshi Subprefecture, Hokkaido, Japan. The distillery is owned by Nikka Whisky Distilling, and was op ...

in Hokkaidō. The first westerners to taste Japanese whisky were soldiers of the

American Expeditionary Force Siberia The American Expeditionary Force, Siberia (AEF in Siberia) was a formation of the United States Army involved in the Russian Civil War in Vladivostok, Russia, after the October Revolution, from 1918 to 1920. The force was part of the larger All ...

who took shore leave in

Hakodate is a Cities of Japan, city and seaports of Japan, port located in Oshima Subprefecture, Hokkaido, Japan. It is the capital city of Oshima Subprefecture. As of January 31, 2024, the city had an estimated population of 239,813 with 138,807 househol ...

in September 1918. A brand called Queen George, described by one American as a "Scotch whisky made in Japan", was widely available. Exactly what it was is unknown, but it was quite potent and probably quite unlike Scotch whisky. The first whisky made in Japan was the Suntory Shirofuda, released in 1929. From the mid-1950s, the popularity of whisky began to increase, and the three major brands of Suntory, Daikoku Budoshu (later

Mercian Corporation is a Tokyo-based operating unit of Kirin Company, Limited, Kirin, primarily engaged in the production and retail of wine and other alcoholic beverages. Chateau Mercian, produced and sold in Japan, is one of the most widely available brands of Ja ...

), and Nikka fought for the top position, leading to what was called the "whisky wars". From the 1960s, unique Japanese customs concerning whisky began to appear. Drinking whisky with Japanese food became popular, and the "

Bottle keep , or bottle-keep, is a service which is provided at some Japanese drinking establishments where a patron can purchase a bottle of liquor and have the unfinished portion stored until a later visit. A bottle retained in this manner is called a ''k ...

" system took root in bars and ''

izakaya An () is a type of informal Japanese Bar (establishment), bar that serves alcoholic drinks and snacks. are casual places for after-work drinking, similar to a pub, a Spanish tapas bar, or an American saloon or tavern. Etymology The word e ...

'', and drinking ''

mizuwari Mizuwari (Japanese: 水割り, "cut with water") is a popular way of drinking spirits in Japan. Typically, about two parts of cold water are mixed with one part of the spirit and some ice. The practice comes from Japanese shochu drinking tradit ...

'' ( :ja:水割り), a whisky diluted with 2 to 2.5 times the amount of water, became popular among the masses. In 1971, various restrictions on the whisky trade were lifted, allowing Japanese importers to import foreign whisky without any quantity or value limits. 1973 saw

Kirin Company is a Japanese beer and beverage holding company. It is known for brands such as Kirin Beer, Kirin Lemon, Mets, and Gogo no Kōcha. The predecessor of the company, the Japan Brewery Company, was founded in Yokohama in 1885 by William Henry Tal ...

enter the whisky business. In 1980, Suntory shipped 12.4 million cases of "Old" and achieved the world's highest annual sales volume for a single brand. After reaching its peak in 1983, whisky consumption in Japan continued to decline, falling well behind

Japanese beer Beer in Japan mostly comes from the country's four major breweries, Asahi, Kirin, Sapporo and Suntory, which mainly produce pale lagers around 5% ABV. Beer is immensely popular, far ahead of sake consumption. As well as Pilsner style lagers, t ...

, ''

shōchū is a Japanese distilled beverage. It is typically distilled from rice, barley, sweet potatoes, buckwheat, or brown sugar, though it is sometimes produced from other ingredients such as chestnut, sesame seeds, potatoes, or even carrots. Typ ...

'', and

sake Sake, , or saki, also referred to as Japanese rice wine, is an alcoholic beverage of Japanese origin made by fermenting rice that has been polished to remove the bran. Despite the name ''Japanese rice wine'', sake, and indeed any East Asi ...

, and in 2008, only 20% of the 1983 level was consumed. However, whisky consumption began to increase again around 2008 due to the

highball A highball is a mixed alcoholic drink composed of an alcoholic base spirit and a larger proportion of a non-alcoholic mixer, often a carbonated beverage. Examples include the Seven and Seven, Scotch and soda, gin and tonic, screwdriver ...

craze, and the popularity of whisky increased dramatically in 2014 when the life of Nikka founder Masataka Taketsuru was portrayed in the

NHK , also known by its Romanization of Japanese, romanized initialism NHK, is a Japanese public broadcasting, public broadcaster. It is a statutory corporation funded by viewers' payments of a television licence, television license fee. NHK ope ...

drama ''

Massan is a Japanese television drama series, the 91st Asadora (morning drama) broadcast daily on NHK from September 29, 2014, until March 28, 2015. ''Massan'' is based on the lives of Masataka Taketsuru and his Scottish wife Jessie Roberta "Rita" Co ...

'' (マッサン). In addition, Japanese whisky began winning awards in international competitions, and exports outside of Japan increased. As a result, demand for Japanese whisky has greatly exceeded supply since the 2010s, and production of many products has been halted. There are two reasons why the supply shortage of whisky has not been easily resolved. The first is that from 1983 to 2008, whisky consumption in Japan continued to decline and companies continued to reduce production, resulting in low inventories. The second reason is that whisky must be stored in casks for a long period of time in order to be finished, so even if companies increased the amount of whisky distilled, they would not be able to ship it immediately. In 2008, Ichiro Akuto ( :ja:肥土伊知郎) started operations at the Chichibu distillery. It was the first time in 35 years that the Japanese government had granted a whisky production license to a new company.コロナ禍のイチローズモルト～ウイスキー造りの原点、肥土伊知郎氏のバー愛（下）.

Yomiuri Shimbun The is a Japanese newspaper published in Tokyo, Osaka, Fukuoka, Fukuoka, Fukuoka, and other major Japanese cities. It is one of the five major newspapers in Japan; the other four are ''The Asahi Shimbun'', the ''Chunichi Shimbun'', the ''Ma ...

. 17 February 2021. The Chichibu distillery won many awards at national and international competitions. The success of the Chichibu distillery led to an increase in the number of companies entering the whisky business, and whisky distilleries began to be built all over Japan. By the 2020s, Japanese distilleries were importing spirits for use in blends. In 2021, the Japan Spirits & Liqueurs Makers Association announced the definition of "Japanese whisky" as the association's voluntary standard. The 82 companies that are members of the association are bound by this rule, and any whisky made in a manner that does not meet this definition cannot have the words "Japanese whisky" or words meaning Japanese whisky on the label. Also, if the label does not clearly state that the whisky does not meet the definition of Japanese whisky, it will not be allowed to depict the name of a place, person, or flag that evokes Japan. The grace period for this rule is until 2024. As of 2022, the value of Japan's alcoholic beverage exports was approximately 139.2 billion yen, with Japanese whisky in first place at 56.1 billion yen and

in second place at 47.5 billion yen.

Reputation

Before 2000, the market for Japanese whiskies was almost entirely domestic, though this changed in 2001 when Nikka's 10-year Yoichi single malt won "Best of the Best" at ''Whisky Magazine''s awards. In the blind tasting organized by ''Whisky Magazine'' in 2003, the results of which are published in WM #30, the winners of the category "Japanese Whiskies" were: # Hibiki 21 YO 43% (blend) # Nikka Yoichi 10 YO SC 59.9% # Yamazaki Bourbon Cask 1991 60% # Karuizawa 17 YO 40% (pure malt) In the main ranking (covering all categories of whisky) Hibiki 21 YO made it to rank 9 and Nikka Yoichi 10 to rank 14. In 2004, the 18-year-old Yamazaki was introduced to the US. Japanese whiskies have been winning top honors in international competitions, notably Suntory.Suntory Whisky Distillery
Major Awards

, News Release No. 11805, 11 June 2013 At the 2003

International Spirits Challenge International is an adjective (also used as a noun) meaning "between nations". International may also refer to: Music Albums * ''International'' (Kevin Michael album), 2011 * ''International'' (New Order album), 2002 * ''International'' (The T ...

, Suntory Yamazaki won a gold medal, and Suntory whiskies continued to win gold medals every year through 2013, with all three malt whiskies winning a trophy (the top prize) in either 2012 (Yamazaki 18 years old and Hakushu 25 years old) or 2013 (Hibiki 21 years old), and Suntory itself winning distiller of the year in 2010, 2012, and 2013. The resultant acclaim nudged Japan's distilleries to market overseas. Japanese whisky has won the world's highest award in some category at the World Whiskies Awards, organized by '' Whisky Magazine'', every year from the inaugural event in 2007 until 2022. ''Whisky Magazine'' has organized a series of blind tastings which have included Japanese single malts in the lineup, along with malts from distilleries considered to be among the best in Scotland. On more than one occasion, the results have had Japanese single malts (particularly those of Nikka's Yoichi and Suntory's Yamazaki) scoring higher than their Scottish counterparts. The whisky produced by Venture Whisky Co., Ltd., which owns Chichibu distillery, was also highly evaluated and won the World's Best Blended Limited Release category for five consecutive years from 2017 to 2021 in a competition organized by ''Whisky Magazine''. In 2022, the

Akkeshi distillery is a Japanese whisky distillery. Founded in 2016, the distillery is owned by Kenten Jitsugyo, a trading company based in Tokyo. It is located at , a town in Kushiro Subprefecture, Hokkaido is the list of islands of Japan by area, second ...

won the top prize in the World's Best Blended category and the

Asaka distillery is a Japanese whisky distillery. Founded in 2016, it is owned by , a Japanese and maker based in Fukushima Prefecture in the Tōhoku region of Honshu, Japan. The distillery is located at , a city A city is a human settlement of a subst ...

won the top prize in the World's Best Blended Malt category at a competition organized by ''Whisky Magazine''. The growing popularity of Japanese whisky has driven up prices, especially for rarer products. In August 2018, a 50-year-old Yamazaki first edition went for record $343,000 at a

Bonhams Bonhams is a privately owned international auction house and one of the world's oldest and largest auctioneers of fine art and antiques. It was formed by the merger in November 2001 of Bonhams & Brooks and Phillips Son & Neale. This brought t ...

auction in Hong Kong. In early 2020, Suntory raffled off 100 bottles of Yamazaki 55-year-old in Japan for three million yen ($20,700) each. One of those bottles sold for about $800,000 at a Hong Kong auction in August of that year; in August 2022, "Joker", a whisky made by Akuto Ichiro ( :ja:肥土伊知郎), which operates the Chichibu distillery, using Hanyu distillery's original whisky, sold for HK$500,000.

Distilleries

130823Nikka Wisky Yoichi Distillery Hokkaido Japan18s3

In 2008, the Chichibu distillery ( :ja:ベンチャーウイスキー) began operations. It was the first time in 35 years that the Japanese government had granted a new whisky production license. The success of the Chichibu distillery has prompted companies that make

and

, as well as companies from other industries, to enter the whisky business, and distilleries are being built all over Japan. In addition, companies that had stopped distilling due to a decrease in demand for whisky resumed distilling or started operating new distilleries. As of 2011, when the Shinshu Mars distillery reopened, there were around nine active whisky distilleries in Japan.Active Japanese Distilleries
/ref> As of October 2022, there are 59 whisky distilleries in Japan, including those under construction and planned.日本のウイスキー蒸留所一覧（2022年10月更新・全59ヵ所）.
Japanese Whisky Dictionary. The distilleries as of 2022 include:

In operation since before 2008

: owned by

. Located between

Osaka is a Cities designated by government ordinance of Japan, designated city in the Kansai region of Honshu in Japan. It is the capital of and most populous city in Osaka Prefecture, and the List of cities in Japan, third-most populous city in J ...

and

Kyoto Kyoto ( or ; Japanese language, Japanese: , ''Kyōto'' ), officially , is the capital city of Kyoto Prefecture in the Kansai region of Japan's largest and most populous island of Honshu. , the city had a population of 1.46 million, making it t ...

on the main island of

Honshū , historically known as , is the largest of the four main islands of Japan. It lies between the Pacific Ocean (east) and the Sea of Japan (west). It is the seventh-largest island in the world, and the second-most populous after the Indonesian ...

. * Hakushu: also owned by Suntory. Located in

Yamanashi Prefecture is a prefecture of Japan located in the Chūbu region of Honshu. Yamanashi Prefecture has a population of 787,592 (1 February 2025) and has a geographic area of 4,465 km2 (1,724 sq mi). Yamanashi Prefecture borders Saitama Prefecture to the n ...

. * Chita: owned by Suntory. Located at the

Port of Nagoya The , located in Ise Bay, is the largest and busiest trading port in Japan, accounting for about 10% of the total trade value of Japan. Notably, this port is the largest exporter of cars in Japan and where the Toyota Motor Corporation exports most ...

Sun Grain facility in Chita,

Aichi Prefecture is a Prefectures of Japan, prefecture of Japan located in the Chūbu region of Honshū. Aichi Prefecture has a population of 7,461,111 () and a geographic area of with a population density of . Aichi Prefecture borders Mie Prefecture to the ...

. * Yoichi: owned by Nikka. Located in Yoichi on the northern island of

. * Miyagikyo (formerly Sendai): also owned by Nikka. Located in the north of the main island, near the city of

Sendai is the capital Cities of Japan, city of Miyagi Prefecture and the largest city in the Tōhoku region. , the city had a population of 1,098,335 in 539,698 households, making it the List of cities in Japan, twelfth most populated city in Japan. ...

Miyagi Prefecture is a Prefectures of Japan, prefecture of Japan located in the Tōhoku region of Honshu. Miyagi Prefecture has a population of 2,265,724 (1 August 2023) and has a geographic area of . Miyagi Prefecture borders Iwate Prefecture to the north, Akit ...

. * Fuji Gotemba: owned by Kirin. Located at the foot of

Mount Fuji is an active stratovolcano located on the Japanese island of Honshu, with a summit elevation of . It is the highest mountain in Japan, the second-highest volcano on any Asian island (after Mount Kerinci on the Indonesian island of Sumatra), a ...

Shizuoka Prefecture is a Prefectures of Japan, prefecture of Japan located in the Chūbu region of Honshu. Shizuoka Prefecture has a population of 3,555,818 and has a geographic area of . Shizuoka Prefecture borders Kanagawa Prefecture to the east, Yamanashi Pref ...

. *

White Oak ''Quercus'' subgenus ''Quercus'' is one of the two subgenera into which the genus ''Quercus'' was divided in a 2017 classification (the other being subgenus ''Cerris''). It contains about 190 species divided among five sections. It may be calle ...

: owned by . Located in

Hyōgo Prefecture is a Prefectures of Japan, prefecture of Japan located in the Kansai region of Honshu. Hyōgo Prefecture has a population of 5,469,762 () and a geographic area of . Hyōgo Prefecture borders Kyoto Prefecture to the east, Osaka Prefecture to th ...

Operating and re-operating after 2008

* Chichibu :*

Chichibu is a city located in Saitama Prefecture, Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 61,159 in 26,380 households and a population density of . The total area of the city is . Geography Chichibu is in the westernmost part of Saitama. Unlik ...

: near

Saitama Prefecture is a Landlocked country, landlocked Prefectures of Japan, prefecture of Japan located in the Kantō region of Honshu. Saitama Prefecture has a population of 7,338,536 (January 1, 2020) and has a geographic area of 3,797 Square kilometre, km2 ( ...

. This is the new Chichibu distillery, founded by Ichiro Akuto ( :ja:肥土伊知郎), grandson of the distiller at Hanyu. It opened in 2008. :* Chichibu Daini: This is the second distillery run by Ichiro Akuto. The distillation started in 2019. * Akkeshi: owned by Japanese grocery wholesaler Kenten Co. Ltd. Located in rural Akkeshi on the island of Hokkaido, it opened in October 2016. * Asaka: owned by . Located in

Fukushima Prefecture is a Prefectures of Japan, prefecture of Japan located in the Tōhoku region of Honshu. Fukushima Prefecture has a population of 1,771,100 () and has a geographic area of . Fukushima Prefecture borders Miyagi Prefecture and Yamagata Prefecture ...

. The company began whisky production in 1946, but stopped whisky production in 1989. The distillation restarted in March 2016. * Chiyomusubi (Sakaiminato): owned by . Located in

Tottori Prefecture is a Prefectures of Japan, prefecture of Japan located in the Chūgoku region of Honshu. Tottori Prefecture is the List of Japanese prefectures by population, least populous prefecture of Japan at 538,525 (2023) and has a geographic area of . ...

. The distillation started in 2021. * Fujihokuroku: owned by . Located in Yamanashi Prefecture. The distillation started in 2020. * Fujisan: owned by Sasakawa Whisky Co., Ltd. Located in Yamanashi Prefecture. The distillation started in 2022. * Hanyu: owned by . Located in Saitama Prefecture. The company began whisky production in 1946, but stopped whisky distillation in 2000. The distillation restarted in 2021. * Helios (Nago): owned by . Located in

Okinawa Prefecture is the southernmost and westernmost prefecture of Japan. It consists of three main island groups—the Okinawa Islands, the Sakishima Islands, and the Daitō Islands—spread across a maritime zone approximately 1,000 kilometers east to west an ...

. The company began whisky production in the 1980s, but withdrew from the whisky business before 2008. The distillation restarted in 2016. * Ikawa: owned by Juzan Co., Ltd. Located in Shizuoka Prefecture. The distillation started in 2020. * Kaikyo: owned by . Located in Hyōgo Prefecture. The distillation started in 2017. * Kamiki: owned by Kamiki Shuzo Nara Distillery. Located in Nara Prefecture. * Kamui (Rishiri): owned by Kamui Whisky K.K. Located in Hokkaido Prefecture. The distillation started in 2022. * Kanosuke: owned by . Located in Kagoshima Prefecture. The distillation started in 2017. * Kiyosuzakura (Kiyosu): owned by . Located in

. The distillation started in 2014. * Kobe: owned by GlowStars Inc. Located in Hyōgo Prefecture. The distillation started in October 2022. * Komoro: owned by Karuizawa Distillers Inc. Located in Nagano Prefecture. Distillation started in July 2023. * Kuju: owned by Tsuzaki Co., Ltd. Located in

Ōita Prefecture is a prefecture of Japan located on the island of Kyūshū. Ōita Prefecture has a population of 1,081,646 (1 February 2025) and has a geographic area of 6,340 km2 (2,448 sq mi). Ōita Prefecture borders Fukuoka Prefecture to the northwest, K ...

. The distillation started in February 2021. * Kurayoshi: owned by . Located in the village of

Kurayoshi 270px, Kurayoshi City Hall 270px, Kurayoshi Utsubuki-Tamagawa Historic Preservation District 270px, View from Utsubuki Castle ruins is a city located in the central part of Tottori Prefecture, Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 44 ...

, in Tottori Prefecture. The distillation started in 2017. * Kyoto Miyako: owned by Kyoto Shuzo Co., Ltd. Located in

Kyoto Prefecture is a Prefectures of Japan, prefecture of Japan located in the Kansai region of Honshu. Kyoto Prefecture has a population of 2,561,358 () and has a geographic area of . Kyoto Prefecture borders Fukui Prefecture to the northeast, Shiga Prefecture ...

. The distillation started in Jule 2020. * Mars :* Shinshu Mars: owned by . Located in

Nagano Prefecture is a Landlocked country, landlocked Prefectures of Japan, prefecture of Japan located in the Chūbu region of Honshu. Nagano Prefecture has a population of 2,007,682 () and has a geographic area of . Nagano Prefecture borders Niigata Prefecture ...

. The company began whisky production in Kagoshima Prefecture in 1953, in Yamanashi Prefecture in 1960, and at this distillery in 1985, but stopped whisky distillation in 1992. The distillation restarted in 2011. :* Tsunuki Mars: owned by Hombo Shuzo Co., Ltd. Located in

Kagoshima Prefecture is a Prefectures of Japan, prefecture of Japan located on the island of Kyushu and the Ryukyu Islands. Kagoshima Prefecture has a population of 1,527,019 (1 February 2025) and has a geographic area of 9,187 Square kilometre, km2 (3,547 Square m ...

. The distillation started in 2016. * Miyake Honten (Kure): owned by . Located in Hiroshima Prefecture. The distillation started in 2022. * Nagahama: owned by . Located in

Shiga Prefecture is a landlocked prefecture of Japan in the Kansai region of Honshu. Shiga Prefecture has a population of 1,398,972 as of 1 February 2025 and has a geographic area of . Shiga Prefecture borders Fukui Prefecture to the north, Gifu Prefecture to th ...

. The distillation started in 2016. The brand name is "Amahagan". * Niigata Kameda: owned by Niigata Shōkibo Jōryūjo. Located in

Niigata Prefecture is a Prefectures of Japan, prefecture in the Chūbu region of Honshu of Japan. Niigata Prefecture has a population of 2,131,009 (1 July 2023) and is the List of Japanese prefectures by area, fifth-largest prefecture of Japan by geographic area ...

. The distillation started in September March 2019. * Niseko: owned by . Located in Niigata Prefecture. The distillation started in March 2021. * Nozawa Onsen: owned by Nozawa Onsen distillery. Located in Yamanashi Prefecture. The distillation started in June 2022. * Okayama: owned by . Located in

Okayama Prefecture is a Prefectures of Japan, prefecture of Japan located in the Chūgoku region of Honshu. Okayama Prefecture has a population of 1,826,059 (1 February 2025) and has a geographic area of 7,114 Square kilometre, km2 (2,746 sq mi). Okayama Prefecture ...

. The distillation started in 2015. * Ontake: owned by . Located in Kagoshima Prefecture. The distillation started in 2019. * Osuzuyama: owned by Kuroki Honten Co. Ltd. Located in

Miyazaki Prefecture is a Prefectures of Japan, prefecture of Japan located on the island of Kyūshū. Miyazaki Prefecture has a population of 1,028,215 as of 1 January 2025 and has a geographic area of 7,735 Square kilometre, km2 (2,986 sq mi). Miyazaki Prefectur ...

. The distillation started in 2019. * Rokkosan: owned by . Located in Hyōgo Prefecture. The distillation started in June 2021. * Sakurao: owned by . Located in Hiroshima Prefecture. The distillation started in October 2018. * Shindō: owned by . Located in

Fukuoka Prefecture is a Prefectures of Japan, prefecture of Japan located on the island of Kyūshū. Fukuoka Prefecture has a population of 5,109,323 (1 June 2019) and has a geographic area of 4,986 Square kilometre, km2 (1,925 sq mi). Fukuoka Prefecture borders ...

. The distillation started in August 2021. * Shinzato (Okinawa): owned by . Located in Okinawa Prefecture. The distillation started in 2021. * Shizuoka ( ja): owned by Gaiaflow Co., Ltd. Located in Shizuoka Prefecture. The distillation started in October 2016. * Takazo: owned by . Located in

Ibaraki Prefecture is a Prefectures of Japan, prefecture of Japan located in the Kantō region of Honshu. Ibaraki Prefecture has a population of 2,828,086 (1 July 2023) and has a geographic area of . Ibaraki Prefecture borders Fukushima Prefecture to the north, ...

. The company began whisky production in 1952, but withdrew from the whisky business before 2008. The distillation restarted in September 2022. * Tanba: owned by . Located in Hyōgo Prefecture. The distillation started in 2018. * Wakatsuru Saburōmaru: owned by . Located in

Toyama Prefecture is a prefecture of Japan located in the Chūbu region of Honshu. Toyama Prefecture has a population of 993,848 (1 January 2025) and has a geographic area of 4,247.61 km2 (1,640.01 sq mi). Toyama Prefecture borders Ishikawa Prefecture to the ...

. The company began whisky production in 1952. The distillery was renovated in 2016 and distilling resumed in 2017. * Yamaga: owned by Yamaga Distillery Co., Ltd. Located in

Kumamoto Prefecture is a Prefectures of Japan, prefecture of Japan located on the island of Kyūshū. Kumamoto Prefecture has a population of 1,748,134 () and has a geographic area of . Kumamoto Prefecture borders Fukuoka Prefecture to the north, Ōita Prefecture t ...

The distillation started in August 2021. * Yasato: owned by . Located in Ibaraki Prefecture. The distillation started in 2020. * Yokokawa: owned by At star kabushiki kaisha. Located in Kagoshima Prefecture. The distillation started in January 2022. * Yoro: owned by . Located in

Gifu Prefecture is a Prefectures of Japan, prefecture of Japan located in the Chūbu region of Honshu. Gifu Prefecture has a population of 1,910,511 () and has a geographic area of . Gifu Prefecture borders Toyama Prefecture to the north; Ishikawa Prefecture ...

. The company began whisky production in the 1970s, but withdrew from the whisky business before 2008. The distillation restarted in 2018. * Yoshida Denzai: owned by Yoshida Denzai Kogyo Co., Ltd. Located in Niigata Prefecture. The distillation started in 2022. * Yuwaku owned by Oriental Brewing. Located in

Ishikawa Prefecture is a Prefectures of Japan, prefecture of Japan located in the Chūbu region of Honshu island. Ishikawa Prefecture has a population of 1,096,721 (1 January 2025) and has a geographic area of 4,186 Square kilometre, km2 (1,616 sq mi). Ishikawa Pr ...

. The distillation started in August 2022. * Yuza: owned by . Located in

Yamagata Prefecture is a Prefectures of Japan, prefecture of Japan located in the Tōhoku region of Honshu. It has a population of 1,005,926 (1 February 2025) and an area of 9,325 Square kilometre, km2 (3,600 Square mile, sq mi). Its neighbours are Akita Prefectu ...

. The distillation started in 2018. ;Under construction/before operation * Gakkōgawa: owned by Tatenokawa, inc. Located in Yamagata Prefecture. Distillation is scheduled to begin in September 2023. * Hida Takayama: owned by Funasaka Shuzo. Located in Gifu Prefecture. Distillation is scheduled to begin in April 2023. * Kōnosu: owned by Hikari shuzo., Ltd. Located in Saitama Prefecture. Distillation is scheduled to begin in 2025. * Takebe Orimono (Nanao): owned by Takebe Orimono. Located in Ishikawa Prefecture. Distillation is scheduled to begin in 2023. * Akita: owned by Dreamlink Co. Ltd. Located in

Akita Prefecture is a Prefectures of Japan, prefecture of Japan located in the Tōhoku region of Honshu.Nussbaum, Louis-Frédéric. (2005). "Provinces and prefectures" in ; "Tōhoku" in . Its population is estimated 915,691 as of 1 August 2023 and its geographi ...

. * Benizakura: owned by Hokkaido Liberty Whisky Inc. Located in Hokkaido Prefecture. * Karuizawa: owned by Totsuka shuzo Co. Ltd. Located in Nagano Prefecture. * Shinobu: owned by Niigata Beer Co. Ltd. Located in Niigata Prefecture.

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Karuizawa is a resort town located in Nagano Prefecture, Japan. , the town had an estimated population of 20,323 in 9897 households, and a population density of 130 persons per km2. The total area of the town is . Originally, there was a stage station ( ...

: owned by Mercian (a part of Kirin). Formerly located near the town of

. Folded in 2011.

Consumption

Japanese whisky is consumed either like Scotch whisky or like Japanese

. The bulk of Japanese blended whisky is consumed in cocktails, notably as whisky (similar to shōchū highballs, known as

chūhai , an abbreviation of "shōchū highball" (焼酎ハイボール), is an alcoholic drink originating from Japan. Traditional chūhai is made with barley shōchū and carbonated water flavored with lemon, but some modern commercial variants u ...

), while fine whisky is primarily drunk neat or on the rocks, as with Scotch whisky. Advertising for blended whisky generally features it consumed in a highball, and highballs made with Suntory's Kakubin are branded . In addition to soda (in a highball), Japanese whisky is often drunk mixed with hot water , particularly in winter, or cold water , particularly in summer, as is done with

. Whisky is also commonly drunk with food, particularly in mixed drinks, especially highballs. The prevalence of mixing whisky with soda or water is particularly attributed to the hot, muggy Japanese summer, hence the popularity of long drinks.

References

Notes

Bibliography

Articles

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Books

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External links

Nikka Company
– official website

– official website
Nonjatta
– Japanese whisky blog
Dekanta
– Buy Japanese whisky Online {{Authority control