5. Whisky Distilleries in Kansai Region

5. Kansai Region(inc. Osaka,Kyoto,Shiga,Hyogo and Wakayama prefecture)

Osaka Prefecture

5-1. Suntory Spirits Yamazaki Distillery

Suntory’s founder, Shinjiro Torii, had a passionate desire to “create a Japanese whiskey that would suit the delicate Japanese palate” and decided to create whiskey.

When the Yamazaki distillery was built, Suntory invited Masataka Taketsuru, who had studied whisky production in Scotland, the home of Scotch whisky, and appointed him as the director of the Yamazaki distillery.
Yamazaki is located southwest of Kyoto, at the foot of Mt. Yamazaki was chosen from among a number of candidate sites because of its “high quality water” and “natural environment,” both of which are important in whiskey production.

Yamazaki distillery at the time of operation
Image Source: Single Malt Whisky Yamazaki, Suntory

In the distillery room of the Yamazaki distillery, distillation kettles of different sizes and shapes are lined up facing each other.
Distilleries with such a variety of distillation kettles are rare in the world. The distillation kettles of different sizes and shapes produce different types of sake, ranging from light to heavy flavors.

Location	2-2-1, Yamazaki 5-chome, Shimamoto-cho, Mishima-gun, Osaka 618-0001, Japan 5-2-1 Yamazaki, Shimamoto-cho, Mishima-gun, Osaka, Japan
Access	JR West Japan Tokaido Main Line (Kyoto Line) Yamazaki station 7 minutes by walking 10 minutes walk from Oyamazaki Station, Hankyu Railway Kyoto Main Line
Commencement of operation	1923
Official HP	Suntory Yamazaki Distillery
Visiting the distillery	Tours are available; reservations required through the website. Tours are currently suspended. (December 28, 2020)
Products	Single Malt Whiskey Yamazaki, Single Malt Whiskey Yamazaki 12years, Single Malt Whiskey Yamazaki 18 years, Single Malt Whiskey Yamazaki 25 years

Representative whiskies of Yamazaki distillery

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Distillery Details

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jpwhisky.net

5-2.Mikuni Distillery

Mikuni Corporation, an import/export business, was established in 2018.
The distillery produces craft gin and whiskey in Tamatsukuri, Osaka City.
It is within the city so it seems easy to visit, but reservations are required for tours.
You can see a hybrid still, but it seems to be a fairly small production.
The official website in English only states that the distillery is located at the foot of Mt.
Like the official site, the whisky is made with an awareness of overseas markets, and this site will keep a close eye on how the product will be released in Japan.

Location of the company	1-16-24, Higashi-Kobashi, Higashinari-ku, Osaka 537-0024, Japan
Access	5 minutes walk from Tamatsukuri Station on JR and Osaka Metro lines
Start of operation	2018
Official HP	http://www.mikuniwhisky.com/( English only)
Visiting	Permitted *Reservations required
Products	The Mikuni Blended Japanese Whisky

5-3. Han Kurayashiki Kitashinchi CO-LABO

Just established in May 2023 as a microbrewery.
As an experimental workshop and sales store, it will take on the genre-less challenge of producing, selling, and enjoying sake in ways that are not bound by conventional concepts, based on the concept of “creating sake that cannot be found anywhere else in the world.
The company’s original brand “Sente Narian” will be trademarked on July 7, 2022.
The company plans to release whiskey and liqueurs bearing the name of the product of the same name.
The first product to be released will be a craft whiskey, and the company is currently recruiting cask owners on its official website.
The opening of the store is currently undecided.

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Location	Beerding Kitashinchi 1F, 1-4-2 Dojima, Kita-ku, Osaka 530-003, Japan
Access	5 minutes walk from Kitashinchi Station on JR Tozai Line
Start of operation
Official HP	Han Kurashiki Kitashinchi CO-LABO
Tour	Undecided
Merchandise	Sente Seian

Hyogo prefecture

5-4. Kizakura K.K. Kizakura Tamba Distillery

Image source : Yellow Cherry Blossom Co.

Founded in 1925, Kizakura Corporation, known for its sake “Kizakura” and “Dry sake Ikken,” established a whiskey distillery in Tamba Sasayama, Hyogo Prefecture, at an altitude of about 300 meters, surrounded by clean air and forests, with annual temperatures exceeding 30°C and humidity so high that fog is a common occurrence. The Tamba factory, built in 1974, has been producing authentic shochu using stainless steel distillers since 2004, and began producing whiskey using those stainless steel distillers in 2018.

Aiming at further authentic whiskey production, two copper distillers (first distillation: straight type) (redistillation: bulge type) made by Forsyth were introduced in October 2021. One mash tun is made by Miyake Seisakusho, and two wash backs are made by enamel. Fushimi water is used for brewing water.

Current brewing is 1.5 tons of one-patch malt. Both non-peated and peated malts are used.

Up to saccharification is done at the craft brewery in Fushimi, and the 8,000 liters of wort from a single saccharification are transported by car to the Tamba Distillery, about an hour and a half away, for fermentation and maturation. The aging warehouse is located at the highest point in the Tamba Distillery and has been converted into a maturing warehouse. A wide variety of malt liquors are grown in the dunnage-type aging house, including bourbon casks, new oak casks, and sherry casks.

In the future, the company aims to introduce barrels made from Mizunara oak and other domestic timber, and to achieve an annual production volume of 30,000 liters.

Image source :JWIC

Location	1-19 Honjo-Dogaya, Imada-cho, Tamba-Sasayama City, Hyogo Prefecture
Access	Approximately 20 minutes by car from Sanda Nishi IC
Start of operation	2018
Official HP	Kizakura Whiskey Tamba Official HP
Visiting	Not available
Products

Representative whisky of Tamba Distillery

5-5. Eigashima Brewery Eigashima Distillery

Eigashima Shuzo, which produces the small 500ml bottle of local whiskey ” Akashi,” was founded in 1888 as a sake distillery.
Its history of whiskey production is surprisingly long, and it obtained a license to produce whiskey in 1919.

Image source: Eigashima Brewery – Wikipedia

The installation of pot stills and other equipment for full-scale whiskey production was completed in 1984. Since then, the company has sold lower-priced whiskey, but has recently released a number of new higher-priced products, including “Akashi” Single Malt 8 Years and ” Single Malt Eigashima Sherry Cask “.

Image source: Eigashima Brewery online store

Location	674-0065, Akashi, Akashi City, Hyogo Prefecture 919 Nishijima, Okubo-cho, Akashi-shi, Hyogo
Access	Nearest Station: Nishieigashima Station, Sanyo Railway
Start of operation	1919 (Licensed to manufacture whiskey) It is unknown if distilling had started.
Official HP	Eigashima Brewery Co.
Tours	Tours are available. Reservations required by phone or email. Tours are currently temporarily suspended. (December 28, 2020)
Merchandise	White Oak Single Malt Akashi, White Oak Ground Whiskey Akashi, White Oak Akashi Red

Eigashima Brewery’s representative whiskey

5-6. Akashi Shuzo Brewery Co. Kaikyo Distillery

Akashi Sake Brewery was founded in 1860. The company began by producing shochu (distilled spirit), and later acquired liquor licenses to produce sake, mirin (sweet cooking sake), liqueur, synthetic sake, and other brewed liquors.

The company obtained a license to produce whiskey in 2017. The company has two pot stills (distillers), both made by Forsyth in Scotland. The mash tun (saccharification tank) is also made by Forsyth.
Distillation was scheduled to begin in 2020, but has been delayed due to the new coronavirus.
The current product lineup is “Hamonzaki” whiskey, which is probably bottled using overseas original whiskey and sold to overseas customers. It is not distributed domestically at this time.

The company plans to start selling its craft gin, 135°E Hyogo Dry Gin, in the fall of 2021.

Location	1-3 Okurahachiman-cho, Akashi City, Hyogo Prefecture 673-0871 1-3 Ohkurahachiman-cho, Akashi-shi, Hyogo
Access	10 minutes walk from Asagiri Station on JR Kobe Line
Start of operation	2017
Official HP	Kaikyo Distillery
Tour	Tour
Products	Hamonzaki Pure Malt Whisky and Blended Whisky, both not sold in Japan

5-7. Gloucesters Kobe Distillery Co.

Gloucesters Co., Ltd. was established in 2015. It is a general trading company whose main business is trade agency services, such as acting as an agent for import/export procedures.

The Kobe Distillery will start operation on October 14, 2022. Surrounded by mountains, the land is suitable for whisky maturation due to its natural environment with large temperature differences throughout the year and high humidity.

The distillery is equipped with a pot still exclusively for whiskey and a distiller exclusively for brandy.

Bourbon and sherry casks will be used for aging, as well as Japanese oak and cherry casks.

The distiller used for the brandy shown in the left image is an imported direct-fired “Alambic Charentes” (single distiller) made in France, which was once used for high-end brandy and stopped production 27 years ago.

(Image exhibit: Kobe Distillery official HP)

Location	2150 Kami-Osawa, Osawa-cho, Kita-ku, Kobe, Hyogo 651-1522 Roadside Station Kobe Fruit and Flower Park Osawa, 2150 Kami-Osawa, Osawa-cho, Kita-ku, Kobe-shi, Hyogo
Access	15 minutes by bus or cab from Okaba Station on the Kobe Electric Railway Line Approx. 15 min. by cab from JR Sanda Station By car: Exit at Osawa IC of Rokko-kita Toll Road.
Start of operation	October 14, 2022
Official HP	Kobe Distillery Official Website
Tours	Tour of Kobe Distillery
Merchandise	Lake Biwa Wisheshi Memorial Cruise Limited Edition NEWBORN, KOBE GIN YAMA/KOBE GIN UMI

5-8. With One Corporation Yabu Distillery

Began operation in July 2023. Reads as Yabu.
According to a theory, it is also the origin of the word “Yabu-doctor.
Construction will begin in 2022. The site area is approximately 8,000 square meters and includes a distillation building and two storage buildings, with the storage building holding approximately 2,400 barrels in a dunnage system.
The distillery will be the first of its kind in Japan, with most of the equipment, including pot stills, being supplied by Frilli of Italy.

The plant will produce approximately 65,000 liters in the first year and 130,000 liters in the second year.
The company plans to release 700 milliliters around 2026, at an estimated price of 8,000 yen to 10,000 yen.
Two people are involved in supervising production: Kenji Hosoi, former director of Nikka Whisky’s Technical Development Center, and Kenji Hosoi, former visiting researcher at the Geisenheim Wine Institute in Germany before becoming director of the St. Neige Wine Research Institute, and then deputy general manager of the Asahi Beer Board of Directors, deputy general manager in charge of the Liquor Division and director of the Wine Business Department, and director of Food R&D. He has also served as Deputy General Manager of the Board of Directors of Asahi Breweries, Deputy General Manager of the Board of Directors of the Liquor Division and Director of the Wine Business Department, and Deputy General Manager of the Board of Directors of the Food Research and Development Division.
The whiskey production process features Idemitsu Kosan’s patented filtration method using metal-supported zeolite.
In addition to yeast and lactic acid bacteria, a third microorganism is used in the wooden fermentation tanks to change the flavor and create a new whiskey.

Location	844-1, Nakanaka, Oya-cho, Yabu-shi, Hyogo 667-0325
Access	25 minutes by car from the Yabu IC of the Kita-Kinki Toyooka Expressway. Take JR KOUNOTORI and get off at “Yoka” station, then take a bus for about 1.5 hours
Start of operation	July 2023
Official HP	Yabu Distillery
Visiting	Possible (currently not available)
Merchandise	Scheduled to be released in 2026

5-9. Axus Holdings Corporation Rokkosan Distillery

AXUS H OLDINGS CORPORATION (Tokushima) operates “Hour Liquor” liquor specialty stores and “Charlie” drugstores, and imports and exports alcoholic beverages and other food products. Rokko, a landmark of Kobe with its beautiful night views and abundant nature including famous water, will become a center of new culture centered on whiskey by appealing to people who love to drink and are sensitive to information in Japan and around the world through the production, aging, tours, tasting and sales of whiskey and spirits at Mt. The purpose of this project is to become a new culture center centered on whisky.

The initial plan was for operations to begin in November 2020, but this was postponed to late March 2021. The project was delayed until late March 2021, and operations began on July 1, 2021. The site area is 1,160.73 m2. The project started as part of Kobe City’s “Lively Creation Project” utilizing idle facilities on Mt. Rokko with the aim of revitalizing Mt. Rokko, one of the most important issues in tourism promotion.

For the time being, the company plans to produce only whiskey, using German-made pot stills. The distilled whiskey has already been aged in casks, and the intention is to sell it as “Japanese whiskey” that has been aged for three years or more. The company intends to expand overseas by developing overseas markets in cooperation with domestic and overseas suppliers.

The current product lineup includes “Rokkosan Pure Malt Whiskey 12 Years” and “Rokkosan Pure Malt Whiskey 12 Years Peated.
The pure malt whisky is made by adjusting the addition of natural Mt. Rokko water to the original Scottish malt whisky. Available at Motomachi WHISKY in Kobe City.

Location	〒657-0101 1034-229 Minami-Rokko, Rokkosan-cho, Nada-ku, Kobe City, Hyogo Prefecture
Access	15 minutes walk from Rokko Sanjo Station on the Rokko Cable
Start of operation	July 1, 2021
Official HP	Official Instagram of Rokkosan Distillery
Tours	Tours, tasting rooms and stores will open from August
Products	Rokkosan Pure Malt Whisky 12years, Rokkosan Pure Malt Whisky 12years Peated

Rokkosan Distillery’s representative whiskies

5-10. Nishiyama Sake Brewery Co. Nishiyama Sake Brewery Co.

The Tamba sake brewery, which has been in existence for generations, was also used as a cultural salon where many writers and painters, including the haiku poet Kyoshi Takahama, gathered. Today, three of the Nishiyama Sake Brewery’s buildings are registered as Tangible Cultural Properties of Japan.
A haiku poet who was a member of the salon promoted the sake Kozutsumi extensively in haiku magazines, and the brewery became a destination for writers and artists.

The temperature here varies greatly between day and night, with a temperature difference of nearly 10°C even in summer. In addition, “Tamba fog” is expected to occur from fall to winter, bringing moisture to a season that tends to be dry, and thus allowing the characteristic maturation of the sake to take place.

The water source used is “Chinju-tensen,” a well on the premises, which is ultra-soft water consisting of subsoil water from the Takeda River that runs right next to the brewery, the same water source used for Kozutsumi.

The distiller, Yuzo Nishiyama, the fifth generation of the Nishiyama Sake Brewery, was impressed by Italian grappa and introduced an Italian-made distillation machine. The company produces brandy, gin, and whiskey under the name Monte Oeste. The whiskey is mainly made from bourbon barrels. They also own French oak, although it is used for brandy.
Their black bean shochu “Kurotamba” won a gold medal at the TWSC. As for whiskey, as of 2024, a limited edition of 100 bottles of 7-month aged Newborn is on sale.

Location	1171 Nakatakeda, Ichijima-cho, Tamba, Hyogo 669-4302, Japan
Access	JR Fukuchiyama Line “Tamba Taketa” Station, 10 minutes walk from Tamba Taketa Station
Commencement of operation	1849, Whisky in 2023
Official HP	kotsuzumi.co.jp
Tours	Sake Comparison,Pairing Only
Merchandise	Sake Kotsuzumi, Monte Oeste, Kurotamba

Shiga Prefecture

5-11. Nagahama Roman Beer Nagahama Distillery

Japan’s smallest Nagahama distillery is located in the northern part of Lake Biwa in Shiga Prefecture.
In 1996, Nagahama Romantic Beer became the third craft brew ery in the Kinki region to start producing craft beer, and after 20 years of craft beer production, in 2016, Nagahama Distillery began operating on the premises and started distilling whiskey.

Inspired by Scottish craft distilleries, the brewery features a rich, fruity, grain-derived, richly sweet, undiluted brew that flows from an arambic-shaped pot still and ultra-thin line arms.

Image Source: Nagahama Romantic Beer Nagahama Distillery

In 2020, Amahagan, a blend of malts from Nagahama Distillery with malt whisky from overseas, won three out of four bottles in the regular series at the World Whisky Awards (WWA).

Location	Nagahama, Shiga 526-0056 14-1 Asahi-cho, Nagahama-shi, Shiga
Access from JR Nagahama Station	4 minutes walk from JR Nagahama Station About 4 km from Nagahama I.C.
Start of operation	2016
Official HP	Nagahama Roman Beer Nagahama Distillery
Tours are available.	Tours are available, reservations required through the website.
Products	Amahagan, Single Malt Nagahama

Representative whisky of Nagahama Distillery

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5-12. Kawashima Shuzo Lake Biwa Distillery

Founded in 1865.
This long-established brewery is located on the shores of Lake Biwa, in the town of Harie, where “Harie-no-shozu” (fresh water from Harie) flows and was selected as one of the 100 best waters of the Heisei era (100 best waters of the Heisei era).
The brewery is known for its Nishi-Omi local sake “Matsunohana” and daiginjo “Fujiki,” etc. The brewery’s style of sake making is based on the ancient tradition of cold brewing, and is faithful to the basics without any eccentricities. They respect the history and traditions of the past.
These have been awarded the Monde Selection Gold Prize in 2002.
Their sake is exported to 15 countries around the world.
In order to expand its share in the world, the company will obtain a whiskey production license in 2020.
For starters, the company has purchased original sake from Scotland and begun flavoring it in casks.
As of 2023, the distillery has expanded its facilities, conducted a series of test distillations, and began full-scale distillation in July 2023.
Sake is made from November to February, and whiskey from March to October.
The first branded product as Biwako Distillery is scheduled to be released in the fall of 2023.
The whiskey to be released in the fall will be purchased in Scotland and matured for two years in oak, cherry, and chestnut (chestnut) casks.

Location	83 Asahi, Shin-Asahi-cho, Takashima-shi, Shiga 520-1501
Access	8 minutes walk from Shin-Asahi Station
Start of operation	Start of operation
Official website	Kawashima Sake Brewery Co.
Visiting the brewery	Undecided (brewery tours are available)
Product	Scheduled for the fall of 2023

Kyoto Prefecture

5-13. Kyoto Sake Brewery Kyoto Miyako Distillery

Kyoto Shuzo Corporation was established on August 16, 2019. The whiskey production license will be granted on July 6, 2020. There are a total of three pot stills: two 5,000L and one 1,000L.
On March 19, 2021, Kyoto Whiskey Nishijin-ori Red Belt (blended whiskey), Kyoto Whiskey Nishijin-ori Black Belt (blend of bourbon and malt whiskey), and Kyoto Whiskey Nishijin-ori Purple Belt (blended malt) will be available.
The official announcement states that “Kyoto Whiskey is only sold in Kyoto Prefecture,” but this probably refers to in-store sales, and since it is sold on the mail-order site, it seems that people outside of Kyoto Prefecture can also purchase it.

The Kyoto Miyako distillery was temporarily the subject of controversy when a job posting for opening staff listed the “Kurayoshi Distillery” in Tottori as the location for post-hiring training, and thus the distillery was affiliated with Matsui Shuzo Gomei Kaisha? This led to a controversy for a while, but the truth remains unknown at this point.

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Location	P.O. Box 629-1131 11 Minami-Bayashi, Sakahara, Kyotanbamachi, Funai-gun, Kyoto, Japan
Access	Nearest station: 10 minutes on foot from Wachi Station on the JR Sanin Line
Start of operation	July 6, 2020 (for closed to the public, the date of obtaining the whiskey production license is stated)
Official HP	Kyoto Shuzo Brewery Co.
Tours	Tour
Products	Kyoto Whiskey Nishijin Ori Red Belt, Kyoto Whiskey Nishijin Ori Black Belt, Kyoto Whiskey Nishijin Ori Purple Belt

Representative whiskies of Kyoto Miyako Distillery .

Wakayama Prefecture

5-14. Kishu Kumano Distillery, Plum Foods Co.

Founded in 1969 as a drinking water manufacturer, the distillery was established on its 50th anniversary.
The company will develop its whiskey business toward its 100th anniversary in 2069.
From the photos on the official website, it is believed that two distillers of the hybrid type are being used, one from ABE distillers in the U.S. and the other from ABE.
The company’s main product, Japanese Blended Whiskey Kumano, is a blend of Scotch and Japanese whisky, aged in oak barrels, and can be easily purchased at a relatively low price of 3,850 yen for a 500 ML bottle.

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One batch contains 500 kg of malted barley
Malt used is non-peat and peat 20 PPM.
Washback is stainless steel and distiller is 2000L first distillate and 1000L redistillate.
Warehouse is dunnage type
The distillery is currently under construction with a view to eventually touring the distillery and using domestic malt.

Location of the distillery: 1474 Ikuma, Kamitonda, Nishimuro-gun, Wakayama	1474-1 Ikuma, Kamitonda-cho, Nishimuro-gun, Wakayama 649-2103, Japan
Access to the distillery	30 minutes on foot from Asago Station on the JR Kinokuni Line
Start of operation	May 2019
Official HP	Kishu Kumano Distillery
Tour	Kishu Kumano Distillery
Products	JAPANESE CRAFT GIN Kumano Dry Gin “Sakaki” Series JAPANESE BLENDED MALT WHISKY Kumano

A representative whiskey of Kishu Kumano Distillery

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Nara Prefecture

5-15. Kamiki Brewery Nara Distillery

YOSHINO SPIRITS” is located in Osaka. The company ages its overseas whiskey additionally in Yoshino cedar and sells it overseas. The company renovated an old private house and established Nara Prefecture’s first distillery in the Yamakasu district of Soni Village.
The Turkish president, Mr. Shakar Gem, believes that the spring water of the Sone plateau is suitable for whiskey making, and plans to produce whiskey using barley and barrels produced in Sonimura in the future.

The official website is currently only for the overseas market, and it is unknown if the products produced will be sold to the Japanese market. It appears that the distillery plans to offer tastings and other events for visitors.
They have already released whiskey under the name of Single Malt, but what is currently being sold is from overseas. The company is aiming for a Japanese whiskey to be released around 2028.

The Soni Plateau Spring Group, recognized as one of the 100 best waters of the Heisei Era, will be used, and in addition to cedar, cherry, cypress, and pine trees will be used for the barrels used for maturation.

Location	Yamakasu, Soni-mura, Uda-gun, Nara-ken
Access	Soni Village Tourism Association (sonimura.com)
Start of operation	April 2024
Official HP	KAMIKI DORINKS(overseas site) Soni Village Official HP
Tours	Tour of Soni Village
Products	KAMIKI WHISKY