Admission tickets on sale from Wednesday, April 9! Large-scale whisky tasting event! Whisky Festival 2025 in Osaka
(Headquarters: Shibuya-ku, Tokyo; President: Mamoru Tsuchiya) will start selling admission tickets for “Whisky Festival 2025 in Osaka” to be held at Osaka Nanko ATC Hall on June 28 (Sat.) and 29 (Sun.), 2025, from April 9 (Wed.) at 12:00 noon. Tickets will be on sale via the digital ticketing system “CLOUD PASS” from 12:00 noon on Wednesday, April 9.
For members of the Whisky Culture Research Institute, a limited number of 400 tickets for each section will be sold in advance from 12:00 noon on April 2 (Wed.) as a membership benefit.
Click here for an outline of the event
１．How to purchase tickets
- Only members of the Whisky Culture Research Institute can purchase tickets in advance, starting from 12:00 on April 2 (Thu) (limited to 400 tickets for each part).
Ticket Details
| Date & Time | June 2025 Saturday, June 28 Part 1] 10:00-13:30 [Part 2] 14:30-18:00 Sunday, 29th 10:00-13:30 14:30-18:00 |
| Price | 5,000 yen (tax included) |
| Sales Method | Complete pre-sale system. Sold through the digital ticket system “CLOUD PASS”. In addition to the admission fee, the “CLOUD PASS” system usage fee will be charged separately. |
2. Venue
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Venue |
2-1-10 Nanko-Kita, Suminoe-ku, Osaka City, Osaka 559-0034, Japan |
| Access |
5 min. walk from “Trade Center-mae” station on the Nanko Port Town Line. |
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２-1. Events on the day
For each section, you can register for seminars after applying for tickets.
For an additional fee, distillers and industry celebrities will serve as lecturers to explain their products and thoughts.
This year’s lineup is again distinguished.
The tasting seminar, one of the main attractions of the event, will be held for a total of eight sessions, with a splendid lineup of lecturers including blenders who are leading the Japanese Whisky industry.
The seminar will be held in Hall E of the ATC Hall.
Seminar】】 ① Date: June 28th
Date: Saturday, June 28, 10:30 – 11:15 a.m.
Title: Nikka Whisky’s 90 Years of Making Original Sake
Lecturer: Hiromi Ozaki (Chief Blender, Nikka Whisky Co., Ltd.)
Details: Nikka Whisky celebrated its 90th anniversary last year. During this time, Nikka Whisky has created a wide variety of original sake while carrying on the DNA of Masataka Taketsuru. In this seminar, you will enjoy tasting and learning about Nikka’s brewing process for the past and the next 100th anniversary.
Fee: 4,400 yen (tax included)
(*Purchase of admission ticket for “Part 1” or “Part 2” is required in advance.
2) Date and Time: Saturday, June 28, 12:15 – 13:00
Title: What is “Asaka Spirit” – Past and Future of Asaka Distillery
Lecturer: Mr. Shohei Kurohane (Head Distiller (Whisky Section Manager), Asaka Distillery, Sasanokawa Shuzo Co.)
Details: The Asaka Distillery started distilling in 2016. We will introduce some of the characteristics that have remained unchanged since the beginning of operation and some that are changing due to changes in facilities and trial and error, with a focus on bourbon barrel aged Asaka sake.
Fee: 4,400 yen (tax included)
(*Admission tickets for “Part 1” or “Part 2” must be purchased in advance.）
③ Date and Time: Saturday, June 28, 14:00-14:45
Title: Unraveling Suntory Whisky by Definition
Lecturer: Mr. Shinji Fukuyo (Chief Blender and Suntory Global Spirits Whisky Quality Advisor, Suntory Limited)
Details: Based on the “Definition of Japanese Whisky” enacted last year, this session will unravel the quality of Suntory’s whiskys by tasting some of Suntory’s representative whiskys.
Fee: 4,400 yen (tax included)
(*Purchase of admission ticket for “Part 1” or “Part 2” is required in advance.
④ Date and Time: Saturday, June 28, 16:00-16:45
Title: Fuji Gotemba Distillery: Toward the Next 50 Years -Malt and Grain Creation and Evolution
Lecturer: Mr. Jota Tanaka (Master Blender, Kirin Shuzo Company, Limited)
Details: Fuji Gotemba Distillery has been refining its unique style of producing both malt and grain whiskys at the foot of Fuji, aiming to create whiskys that suit the climate and food culture of Japan. Master Blender Jota Tanaka will explain the appeal of their “clean and elegant” Whisky, which will continue to evolve for the next 50 years, along with valuable cask samples of both malt and grain whiskys.
Fee: 4,400 yen (tax included)
(*Purchase of admission ticket for “Part 1” or “Part 2” is required in advance.）
5) Date and Time: Sunday, June 29, 10:30-11:15
Title: Blending Methods of Tsunuki 2025 Edition
Lecturer: Mr. Tatsuro Kusano (Chief Distilling Manager and Blender of Mars Whisky, Mars Tsunuki Distillery, Honbo Shuzo Co.)
Details: Tasting the Tsunuki 2025 Edition released in January this year, Mr. Tatsuro Kusano will explain how the composition of the blend was made while tasting the component whiskys.
Fee: 4,400 yen (tax included)
(*Admission tickets for “Part 3” or “Part 4” must be purchased in advance.
⑥ Date and Time: Sunday, June 29, 12:15 – 13:00
Title: What is The Scotch Malt Whisky Society?
Lecturer: Mr. Jack Chambers (President, The Scotch Malt Whisky Society Ltd.)
Details: The Scotch Malt Whisky Society (SMWS) was established in 1983 as the world’s first whisky club for the sharing, appreciation, and above all, enjoyment of the whiskys we love. The SMWS offers exclusive tastings of whiskys from more than 160 distilleries around the world, selected by a panel of expert tasters and bottled at cask strength and non-chill filtered. The whisky is bottled at cask strength (no watering) and non-chill filtered (no cooling and filtration), with the hope that visitors will enjoy the original flavor. In this seminar, Mr. Jack, President of SMWS Japan Branch, will guide you on a whisky adventure through various single casks, introducing the history and charm of the Society.
Fee: 4,400 yen (tax included)
(*Purchase of admission ticket for “Part 3” or “Part 4” is required in advance.
⑦ Date & Time: Sunday, June 29, 14:00-14:45
Title: Ontake Distillery’s Commitment -Marriage of New Pot and Casks
Lecturer: Mr. Yasuaki Makishi (Head Brewer, Ontake Distillery, Nishi Shuzo Co.)
Details: We consider not only new pot, but also “barrels” as one of the most important raw materials. We visit the distillery, check each barrel with our own eyes, and carefully select them. We hope you will enjoy the marriage of the new pot produced at Ontake Distillery and the casks we have selected.
Fee: 4,400 yen (tax included)
(*Admission tickets for “Part 3” or “Part 4” must be purchased in advance.
⑧ Date & Time: Sunday, June 29, 16:00-16:45
Title: Tomakomai Distillery: 20 Years of Venture Whisky and the Future
Lecturer: Mr. Ichiro Akuto (President and Master Blender, Venture Whisky Co.)
Details: Venture Whisky celebrates its 20th anniversary in 2024. While reviewing its history and production, he will also give an update on the Tomakomai Grain Distillery, which is scheduled to start operation in early summer.
Fee: 4,400 yen (tax included)
(*Admission tickets for “Part 3” or “Part 4” must be purchased in advance.
２-2. Original bottles limited to the festival
At events hosted by the Whisky Culture Institute, there are entry tickets for the lottery sale of “festival limited original bottles,” and you may win a limited edition bottle from a popular distillery in Japan.
This will also be announced from the official website when the date of the event approaches.
The bottles released each time are different, so that is part of the fun.
Lastly: Recommended Books on Japanese Whisky
If you want to learn more about Japanese whisky, which is a global trend, we highly recommend these books.
(1).Whisky Galore Vol.29 December 2021 issue
In the December 2021 issue of Whisky Galore, published by the Whisky Culture Research Institute, we report on 11 Japanese craft distilleries, including some that are open to the public for the first time, under the title of “Japanese Whisky Craft Frontline,” the first of three consecutive issues. Why did the popularity of Japanese whisky and the craft boom occur? We will examine with interviews. Chichibu Distillery / Chichibu No.2 Distillery / Mars Shinshu Distillery / Mars Tsunuki Distillery / Kanosuke Distillery / Hioki Distillery / Ontake Distillery / Osuzuyama Distillery / Kaikyo Distillery / Hanyu Distillery / Konosu Distillery
(2). Japanese Whisky as an Education for Business
This is a book written by Mamoru Tsuchiya, a world-famous whisky critic and representative of the Whisky Culture Research Institute, titled “Japanese Whisky as a Culture that Works for Business” .
The book covers the basics of whisky, the introduction of whisky to Japan, the birth of Japanese whisky, advertising strategies and the rise of Japanese whisky, and the current rise of craft distilleries. This is a book that summarizes Japanese whisky in a very easy to understand way.
(3). Whisky and I (Masataka Taketsuru)
Masataka Taketsuru, the founder of Nikka Whisky, devoted his life to brewing whisky in Japan. This is a revised and reprinted version of the autobiography of a man who simply loved whisky and talked about himself. The book vividly depicts the days when he went to Scotland alone to study as a young man and overcame many hardships to complete Japanese whisky, as well as his companion, Rita.
(4). A Letter of Challenge from a New Generation Distillery
Launching in 2019. With the world experiencing an unprecedented whisky boom, what were the managers of craft distilleries thinking and what were their thoughts as they took on the challenge of making whisky? This book tells the stories of 13 craft distillery owners, including Ichiro Hido of Venture Whisky, famous for his Ichirose Malt, who inspired the birth of craft distilleries in Japan.
(5). Whiskey Rising
This is the Japanese version of Whisky Risng, published in the US in 2016, with much updated content. Not only does it describe the history of Japanese whisky in detail, but it also includes data on all the distilleries in Japan, including the craft distilleries that have been founded in recent years. The book also includes descriptions of the legendary bottles that have been released, as well as information on bars where Japanese whisky can be found.
Event name: Whisky Festival 2025 in Osaka
Date and time: June 28, 2025 (Saturday) Part 1: 10:00-13:30 / Part 2: 14:30-18:00
June 29 (Sun) Part 3: 10:00-13:30 / Part 4: 14:30-18:00
Venue: ATC “E” Hall
2-1-10 Nanko-Kita, Suminoe-ku, Osaka, 559-0034, Japan
Admission: 5,000 yen (tax included)
Number of visitors: 1,500 for each session (total of 6,000 for the two days, tentative)