Over a decade ago, Japanese whiskey was not well known and not in demand, which resulted in some whiskey distilleries closing. As a result, the remaining Japanese distilleries planned for modest production quantities. Since aged (as opposed to no-age) whiskeys are typically sold after 25-, 18-, 15-, 12-, and 10 years, the modest production decision affects the future availability of these products. So production and availability of these products cannot be increased if demand suddenly increases in the future. Japanese whiskey's popularity has greatly increased since and the demand is so great now, that it outpaces the supply due to the previous modest production decision. As a result, prices for the older aged Japanese whiskeys has increased and are no longer available after the limited production quantities sold out.
The oldest, largest and most well-known Japanese whiskey producer is Suntory. Suntory is a large multinational Japanese company that produces many non- and alcoholic beverage products. Suntory's main whiskey brands are Yamazaki and Hakushu (there are more brands sold only in Japan), both of which are well known outside of Japan. Suntory produces both blended and single malt whiskeys. Single malt whiskey are from whiskeys only produced from one distillery, while blended whiskeys are mixtures from multiple distilleries.
Suntory's Yamazaki Distillery is located in the town of Yamazaki, which is between Osaka and Kyoto, and the the Hakushu Distillery is located in the town of Kobuchizawa, which is accessible from Tokyo. Both distilleries offer factory tours and I've had the opportunity to visit both factories (Yamazaki in Nov 2017 and Hakushu in Nov 2018). If you're planning a trip to Japan and/or a whiskey fan, please read the rest of the article for more information and pictures.
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| Suntory Museum of Whiskey, Suntory Hakushu Distillery, Kobuchizawa, Japan |
Distillery Factory Tour - Introduction
The Yamazaki and Hakushu Distillery factories are large sites set in a park-like settings. However, the two distilleries are situated in entirely different environments: the Yamazaki distillery is in a suburban location, while the Hakushu distillery is in the Japanese Alps. The distilleries not only contain buildings related to the production and storage of whiskey, but also have places that have non-industrial uses. Both sites contain a whiskey museum and an on-site Shinto shrine, and since the Hakushu site is in the mountains, there's also a bird sanctuary and restaurant.
The factory tours are very similar in operation and sights seen. Both tours require advance reservations, charge a modest ¥1000 fee for the escorted 80 minute tour to see the production facilities (which includes a whiskey tasting at the end), and both distilleries are accessible by train. Tours are given in Japanese, but non-Japanese speaking visitors are given an electronic audio guide to use on the tour. The information placards on the tour have numbers, so you can follow the Japanese explanation in your preferred language by entering the number into the audio guide. There are other tours at each facility that might or might not include seeing the production process, and these tours also require advance reservations.
Please note that the distillery tours are very popular, fill-up quickly (especially weekends and holidays), and so your preferred day and time may not be available. You can reserve your desired tour date and time up to 3 months in advance and up to one day before on the distillery's website. So to visit in October, reservations are accepted starting at 09:30, 1 August (Japan time). You can also make reservations by phone, but you will need someone that speaks Japanese to make the call. I urge you to make your reservation well in advance of your visit to get your preferred date and time.
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| Torii Gate To Shinto Shrine, Suntory Yamazaki Distillery, Yamazaki, Japan |
On both factory tours after you check-in at Visitor Reception and go to the whiskey museum to start the tour, you get an introduction to the malt whiskey making process. Afterwards, you either walk (Yamazaki) or take a bus (Hakushu) to the production area where you see how the mash is prepared, how the wort (the liquid extracted from the mash) is fermented and distilled, and see one warehouse where the whiskey barrels are aged. At the end of the tour, there is a whiskey tasting and an opportunity to make purchases at the company store. At the end of this article, I'll give my opinion on which distillery to visit if your time in Japan is limited.
- Notes
- You can just visit the whiskey museum and company store for free (no production process tour), but you still must make a reservation.
- The White Terrace Restaurant, located at the Hakushu Distillery, itself does not require a reservation, but you still must make a reservation to gain access to the distillery grounds.
- Food and drinks are not allowed to be brought into the factory.
- The whiskey production facility is viewed from behind glass enclosed walkways, which makes photograph taking difficult.
- In the barrel aging warehouse, you can walk among the barrels.
- The factory tour descriptions below are from the placards on the tour (I'm not a whiskey making expert!).
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| Mash Turn, Suntory Hakushu Distillery, Kobuchizawa, Japan |
Distillery Factory Tour - Mashing
Malt whiskey is made from barley and water. The mash is produced by germinating the barley and drying it to produce the malt. The malt is then finely ground and mixed with water in a mash turn, where enzymes in the malt break down the starches into sugar. The liquid mixture is then filtered to obtain a clear wort.
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| Wooden Washbacks, Suntory Yamazaki Distillery, Yamazaki, Japan |
Distillery Factory Tour - Fermentation
The filtered wort is transferred to wooden washbacks, where yeast is added. The yeast converts the sugars in the wort to alcohol and carbon dioxide, while generating "wash", which has the distinctive flavor components that flavor the whiskey. The wooden washbacks, together with the local bacteria and conditions, give the whiskey its distinctive flavor.
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| Pot Stills, Suntory Yamazaki Distillery, Yamazaki, Japan |
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| Pot Stills, Suntory Hakushu Distillery, Kobuchizawa, Japan |
Distillery Factory Tour - Distillation
The wash produced by the fermentation is transferred to the pot still to undergo the distillation process twice, which produces a liquid with high alcohol concentration called "new make". The different sizes and shapes of the pot still produce distinct flavors from which the whiskey's are selected.
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| Whiskey Barrel Aging Warehouse, Suntory Yamazaki Distillery, Yamazaki, Japan |
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| Pure Malt Whiskey, Barrel No. 0001, 1922, Suntory Yamazaki Distillery, Yamazaki, Japan |
Distillery Factory Tour - Barrel Aging Warehouse
The distilled "new make" is placed into used casks, where the whiskey slowly ages and matures. Maturation is a complex process of flavor development that depends upon the size, shape, material of the cask, and storage location, as well as the climate of the region. The tour only goes into one of the many barrel aging warehouses at the factory. The warehouse contains barrels from every distillation made at the factory. At the Yamazaki facility, you can view a barrel containing the first distillation (Barrel No. 0001) made at the factory in 1922.
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| Whiskey Tasting Notes, Suntory Hakushu Distillery, Kobuchizawa, Japan |
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| Whiskey Tasting, Suntory Yamazaki Distillery, Yamazaki, Japan |
Distillery Factory Tour - Whiskey Tasting
At the end of the tour, each legal aged visitor (drinking age in Japan is 20) is given the opportunity to taste a single malt whiskey and component whiskies. Japanese law is very strict about drinking and driving for both driver and passengers, so if you came by car, motorcycle, or bicycle to the distillery, you are not allowed to taste the whiskey and are given non-alcoholic beverages to enjoy. Depending upon the distillery visited, the tasting uses the whiskies produced locally and uses whiskies that can only be tasted at that factory. You also have an opportunity after the whiskey tasting to sample other whiskies from outside Japan at the paid tasting counter. Explanations are given in Japanese, but a written guide in your language is supplied for non-Japanese speakers.
At the Hakushu Distillery tasting, the origins of the whiskey highball is explained and each visitor is taught how to make one. The whiskey highball made in Japan uses two- or three-parts sparkling soda (made by Suntory, of course) to one part whiskey. The whiskey highball is popular in Japan because it is often paired with food during a meal, while a straight whiskey is used for drinking and tasting only. There is also a dedicated tour for this topic at this distillery.
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| No-Age Hakushu Single Malt, Suntory Hakushu Distillery, Kobuchizawa, Japan |
Distillery Factory Tour - Company Store
After the whiskey tasting, the tour ends and you are allowed (actually encouraged) to shop at the company store at both distilleries. The company store sells all goods associated with Suntory products: clothing, bar ware, non- and alcoholic drinks and food, snacks, and of course, whiskey. If you are expecting to buy a rare old Hakushu or Yamazaki whiskey, you will be disappointed. All the rare and expensive whiskies are sent to retailers for sale due to the limited availability of these products. Even the common Hakushu and Yamazaki whiskeys (both no- and aged) available in the USA and outside of Japan can not be purchased at the company store (again, limited availability). So what whiskeys can you buy at the company store?
The answer is that it depends upon the company store's location. At the Yamazaki store, you can buy a few no-age whiskeys only sold in Japan. You can also buy one of the single malt no-age whiskeys used in the whiskey tasting that is made and only available at the Yamazaki distillery, and due to limited availability only one bottle can be purchased. I would suggest buying this whiskey since it is unobtainable except at the Yamazaki store. For the Hakushu store, the selection is even more limited. Outside of the few no-age Japanese domestic whiskeys, there isn't a unique whiskey that can only be purchased at the factory. Unfortunately, unless you want to buy a Suntory Japan domestic whiskey at this store, there is not much of a selection.
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| Suntory Yamazaki Distillery, Yamazaki, Japan |
Suntory Yamazaki Distillery Access
The Yamazaki Distillery is the easiest of the two distilleries to access. The distillery is located between Osaka (about 30 minutes by train) and Kyoto (about 15 minutes by train), and then an easy 10 minute walk. As shown in the picture above, the distillery is located adjacent to the main Japan Rail (JR) train tracks between Osaka and Kyoto. If you travel on the frequent trains between the Osaka and Kyoto on the JR Kyoto Line, you'll see the factory from the train. After the tour, you can walk into the town of Yamazaki to eat before catching a return train. The town of Yamazaki also has two train stations: Yamazaki for Japan Rail (JR Kyoto Line for those using the JR Pass) and Oyamazaki for the private Hankyu train line (Hankyu-Kyoto Line). The trains are frequent and both stations are an easy walk from the Yamazaki distillery.
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| Bus Stop For Hakushu Distillery, JR Kobuchizawa Station, Kouchizawa, Japan |
Suntory Hakushu Distillery Access
Visiting the Hakushu Distillery is a day trip by the Limited Express Azusa train from Tokyo's Shinjuku Station on JR's Chūō Main Line. The Limited Express Azusa trains run infrequently, about one train per hour, so visiting the distillery requires advanced planning to coordinate all the transportation schedules needed to visit from, and then return to Tokyo. The one-way train trip takes about two hours (depending upon which limited express train used) to and from Kobuchizawa Station. Kobuchizawa is located in the Japanese Alps, so the train ride and area is very scenic.
At Kobuchizawa Station, there's a Suntory supplied bus that will take 20 minutes from the station to the distillery. You should queue for the bus after getting off the train in order to get a place on the bus. The bus only runs on weekends late-March to December (so plan your visit for a weekend during this time period), and runs every day from mid-July to early-September.
- Note
- The bus schedule with running dates and times can be found at this website:
- The Suntory bus runs on weekends and holidays only from mid-March to late-December (see the bus schedule website for the exact dates).
- The Suntory bus runs every day from mid-July to early-September (see the bus schedule website for the exact dates).
- The Suntory bus is boarded on a first-come, first-served basis, so queue immediately after exiting Kobuchizawa Station. If the bus is full you will need to wait for the next bus or take a taxi to the distillery.
- When the Suntory bus isn't running, you will need to take a taxi or local bus to the distillery. There is a local bus stop near the distillery which is a 10 minute walk from the factory.
Since the distillery is located 20 minutes from the town of Kobuchizawa and the distillery is in the mountains, there aren't many choices for places to eat. Fortunately the Hakushu Distillery has a very good reasonably priced restaurant serving seasonal Japanese dishes on site. The White Terrace Restaurant has English menus and is a good choice for a meal before catching the return bus to Kobuchizawa Station. Again it's important to queue for the bus, since boarding is on a first-come first served basis, and you don't want to miss catching one of the infrequent limited express trains back to Tokyo at Kobuchizawa Station.
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| White Terrace Restaurant, Suntory Hakushu Distillery, Kobuchizawa, Japan |
Limited Time? Which Distillery Should I Visit?
If you have limited time or don't want to visit both distilleries, which one should you visit?
Having visited both distilleries and if I had to pick just one to visit, I would choose the Yamazaki distillery. While the tours are similar at the two distilleries, Yamazaki is "where Japanese whiskey was born". If you want to bring back a unique whiskey from Japan, the company store stocks the single malt whiskey produced and used in the tasting, and is only available for purchase at the Yamazaki distillery. The Yamazaki factory also can be visited from Osaka, Kyoto, and Tokyo, and it's an easy 10 min. walk from the Kobuchizawa Station.
Regardless of which distillery you choose to visit, I recommend that you try to reserve the first tour of the day. Taking the first Yamazaki tour gives you the afternoon to see other sights after lunch, and taking the first Hakushu tour gives you the opportunity to have lunch at the on-site White Terrace Restaurant before returning.
To visit either distillery, a Japan Rail (JR) pass is essential (although you could pay cash for the train trip). You can actually tour either or both distilleries if you're staying in Tokyo. From Tokyo, the Yamazaki distillery is over 3 hours by Shinkansen and train, and can be included on a day trip itinerary to see Kyoto or Osaka. While the Hakushu distillery is a little over 2 hours away by limited express train from Tokyo's Shinjuku Station, you'll need to go on a weekend or holiday in order to use the Suntory bus that takes you to the distillery (unless you go from mid-July to early-September). If you're staying in the Kyoto/Osaka area (also known as the Kansai area), then the Yamazaki distillery would be the choice since the distillery is located between the two cities.
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| Maple Leaves and Bamboo Grove, Suntory Yamazaki Distillery, Yamazaki, Japan |
Suntory Yamazaki Distillery Information and Access
Name:
- Suntory Yamazaki Distillery
Address:
- 5-chōme-2-1 Yamazaki, Shimamoto-chō, Mishima-gun, Ōsaka-fu 618-0001, Japan
- 〒618-0001 大阪府三島郡島本町山崎５丁目２−１
Access:
- The train trip is fully covered by the Japan Rail (JR) Pass.
- Japan Rail Pass (7-, 14-, 21-day):
- Valid for travel throughout Japan on Japan Rail (with some exceptions).
- Purchase outside of Japan.
- Must show passport and have a short-term (90 day) visitor's stamp to redeem at selected airports and rail stations. (This is changing)
- Once activated, must be used on consecutive days (i.e. cannot skip days).
- Website: https://japanrailpass.net/en/.
- Take the train to Yamazaki Station:
- From Kyoto
- Approximately 15 mins. via local or rapid service train from Kyoto Station.
- ¥220 (all seats Unreserved).
- From Osaka
- Approximately 30 mins. via local train from Osaka Station.
- ¥460 (all seats Unreserved).
- From Tokyo
- Approximately 170 mins. via Shinkansen Hikari from Tokyo to Kyoto Station.
- ¥13080 (Unreserved)
- ¥13400 (Reserved)
- ¥18380 (Green Seat)
- Transfer to a local or rapid service train at Kyoto Station - see "From Kyoto" above.
- Walk 10 mins. to the distillery. The path to the factory from the station is well marked.
- All times and costs are valid at the time this article was published and are subject to change.
Hours and Admission Fee:
- Advanced reservations are required to visit the distillery.
- Reservations can be made 3 months in advance (including the current month) and up to one day before visiting. So if you want to visit in October, reservations are accepted starting at 09:30, 1 August (Japan time). Make your reservations as soon as possible since the tours are very popular and fill-up quickly (especially on weekends and holidays).
- Tour descriptions and advanced web reservations (English) can be found at:
- Reservations can also be made by phone by someone who can speak Japanese (e.g. your hotel concierge).
- There are three types of reservations (tour times vary throughout the year, so check the tour website for the current times):
- Yamazaki Factory Tour
- Includes factory tour and whiskey tasting.
- Start times: 9:50, 10:30 (holidays only), 11:00, 12:20, 13:30, and 14:50.
- 80 mins.
- ¥1000.
- The Story of Yamazaki
- Includes factory tour and whiskey tasting.
- One tour only: 13:00.
- 100 mins.
- ¥2000.
- Yamazaki Whiskey Museum Viewing
- No factory tour or whiskey tasting.
- Use this option to only visit the company store.
- Hourly viewing start times from: 10:00 to 16:00.
- Free.
- All reservations include the opportunity to visit the company store (10:00-16:45). If you just want to visit the company store, choose a Yamazaki Whiskey Museum Viewing reservation time.
- Web reservations get a confirmation email with a reservation number and instructions, which must be presented at Visitor Reception upon your arrival.
- No one under 20 years of age is allowed entry, so children cannot accompany adults.
- Reservation fee, if any, is payable in cash only at Visitor Reception when you present your reservation confirmation number.
- Your reservation may be cancelled if you are late.
- The Japanese are extremely punctual. In fact, it is considered extremely rude to be late for an appointment.
- Plan on arriving early and do not be late.
- Visitor Reception will ask how you arrived at the factory. If you arrived by car, motorcycle, or bicycle (drivers and passengers), you will not be allowed to consume any alcohol and will be given non-alcoholic beverages in accordance with Japanese law. This is also true if you are pregnant.
Websites:
- The official Suntory Yamazaki Distillery website:
- The Suntory Yamazaki Distillery tour description and reservation website:
- Plan your train trip using Hyperdia:
- Japan Rail Pass (7-, 14-, 21-day):
Map:
Suntory Hakushu Distillery Information and Access
Name:
- Suntory Hakushu Distillery
Address:
- 2913-1 Hakushūchō Torihara, Hokuto-shi, Yamanashi-ken 408-0316, Japan
- 〒408-0316 山梨県北杜市白州町鳥原2913-1
Access:
- The train trip is fully covered by the Japan Rail (JR) Pass.
- Japan Rail Pass (7-, 14-, 21-day):
- Valid for travel throughout Japan on Japan Rail (with some exceptions).
- Purchase outside of Japan.
- Must show passport and have a short-term (90 day) visitor's stamp to redeem at selected airports and rail stations. (This is changing)
- Once activated, must be used on consecutive days (i.e. cannot skip days).
- Website: https://japanrailpass.net/en/.
- Take the train to Kobuchizawa Station:
- From Tokyo (Shinjuku Station)
- Approximately 120 mins. via Limited Express Azusa
- All seats reserved:
- ¥5220 (Reserved)
- ¥6760 (Green Seat)
- Exit Kobuchizawa Station, turn left, and go to the Suntory Bus Stop (the last bus stop).
- The Suntory Bus runs every day from mid-July to early-September, only runs on weekends and holidays from mid-March to late-December, and takes approximately 20 mins.
- Taxis and a local bus are the only other transportation options to the distillery.
- The Suntory bus schedule with the exact running dates and times can be found here:
- All times and costs are valid at the time this article was published and are subject to change.
Hours and Admission Fee:
- Advanced reservations are required to visit the distillery.
- Reservations can be made 3 months in advance (including the current month) and up to one day before visiting. So if you want to visit in October, reservations are accepted starting at 09:30, 1 August (Japan time). Make your reservations as soon as possible since the tours are very popular and fill-up quickly (especially on weekends and holidays).
- Tour descriptions and advanced web reservations (English) can be found at:
- There are three types of reservations (tour times vary throughout the year, so check the tour website for the current times):
- Hakushu Distillery Tour
- Includes factory tour and whiskey tasting.
- Start times: 10:30, 11:30, 12:30, 13:00 (weekends and holidays only), 13:30, and 14:30.
- 80 mins.
- ¥1000.
- Hakushu MORIKAORU Highball Experience
- No factory tour.
- Includes whiskey tasting.
- Start times: 10:50, 13:50, 14:50 (weekends and holidays only).
- 25 mins.
- ¥500.
- Distillery Viewing
- No factory tour or whiskey tasting.
- Use this option to only visit the company store.
- Half-hourly viewing start times from: 9:30 to 16:00.
- Free.
- All reservations include the opportunity to visit the company store (9:30-16:30). If you just want to visit the company store, choose a Distillery Viewing reservation time.
- Reservations are not required to eat at the White Terrace Restaurant (9:30-17:00; last order: 16:00), but you must choose a tour reservation time for access to the distillery grounds to go to the restaurant.
- Web reservations get a confirmation email with a reservation number and instructions, which must be presented at Visitor Reception upon your arrival.
- No one under 20 years of age is allowed entry, so children cannot accompany adults.
- Reservation fee, if any, is payable in cash only at Visitor Reception when you present your reservation confirmation number.
- Your reservation may be cancelled if you are late.
- The Japanese are extremely punctual. In fact, it is considered extremely rude to be late for an appointment.
- Plan on arriving early and do not be late.
- Visitor Reception will ask how you arrived at the factory. If you arrived by car, motorcycle, or bicycle (drivers and passengers), you will not be allowed to consume any alcohol and will be given non-alcoholic beverages in accordance with Japanese law. This is also true if you are pregnant.
Websites:
- The official Suntory Hakushu Distillery website:
- The Suntory Hakushu Distillery tour description and reservation website:
- The Suntory Hakushu Distillery bus schedule can be found at this website:
- Plan your train trip using Hyperdia:
- Japan Rail Pass (7-, 14-, 21-day):
Map:
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