The Japanese Whisky Distillery Atlas

There are a ton of Japanese whiskies for sale. But too many are just imported whisky with a Japanese label. This page is an atlas and directory of whisky distilleries that are actually located in Japan and making Japanese whisky.

Hokkaido

Tohoku

Chubu

Kanto

Kansai

Chugoku

Kyushu & Okinawa

Whisky Map of Japan

Hokkaido Whisky Distilleries

Yoichi Distillery – Nikka Whisky

Nikka Yoichi is a legendary distillery. It was built by Nikka founder and Japanese whisky godfather Masataka Taketsuru in 1936. Yoichi whiskies are modeled after Scotch and typically have a somewhat peaty character.

Yoichi uses direct-fired pot stills to make malt whisky. 

Hokkaido Akkeshi Distillery

The Akkeshi Distillery was completed in 2016. The distillery produces Islay-like malt whisky with a peaty character. 

The distillery is small with just a wash and a spirit still. Most of the Akkeshi-brand whiskies are single malt. But a few blended whiskies are made too using imported grain whisky. 

Niseko Distillery – Hakkaisan

Sake-maker Hakkaisan’s new gin and whisky distillery is based in Niseko, Hokkaido. It was completed in late 2020, and the distilling of whisky began in early 2021. 

Rishiri Distillery – Kamui Whisky

The Rishiri Distillery is located on Rishiri Island, Hokkaido. This tiny distillery was just completed (2022), and whisky distillation started in September 2022. 

Tohoku Whisky Distilleries

Yuza Distillery

The tiny Yuza Distillery started distilling whisky in 2018. Forsyths pot stills are used to make malt whisky. 

Miyagikyo Distillery – Nikka Whisky

The Miyagikyo Distillery (Nikka Whisky Sendai Factory) is Nikka’s second. It was built in 1969. 

The distillery used pot stills to produce single malt whisky. Some of the malt is blended with Yoichi malt to make the Taketsuru pure malt brand. And Miyagikyo also has an old-school Coffey still for making grain whisky. 

Miyagikyo whiskies are fruitier than Yoichi with minimal peat influence.

Asaka Distillery – Sasanokawa 

The Asaka Distillery was established in 2016 by Sasanokawa Shuzo. The company held Tohoku’s first whisky license for the defunct Yamazakura Distillery. But they mainly produced fake whisky under the Yamazakura brand (and still do). 

The distillery has a wash and a spirit still. The Asaka whiskies are authentic. Yamazakura, Sasakawa, and Cherry are three prominent brands made from imported whisky. 

Chubu Whisky Distilleries

Yoshida Denzai

Yoshida Denzai is a brand-new grain whisky distillery in Niigata. There aren’t many grain distilleries in Japan and a reason why so many Japanese brands use imported grain whisky. The company intends to produce its own craft whiskies. So we’ll see if they sell to other Japanese distilleries. But if they did, it would mean more authentic Japanese blended whisky–a rarity.

The distillery is equipped with a 100kl Kothe hybrid still. And currently, Hokkaido corn is the main whisky ingredient.

Niigata Kameda Distillery

The Niigata Kameda Distillery was founded in 2019 in Niigata City, Niigata. It’s currently selling unfinished casks and new make malt whisky. 

Niigata Kameda is equipped with copper Forsyths pot stills.

The Shinobu Distillery

The Shinobu is a fake Japanese whisky brand made entirely from imported whiskies. The company makes the list because it built a distillery and has been distilling whisky since 2019. Almost all of the Shinobu whisky is still fake, but in time authentic whiskies will be available.

Wakatsuru Saburomaru Distillery

This Toyama distillery was built in 1952 but fell into disrepair. However, it was restored in 2017. And in 2019, novel ZEMON cast copper-tin alloy pot stills were installed. 

Besides the authentic Saburomaru whiskies, the company makes Moon Glow and the Sunshine fake Japanese whisky brand. 

Shinshu Distillery – Mars Whisky

The Mars Shinshu Distillery was built in 1985 near Mount Komagatake. But it was mothballed from 1992-2011 due to a lack of demand. 

After the famous Nikka and Suntory distilleries, Shinshu is among the most important. Most Mars Whiskies are authentic, though some use portions of imported whisky (Cosmo, Lucky Cat). 

Karuizawa Distillery

The Karuizawa Distillery of Saitama is legendary. It launched in 1955, but unfortunately, whisky production stopped in 2000. The distillery’s four pot stills and other equipment were sold in 2011/12. 

But some Karuizawa whisky remains and is often sold by bottlers for extremely high prices. 

  • Brands: Karuizawa, Asama
  • Official Site
  • Map

Iiyama Mountain Farm Distillery

The tiny Iiyama Mountain Farm Distillery is located in Iiyama, Nagano. It was licensed in 2019 to make whisky. And currently, it sells the fake Japanese whisky brands Nobushi and Kensei. 

Hakushu Distillery – Suntory Whisky

The iconic Hakushu Distillery in Yamanashi is Suntory’s second. It was launched in 1973 and is equipped with copper pot stills in a variety of sizes and designs. The wide array of styles is then blended into a very complex single malt whisky. 

Fuji Hokuroku Distillery

Fuji Hokuroku is a new distillery that’s been making whisky since mid-2020. A stainless steel shochu pot still is used. 

Currently, canned highballs and Daijukai brand whisky is made at the distillery. 

Fuji Gotemba Distillery – Kirin Whisky

Fuji Gotemba is located near Mt Fuji in Shizuoka. The distillery was founded in 1972 by Kirin. It’s a cool site that can produce Scotch-like whisky. 

The distillery is equipped with pot and column stills, so it can make malt and grain whisky. And it’s Fuji Gotemba’s grain whiskies that have endeared it most with whisky enthusiasts. They’re some of the world’s best.

Shizuoka Distillery

The Shizuoka Distillery is one of Japan’s most exciting new producers. Construction was completed in 2016 and production started shortly after. 

One reason for the hype around this distillery is it’s using Karuizawa Distillery equipment, including pot stills. Most Japanese whisky enthusiasts can’t afford to purchase any remaining bottles of Karuizawa. But the Shizuoka Distillery offers a hand-crafted, younger alternative. 

Ikawa Distillery

This Shizuoka distillery is located in a remote section of the prefecture. Production started in 2020, but there won’t be any whisky for sale until 2026! 

The Ikawa Distillery also has its own cooperage using local wood. The distillery team uses interesting local types of wood like chestnut for their casks. New and used casks are bought-in too. 

  • Brands: 
  • Official Site
  • Map

Chita Distillery – Suntory Whisky

The Chita is Suntory’s grain distillery. It’s located outside of Nagoya, Aichi on the Chita Peninsula. It’s a large factory built in 1972. Corn is the primary ingredient.

The Chita’s grain whiskies are the backbone of Suntory blended whiskies like Hibiki, Kakubin, and Toki. Suntory also sells Chita single grain whiskies, as well. 

Kanto Whisky Distilleries

Chichibu Distillery – Ichiro’s Malt Whisky

Ichiro’s Akuto is the biggest name in Japanese whisky. His Ichiro’s Malt whiskies are among the best from Japan. But even though the Chichibu Distillery was founded only in 2008, the success of Ichiro’s Malt whisky goes back further with Akuto’s family distillery: Hanyu. 

Using stocks of Hanyu whisky, Akuto successfully launched his new brand. Very quickly, his brand became the leader of the Japanese craft whisky movement. 

  • Brands: Ichiro’s Malt
  • Official Site
  • Map

Hanyu Distillery

The original Hanyu Distillery of Saitama is legendary. And adding to its status, it’s been closed since 2000. The distillery was dismantled and all of the equipment and whisky stocks were sold off (see Chichibu Distillery). 

The distillery’s founder, Toa Shuzo, recently recreated the original pot stills and launched a new Hanyu Distillery in 2021. These whiskies aren’t old enough yet, but the company continues to sell its venerable import-based Golden Horse brand. 

Hikari Distillery

The new Hikari Distillery is located in Saitama, but close to Tokyo. It houses a pair of copper pot stills where it makes malt whisky. Either 2025 or 2026 is the earliest any Hikari whisky will be available. 

Nukuda Brewery – Kiuchi

The Nukuda Brewery is primarily used for beer manufacturing (Hitachino’s Nest). But in 2015, the facility was licensed to distill whisky and gin. Production began the following year. 

Nukuda houses a 1000-liter copper hybrid still to make malt whisky. And presumably, the hybrid still could produce grain whisky, as well. 

Yasato Distillery – Kiuchi

The Yasato Distillery is owned by brewer Kiuchi Shuzo and was built in 2019. It houses copper pot stills for distilling malt whisky. 

Kawasaki Distillery

The Kawasaki Distillery was Mercian corporation’s grain distillery. And its sibling distillery Karuizawa made malt whisky. A very powerful duo. 

Unfortunately, a severe downturn in Japanese whisky happened and the two distilleries closed. 

  • Brands: Kawasaki
  • Official Site
  • Map

Kansai Whisky Distilleries

Nagahama Distillery

The Nagahama Distillery is supposedly Japan’s smallest. It sits on the shores of Lake Biwa in Nagahama, Shiga. 

Nagahama is equipped with two small pot stills. And they produce their own Nagahama brand, plus Amahagan world blend. 

Yamazaki Distillery – Suntory Whisky

Yamazaki is the OG Japanese whisky distillery. It was founded by whisky god Shinjiro Torii. And amazingly, Masataka Taketsuru was in charge of building the distillery and making its first whiskies. The Yamazaki Distillery began operations in 1923. It’s the biggest distillery in Japan and the most famous. 

The distillery uses a variety of copper pot stills and makes malt whisky with a fruity, soft, and smooth style. Yamazaki whisky is used to make the eponymous single malts. The distillery’s malt whisky is also used in blends like Hibiki, Toki, and Kakubin.

White Oak Distillery – Eigashima Shuzo – Akashi Whisky

Eigashima Shuzo is a large sake producer from Akashi, Hyogo, and they held the first whisky distillery license in Japan in 1919. But they didn’t start making high-quality whisky until launching the White Oak Distillery in 1984. 

Two copper pot stills are used to make malt whisky at the White Oak Distillery. Eigashima also used imported grain whisky to make blended whisky. All of their single malts are made 100% in-house. 

Shiki Shuzo

The Shiki Shuzo is a Hyogo-based OEM whisky manufacturer licensed in May 2020. Details are scarce but having wholesale Japanese whisky distilleries is very good for the industry and us enthusiasts. 

Rokkosan Distillery

Rokkosan began distilling in July 2021. The distillery sits atop the Rokko Mountains above Kobe. 

Right now, Rokkosan is offering in-house new make. But it’s also selling Rokko pure malt fake Japanese whisky. 

Chugoku Whisky Distilleries

Okayama Distillery

The Okayama Distillery was founded in 2011 by the Miyashita Sake Brewery. The company also makes the Doppo beer brand and expanded to whisky making for the 90th anniversary.

The distillery is equipped with a copper hybrid still which is used to make malt whisky. 

Kurayoshi Distillery – Matsui Whisky

The Kurayoshi Distillery is easily the most controversial name on this list. The company behind the brand, Matsui Shuzo, has been selling fake Japanese whisky for years, long before they had a distillery. To play devil’s advocate: Suntory started doing this almost a century before, so the practice isn’t new. Most whisky companies in Japan have done this at some point in time or still do.

Today, the Matsui brand of single malts is authentic and pretty good. The Tottori and Kurayoshi brands are still made from imported whisky. 

Sakurao Distillery

The Sakurao Distillery is another project funded by sales of a fake whisky brand: Togouchi. But now the company (Chugoku Jozo) has a real distillery and it looks legit. Authentic single malt Sakurao whiskies are starting the hit the market and show promise. The Togouchi whiskies are still made from imported whisky.

Kyushu and Okinawan Whisky Distilleries

Shindo Distillery – Shinozaki 

Shinozaki is a shochu distillery in Fukuoka responsible for the famous Sennen no Nemuri brand.The company is known for its barley spirits, so it makes sense they would expand into whisky production. Currently, the Shindo Distillery makes Takamine, a koji whisky, as well as conventional whiskies with malted barley. 

Kuju Distillery

The Kuju Distillery began distillation in early 2021 after taking over a defunct sake brewery. The distillery is equipped with two small to mid-sized copper Forsyths pot stills. The project looks promising.

Yamaga Distillery

Yamaga is a Kumamoto whisky distillery completed in late 2021. The facilities use copper pot stills to make malt whisky. Currently, only new make is sold by the company until its whisky stocks have more age. 

Osuzuyama Distillery

Osuzuyama is another new distillery located on Kyushu island. The company uses locally grown barley to make malt whisky. But currently, only new make is for sale. 

Kanosuke Distillery

The Kanosuke Distillery began operations in 2017. It’s owned by shochu maker Komasa Jyozo which is famous for the Kozuru shochu line.

The distillery is equipped with three copper pot stills with different shapes to produce malt whisky with different flavor profiles. Kanosuke is one of the most promising young distilleries in Japan. 

Hioki Distillery

The Hioki Distillery is also owned by Komasa Jyozo. In 2020, the distillery started distilling grain whisky. Having a grain distillery and malt distillery side by side allows Komasa to produce authentic blended whiskies. 

  • Brands: 
  • Official Site
  • Map

Ontake Distillery

The Ontake Distillery was created by the Satsuma shochu maker Nishi Shuzo. It has been distilling since late 2019. The goal is to make whisky in a lighter style.

Ontake has a pair of small-medium copper pot stills. The stills have an upward-sloping lyne arm. 

Tsunuki Distillery – Mars Whisky

The Tsunuki Distillery is the second active whisky distillery from Hombo Shuzo. It was completed in 2016 and distilled whisky by the end of the year. 

Tsunuki has two large pot stills and a hybrid still. So it can make malt and grain whisky. Its malt whisky also has a heavier style than Shinshu malt. 

Helios Distillery

Helios is a large Okinawan rum distillery founded in 1961. The company began making whisky around 1987. And after a break, the distillery resumed distillation in 2016.

Most Helios whisky is made from imported bulk whisky.

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