Yamazaki Suntory Whiskey Distillery

Tour a whiskey library, distillery and aging cellar

Cathy Cawood Jun 07, 2014 - 1 min read

<p>Statues of Yamazaki whiskey Distillery's founders stand in the well manicured garden</p>

<p>Now that's an unusual garden ornament!</p>

<p>Wooden shelves lined with whiskey bottles create a wonderful atmosphere</p>

<p>Have you ever wanted to see inside a whiskey still?</p>

<p>This is where they make the whiskey  </p>

<p>The smell of whiskey is very strong in the aging cellar</p>

<p>This whiskey is as old as I am! You can search for your birth year among the barrels.  </p>

<p>Barrels of whiskey stored for aging</p>

I've done this tour twice with groups of friends, and it is a wonderful way to spend half a day. Even people who don't like whiskey will surely be interested in the history and the wonderful atmosphere of the place. The tour is in Japanese, but headphone sets with English are available on request. At the end of the tour you even get to sample some of the whiskey! I discovered that I like whiskey very much, and I was surprised at how much variation in taste there is between different kinds. There is a store where you can buy some whiskey to take home.

You should make a reservation before you go.

More info

Find out more about Suntory Yamazaki Distillery.

Cathy Cawood @cathy.cawood

I came to Japan in 2003 to teach English. I lived in Shiga prefecture for 1 year, and it still holds a special place in my heart. I lived in Kyoto for 9 years, then moved to Machida, Tokyo in 2014 after meeting my Japanese partner. I love to take photos, and my Japan in Pictures Facebook page ha...