Yamazaki Distillery — founded in 1923 by Shinjiro Torii of Suntory, with Masataka Taketsuru as its first master distiller — is the birthplace of Japanese whisky. Located at the confluence of three rivers south of Kyoto, in an area historically prized for its soft, pure water, it remains one of the most significant distilleries in Asia.
Why Yamazaki Was Built Here
The valley at the meeting of the Katsura, Uji, and Kizu rivers creates a microclimate of high humidity and significant seasonal temperature variation — ideal for maturation. The tea master Sen no Rikyu praised the water here in the 16th century. Taketsuru, freshly returned from studying in Scotland, recognised immediately that this site could produce a whisky with genuine character.
Japanese Mizunara Oak
Yamazaki’s most distinctive feature is its use of Japanese Mizunara oak casks — extremely rare, extremely porous, and capable of imparting a sandalwood and incense quality found nowhere else in the whisky world. Mizunara matures whisky differently: the resinous wood works slowly, and bottles aged primarily in Mizunara carry a complexity that is genuinely Japanese in character.
Mika’s Perspective
Yamazaki is where Japanese whisky began. At Bar Little Happiness, I stock multiple expressions — from the accessible 12 Year Old to older and rarer releases. For visitors to Hiroshima who want to understand why Japanese whisky became a global phenomenon, Yamazaki is the essential starting point. Read the original Japanese column: https://little-happiness.jp/columns/the-yamazaki-distillery-experience/
Bar Little Happiness | Hiroshima, Japan
Rum & Whisky specialists | 1,000+ bottles | English menu available
Open Mon–Sat 7PM–12:30AM, Sun 7PM–midnight
No cover charge. Walk-ins welcome.
english.little-happiness.jp