6/18/2023 0 Comments Nikka whiskey distillery tour![]() Several interesting displays include photographs and household items of Taketsuru and his Scottish wife, whom he met in Scotland and who moved to Hokkaido with him to help found his business. Toward the end of the tour is a museum which focuses on the history of the company and the life of its founder. Guided tours are also available but are only provided in Japanese. Some of the equipment along the tour, such as the large copper distillation tanks, is still used today. Visitors can learn about the different steps taken to produce whisky from English information displays and audio guides. A self-guided walking tour of the grounds takes about an hour and follows the whisky making process from start to finish. And it still maintains many of its original stone buildings making it especially pleasant to visit.īoth guided tours (Japanese only) and self guided tours are available, and whats even better, they are both free of charge. Many of Nikka’s finest whiskies have been made at this distillery. The distillery is in the small town of Yoichi, just outside of Sapporo, the location was chosen because of its proximity to clear water, brisk air and rich peat. ![]() The pot stills are heated with finely powdered natural coal, the traditional method that is hardly ever used today, even in Scotland. Yoichi still follows the old traditions of whisky making Masataka learned while in Scotland just after world war one. The Distillery itself was opened up in 1934 by Masataka Taketsuru, it is the first distillery opened by Nikka and Japan’s northernmost distillery, the location was chosen because the climate is most similar to Scottish climate you can get in Japan. In fact it is currently the second most popular attraction in Hokkaido according to trip advisor, if you are a whisky fan and are in Japan, or if you are planning a trip there, seeing it is a must. It should therefore come as no surprise that interest in visiting the Nikka Yoichi distillery in Hokkaido, which hosts among other attractions a small museum dedicated to Masataka and Rita has gone up. Nikka has featured quite prominently in the news for the past few months following the popularity of the NKH morning show Massan about the live of it’s founder Masataka Taketsuru and his wife Rita. ![]()
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