Rokkosan Distillery in Kobe is one of very few whisky distilleries in the Kansai region, so if you’re staying in Kobe or Osaka, it might be worth checking out. There are, though, two things I should probably mention before you read on. Firstly, Rokkosan Distillery is located on top of a mountain so getting there…

Travelling the Golden Route and looking for a guided whisky tasting? Here’s a brief guide to whisky tasting experiences in Tokyo, Osaka and Kyoto, including my own tastings in Kyoto. They’re all quite different from each other, so choosing the right one for you depends on what you’re looking for in a tasting. Do you…

Nagahama Distillery is a tiny whisky distillery (and beer brewery) located about an hour east of Kyoto. It’s well worth a visit, and they do offer tours, but I should mention that according to their website, for safety reasons they sometimes decline tour applications from “individuals for whom sufficient communication in Japanese is difficult”. I…

It’s fair to say that Japanese whisky is popular these days. So popular, in fact, that it can be hard to get, even in Japan! But what is Japanese whisky actually? Is it Scotch’s distant cousin, or something completely different? And why have prices shot up in the last few years? If you want to…

Every Japanese whisky distillery with public tours — where they are and which ones you can visit across Japan

A local guide to Kyoto whisky bars: cover charges, etiquette, and the best places to drink Japanese whisky or whisky in general

Yamazaki sold out? Here are the best Japanese whisky (and gin) distilleries and near Kyoto and Osaka