Japanese whisky
From the sacred peak of Fuji
Where the water goddess dwells
Spun from the eternal, offered to the world
Creating the World’s Finest Whisky
A unique level of commitment
Individuality of the distiller
Maturation environment
A unique level of commitment
Natural mineral water from Mt. Fuji
Water is held to be the prime ingredient for whisky. Snowmelt from Mt. Fuji is filtered over many decades by seven layers of basalt. We draw up this refined natural water and use in unchanged for our distilling.
Direct-fired distilling
At our Fugaku Distillery, we insist on using direct fire for the initial distilling. Using direct flame toasts the moromi, the fermented malt (wash), creating an aromatic, strongly-scented new pot.
Wooden barrel fermentation
Fermentation in wooden barrels allows the complex fermentation of yeast and lactobacillus to form even more creative malts.
Individuality of the distiller
Our distillers come from many different backgrounds, but they all believe in the importance of trying new challenges through their own creativity. Each distiller is given the best possible environment so they can hone their skills.
Maturation environment
Located 1,000 meters above sea level, surrounded by extensive green forests. With a cool climate year-round and a moist land where fog is common, this is the perfect environment for maturation. Here, over time, we create the ne plus ultra of fine whisky.
Founder’s Vision
Chairman
Naoya Kinoshita
We opened the Fugaku Distillery at the northern foot of Mt. Fuji, where underground water from the mountain collects, in pursuit of a magnificent dream: creating a luxurious whisky showcasing Japan’s finest water source, the water beneath Mt. Fuji.
Crystal-clear, natural water from Mt. Fuji, wooden fermentation barrels, direct-fired distillation, and an ideal maturation and storage environment provided by nature amidst the sprawling forests of Mt. Fuji. Selecting the finest equipment and environment for whisky fermentation, we aspired to create the greatest whisky in the world and gathered highly motivated, expert distillers from all over Japan.
We continue the traditional distillery processes developed by the wisdom and ingenuity of those who came before us, while also incorporating the creativity and ambition of the younger generation now leading us into a new age. Here at the northern foot of Mt. Fuji, we are creating the next Japanese whisky to offer the world with pride.
Managing Director
Shohei Sasakawa
The Sasakawa family operated a sake brewery in Minoh, Osaka Prefecture beginning in the Edo period (1603-1867). As my grandfather, Ryoichi, and my father, Yohei, devoted themselves to endeavors for the betterment of society — seeking to contribute to Japan’s growth as a nation — this business stayed in the family for over 100 years.
I grew fond of rugby back in my college days, and I was drawn into British culture. On a visit to Scotland, I had my first sip of aqua vitae and was amazed by the rich flavor. This experience inspired me to become a whisky distiller. I toured numerous distilleries to study how each whisky’s flavor was shaped by its unique brewing process and surrounding natural environment.
I opened the Fugaku Distillery in Fujiyoshida as a return to our family’s brewery business roots. Drawing on our extensive whisky-brewing expertise, we follow sophisticated distilling traditions requiring intense effort and training. Here, we produce Japanese whisky in the bountiful natural environment surrounding the sacred Mt. Fuji.
By bringing together our individual ideas, our common aim is to create the Japanese whisky the world wants next.
What Our Logo & Corporate Color Represent
Our logo combines images of Fujisan and the Sasakawa family crest. It embodies our aspiration to craft whisky in harmony with nature, over a very long time.
Our corporate color is a traditional Japanese color called tetsukon (iron dark blue), which originated in the Edo period, the era when the Sasakawas went into the sake brewing business. It is also known as a color of liveliness or victory, and thus expresses our desire to fully activate the yeast we use, as well as our robustly and richly flavored whisky.
Corporate Data
Name
SASAKAWA WHISKY CO., LTD.
Location
Fugaku Distillery:
4918-1 Kamiyoshida, Fujiyoshida-shi, Yamanashi 403-0005, Japan
Tokyo Office:
Room 204, PMO Shibuya II, 3-1-1 Shibuya, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo 150-0002, Japan
Founded
March 2021
Chairman
Naoya Kinoshita
Managing Director
Shohei Sasakawa
Director
Takao Sasakawa
Visiting Us
Fugaku Distillery
4918-1 Kamiyoshida, Fujiyoshida-shi, Yamanashi Prefecture, Japan 403-0005
Car
8 minutes from the Chuo Expressway’s Kawaguchiko Interchange
Bus
Take an expressway bus to Kawaguchiko Station and then take a taxi (10 min., 5.4 km)
Train
Ride to Fujisan Station and then take a taxi (10 min., 4.3 km)
Tokyo Office
Room 204, PMO Shibuya II, 3-1-1 Shibuya, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo, Japan 150-0002
Train
Our office is a 6-minute walk from Shibuya Station on the JR Yamanote Line, or a 4-minute walk from Exit C1 of Shibuya Station on the Tokyo Metro’s Ginza, Fukutoshin, and Hanzomon Lines, or Tokyu’s Toyoko and Den-en-toshi Lines.
Using direct-fire distillation pot stills made with exquisite design and craftsmanship, we make the finest spirits with the rich taste only direct fire can give.
Our washback of select Oregon pine create the unique, complex fermentation only wood barrels can give.
Visitors passing through the front entrance are greeted by the name Fugaku Distillery, beautifully displayed against warm wood.
The first floor of our warehouse features an expansive wood deck, a refined space for basking in the vast nature of Fuji.
In this rich natural environment in the shadow of Fuji, our whisky is matured slowly and carefully as the seasons pass.
In our Authentic Lounge, with all mizunara oak furniture, you can enjoy whisky with a view of the casks in which it matures.
The last rays of the setting sun envelop the forest in stillness, showcasing the beautiful shape of our distillery.
Visitors to our warehouse are greeted by a logo crowned with the sacred peak of Fuji.
Our whisky matures slowly, developing its deep, complex palate amidst the harsh natural environment of the foothills of Fuji’s sacred peak.
