If you think a winery can satisfy a social drinker like myself, you are totally wrong. Next stop: Yoichi Distillery, the birth place of some of the most famous whiskey, such as Nikka whiskey, Yoichi whiskey, and Taketsuru whiskey, just to name a few. Here is some history:

In 1918, a young Japanese man with an ambition to make genuine whisky went alone to Scotland to unveil the secret of whisky making. He is Masataka Taketsuru, the founder of Nikka Whisky. Photo Father of Japanese Whisky Masataka Taketsuru (1894-1979) Photo Given the chance to go to Scotland, Masataka became the first Japanese ever to master how to make whisky. He enrolled at the University of Glasgow, took chemistry courses and then apprenticed at three Scotch distilleries. The young and passionate man was fortunate to learn first-hand from craftsmen and have practical trainings to master blending. The two notebooks filled with every detail later became Japan’s very first guide in whisky production.