Which distillery did Japanese whisky pioneer Masataka Taketsuru establish in Hokkaido in 1934?

Masataka Taketsuru established Yoichi Distillery in Hokkaido in 1934.

Taketsuru had studied whisky-making in Scotland during the 1910s and later helped develop Japan’s first commercial malt whisky production at Yamazaki. He founded his own company, initially called Dai Nippon Kaju, in 1934 and chose Yoichi in Hokkaido for his new distillery.

Yoichi’s coastal location, cool climate, and water were important factors in the site selection. The distillery became the foundation of what is now Nikka Whisky Distilling. Its production methods include direct coal-fired heating of its stills, a traditional technique that contributes to the character of its malt whisky.

Yoichi is often mixed up with Miyagikyo, another Nikka distillery. Miyagikyo was established later, in 1969, in Honshu and generally produces a softer style. Yamazaki, meanwhile, belongs to Suntory and predates Yoichi as Japan’s first commercial malt whisky distillery.