Japanese Whisky History [5/6]: Karuizawa, Hanyu & Chichibu

The 1990s and early 2000s marked the darkest era for the Japanese whisky industry. A severe economic crisis led to the closure of historic distilleries. Yet, from these very ashes rose some of the most legendary whiskies in the collector's world: the closed icons Karuizawa and Hanyu – and with Chichibu, the birth of the modern Japanese craft distillery movement.

The Deep Fall: The Whisky Crisis of the 1990s

After decades of boom, sales figures plummeted drastically starting in 1989. Tax reform suddenly made imported Scotch dirt cheap, while the Japanese economy entered a prolonged stagnation after the bursting of the bubble economy. Additionally, young consumers preferred beer, shochu, and cocktails.

Many distilleries massively curtailed production or shut down their facilities. Smaller traditional businesses could not survive the downturn.

Karuizawa (1955–2000): The Immortal Sherry Legend

In 1955, the company Daikoku Budoshu (later Mercian) built a distillery at the foot of the active volcano Asama in Karuizawa. The distillery focused on uncompromising quality: small stills, Golden Promise barley from Scotland, and almost exclusive maturation in Spanish sherry casks.

Originally intended as a strong heart for blends like Ocean Whisky, the distillery was closed in 2000 and later completely demolished. When independent bottlers like Number One Drinks acquired the remaining approximately 300 casks and released them as single cask bottlings, a global hype erupted. Today, original Karuizawa single casks fetch record sums in the five to six figures at auctions.

Hanyu and the Legendary "Card Series" (1980–2000)

A similar tragedy occurred at Hanyu in Saitama Prefecture. The traditional company Toa Shuzo had been distilling excellent malt whisky there since the 1980s. In 2000, Hanyu also had to stop distillation; in 2004, the entire remaining cask stock (around 400 casks) was to be disposed of.

This is where Ichiro Akuto, the founder's grandson, entered the scene. He borrowed money, rescued the casks from destruction, and gradually bottled them in a series that would become the most famous whisky series of all time: the Ichiro’s Malt Card Series (54 different bottles, corresponding to a complete deck of playing cards, including jokers). A complete set of the Card Series fetched an incredible 1.5 million US dollars at an auction in Hong Kong in 2020.

Chichibu (2008): The Spark of the Global Craft Revolution

With the proceeds from the Hanyu casks, Ichiro Akuto built his own state-of-the-art distillery in the mountains of Saitama in 2008: Chichibu.

Chichibu was the first new whisky distillery in Japan in over 30 years. From day one, Akuto focused on absolute transparency, handcrafted washbacks made from Japanese Mizunara oak, local barley, and precise cask management. Chichibu proved to the entire spirits world that young, masterfully crafted whisky can be on par with even decades-old bottlings.

Conclusion: From Loss to New Beginnings

The era of Lost Distilleries left painful gaps, but it sharpened awareness of the invaluable worth of artisanal maturation. Today, Japan is experiencing an unprecedented renaissance: dozens of new craft distilleries have emerged – inspired by the courage and vision of pioneers like Ichiro Akuto.

👉 Discover rare and limited Japanese whisky editions

Sources

• Stefan Van Eycken: Whisky Rising, Cider Mill Press, pp. 194–205, 246–275.
• Dave Broom: The Way of Whisky, Mitchell Beazley, pp. 136–138.
• Mamoru Tsuchiya: Japanese Whisky Yearbook 2023, pp. 26–32, 48–52, 173–175.
• Brian Ashcraft: Japanese Whisky, Tuttle Publishing, pp. 200–215.