Shizuoka Distillery owner Gaiaflow today announced that the distillery will finally be open to the public for tours beginning on December 5, 2018. It’s roughly 2 hours away from Tokyo, making this the first Japanese craft whisky distillery open to the public that’s doable as a daytrip from Tokyo. As you may remember, the Shizuoka Distillery is one we highlighted that you should be watching over 2018-19.
There are some important points to consider before you head down there though:
- Tours are by reservation only (via the distillery website)
- There is only one tour time: 2-3PM, weekdays only
- 15 people max per tour
- The 1000 yen tour does not include any tasting
- It’s pretty deep in the mountains
- It’s not very easy to do via public transport. The bus puts you at the distillery at around 1PM. That’s an hour before your tour begins. And it departs for Shizuoka station at 5PM–an hour after your tasting is over. Including the Shinkansen, you’re looking at an 8-hour affair for a tour and paid tasting of some very young whisky
If you’re good with all that, make your reservations via their website from November 5 at 12PM JST!
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