SASAKAWA WHISKY CO., LTD.
About the distillery
SASAKAWA WHISKY operates from Fugaku Distillery at the foot of Mt. Fuji in Fujiyoshida, Yamanashi. Here, the center stage is pure water from the Fuji area, direct heat in the distillation, and a cool, humid maturation environment surrounded by forest. The result is a Japanese whisky with clear roots in place—its water and the artisanal discipline.
History
The company was founded in March 2021, and Fugaku Distillery was opened at the northern foot of Mt. Fuji, where underground water from the mountain collects. The vision was to create a luxurious whisky, using Japan’s finest water source as the foundation. Behind the company are Naoya Kinoshita as chairman, Shohei Sasakawa as managing director, and Takao Sasakawa as director. The Sasakawa family has deep roots in brewing craftsmanship: Shohei Sasakawa says that the family ran a sake brewery in Minoh in Osaka Prefecture from the Edo period and for more than 100 years. His own interest in whisky was truly sparked in Scotland, where the first taste of aqua vitae inspired him to become a distiller. At the same time, the project is also a continuation of the family’s traditions—now translated into Japanese whisky in Fujiyoshida, with a focus on both experience, ambition, and new ideas.
Raw materials and production
Production is built on three clear choices: water, fire, and wood. Naturally sourced mineral water from Mt. Fuji is used—more specifically, snow water that, over many decades, is filtered through seven layers of basalt—and this water is used unchanged in the distillation. Fermentation takes place in wooden vats, which the company highlights as a method that allows yeast and lactobacillus to develop a more complex moromi. At Fugaku Distillery, insistence is placed on direct fire in the first distillation, and the open flame toasts the fermented malt wine, so that the new spirit becomes more aromatic and distinctly fragrant. The distillers come from different backgrounds, and there is an emphasis on giving them an environment where they can develop their own craft through creativity and new challenges.
Maturation and cask types
Maturation takes place in an environment created by the nature around Mt. Fuji: about 1,000 meters above sea level, surrounded by forest, with a cool climate year-round and humid air where mist is common. These conditions are precisely what the company highlights as ideal for maturation. The focus is less on specific cask types and more on the maturation climate itself, which should mature the whisky slowly and deliver a refined final result.
General tasting profile
The whisky’s style is described as robust and rich in flavor, shaped by Fuji water, wooden-vat fermentation, and direct heat during distillation.
Visiting the distillery
Fugaku Distillery can be visited, and the address is given in Fujiyoshida at Mt. Fuji. Access is described concretely by car, by bus, and by train: by car from Chuo Expressway’s Kawaguchiko Interchange, by bus to Kawaguchiko Station and then by taxi, or by train to Fujisan Station and then by taxi. There is also a Tokyo Office in Shibuya within walking distance from Shibuya Station. The text does not state any visitor programs, bookings, or opening hours.
Philosophy and craftsmanship
The company works with a clear stated ambition to create “The World’s Finest Whisky”. The philosophy is to unite the nature around Mt. Fuji with traditional distillation processes, while also making room for each distiller’s individual creativity. The logo connects Fujisan and the Sasakawa family crest, and the corporate color, tetsukon, is associated with both the Edo period, the vitality of yeast, and the desire for a robust, richly flavored whisky.