What Are Japan’s Whisky Regions?

We can easily divide Scotch whisky into the well-known whisky regions. But what about whisky from the Land of the Rising Sun? These are the Japanese whisky regions, along with a general guide to the flavor profiles of the divine spirit they produce.

While Scotland has clearly defined whisky regions, Japanese whiskies can also be grouped by region. These aren’t regions like the Highlands, Lowlands, or Speyside, but rather prefectures or areas where various distilleries work day in, day out on their own interpretation of the water of life.

In this feature, we start in the north of Japan and gradually make our way south.

The first Japanese whisky region we’ll cover is Hokkaido: a large island in the north of Japan, roughly the size of Austria. Like Islay, Hokkaido is known for its wild, changeable weather. Summers tend to be very warm and winters cold. In the west of the island, icy air sweeps in and the landscape is often blanketed in thick snow.

Hokkaido is home to several distilleries, including the Hokkaido Akkeshi Distillery, Kamui, and the Yoichi Distillery. Nikka opened its very first whisky distillery on the island with Yoichi.

Hokkaido whiskies are typically characterized by a blend of spicy notes with a touch of peat influence.

A little further south lies the Tohoku region. Its name reflects its position in the country and loosely translates to “Northeast.” While slightly smaller than Hokkaido, there’s plenty of whisky to discover here.

Nikka operates the Miyagikyo Distillery in this region. You’ll also find Kinryu Yuza, Sasanokawa, and the Asaka Distillery in the area. Tohoku is known for its fertile soil and pristine water.

That shows in the whisky: the prevailing style is smooth and fruity, thanks in part to locally grown grain. The milder climate also leads to a very different maturation profile than in Hokkaido.

Kanto may well be Japan’s best-known whisky region, it’s where Tokyo is located. In whisky terms, it’s home turf for distilleries like Chichibu and Hanyu.

Whiskies from Kanto often lean toward greater complexity, with a broad spectrum of flavor profiles.

Next up is the Chubu region. Many whisky lovers who’ve sampled Japanese whisky will have encountered bottles from here. Chubu is home to some of Japan’s oldest distilleries, including Fuji Gotemba, Shizuoka, Hakushu, Karuizawa, Shinsu (Mars Whisky), and The Chita.

With this heritage, many whiskies from the region are crafted in a traditional style. You can taste it and see it in the price tag. A number of brands release premium expressions that command top prices in our market.

Another region hosting famous names is Kansai. How about The Yamazaki Distillery or Akashi Distillery?

This region lies in the southern part of Japan’s largest island. Expressions from Kansai vary in character, but typically feature floral notes alongside fruit, with an overall gentle, approachable style.

Japan’s sixth region is Chugoku. Despite the island’s substantial size, there are fewer distilleries here. The name Chugoku means “Middle Country,” dating back to a time when Japan was divided into three parts.

Chugoku is where you’ll find Hiroshima, devastated by an atomic bomb in World War II, and it’s also home to the Sakurao Distillery. The region hosts a handful of other producers as well, such as Matsui Whisky Kurayoshi and the Miyashita Shuzo Oyakama distillery.

Whiskies from this region are generally floral and soft.

Shikoku has fewer distilleries and, as far as we know, none that have released a whisky to date. There are two distilleries in the region: the Nisshin Shuzo Awano Distillery and the Ume Bijin Shuzo Distillery.

The first of these only opened in 2023 and won’t release whisky until 2026 at the earliest.

We’ve reached the south of Japan and the country’s last whisky region. Kyushu is the southernmost of the main islands, known for its very mild climate. It’s also the island with the most volcanic activity.

Whisky fans will recognize many of the names here: Kanosuke, Hombo Shuzo Mars Tsunuki, Shinozaki, Kanosuke, Nikka Satsumasa, and Nikka Moji are all based in this region. In Okinawa you can find the Sakhrani Distillery as well.

The regional style tends to be spicy, fruity, and mineral-driven. Distillers use various locally grown grains and take full advantage of the warm climate to accelerate maturation. Unfortunately, that same warmth also means a larger angel’s share.