Journey into the heart of Japanese whisky on an intimate six-day experience created for collectors, connoisseurs and those seeking extraordinary access to some of Japan’s most celebrated spirits.
Beginning at SHISHI-IWA-HOUSE in Karuizawa, the journey takes guests through the landscapes and stories that have shaped Japanese whisky. Visit the cult Mars Komagatake Distillery, explore Suntory’s Hakushu Distillery, and discover Chichibu, where Ichiro Akuto continues a family distilling legacy stretching back generations. The experience also returns to the history of Karuizawa itself, including a visit to the former Karuizawa Whisky Distillery site.
At the heart of the tour is an exceptional series of private tastings, opening bottles rarely encountered even by serious collectors. Guests will explore extraordinary aged expressions from Karuizawa, Hanyu, Chichibu, Mars, and Hibiki, including the 1972 Karuizawa 36-Year-Old Sherry Single Cask, 1984 Karuizawa 30-Year-Old Bourbon Single Cask, 2000 Hanyu Single Cask and Hibiki 21-Year-Old Mt Fuji Edition. The journey is further enriched by tastings of two iconic Scotch whiskies—the 1962 Macallan Anniversary Malt 25-Year-Old and 1965 Springbank Samaroli Aging Monography 23-Year-Old—offering a rare opportunity to taste historic Japanese and Scotch expressions side by side and explore their contrasting traditions, maturation styles and character.
Beyond whisky, the journey is a celebration of Japanese craftsmanship, landscape and hospitality. Hyper-local dining ranges from an intimate eight-seat kappo experience and wood-fire cooking overlooking the Japan Alps to contemporary Japanese cuisine showcasing the region’s seasonal produce. Guests will also encounter traditional sake, visit a local farm, and have time to restore themselves with onsen and shiatsu.
For those wishing to extend the journey, the final night offers a retreat to Hoshi Onsen Chojukan, a historic inn surrounded by the forests of Joshin'etsukogen National Park, where mineral-rich baths and more than 140 years of Japanese onsen tradition provide a fitting conclusion.
More than a whisky tour, this is an immersion into the people, places and traditions behind some of Japan’s rarest spirits—an opportunity to taste legendary old Karuizawa in Karuizawa itself, explore an extraordinary range of Japanese whisky, and share the experience with fellow collectors and enthusiasts.
Cost: ¥1,000,000 (US$ 6,400) per person (all-inclusive for double occupancy)
add ¥200,000 (US$1,265) per person (all-inclusive for single occupancy)
*Number of Participants: 12 persons
*Inclusive of all programs and meals, accommodations, tastings, events and roundtrip transfer from the Karuizawa train station.
