10 great craft spirit distilleries in Japan with tours and tastings

Travel & LeisureExperts pick Toyama's Saburomaru at No. 1 for its hands-on experienceA visitor at Saburomaru Distillery pumps whisky from a cask using a sampling tool called a valinch. (Photo by Hideyuki Miura)NATSUKI OSHIROAugust 15, 2026 08:04 JSTTOKYO -- The rising number of small-batch craft distillers of whisky, gin and other spirits in Japan is spurring a new tourism pastime -- tasting tours.Read NextEat & DrinkJapan's natural wine scene comes of ageEat & DrinkKathmandu's cocktail scene finds its own flavorEat & DrinkFormer Dom Perignon head winemaker turns to sakeEat & DrinkHunger Inc. reshapes Mumbai's dining tastesEat & DrinkInside Phnom Penh's emerging cocktail sceneEat & DrinkFive places to taste Osaka's cocktail renaissanceLatest on Travel & LeisureTravel & LeisureFrom Taj Maha