#Eda85daysinJapan | Chapter 3 (Kyoto Part 8)

🗓️ 11 May 2026

Curating the Birthplace of Japanese Whisky: Suntory Yamazaki

Today was all about exploring the rich history and craft behind Japanese whisky! We took the train out to ground zero for the nation's spirits industry: the iconic Suntory Yamazaki Distillery. Established back in 1923 by Shinjiro Torii and Masataka Taketsuru, Yamazaki was built right at the foot of Mount Tennozan where three rivers converge, providing the pristine soft water essential for production.

The architecture itself is so impressive—beautiful red-brick buildings and traditional copper pot stills that give the whole site a classic, heritage feel. But what blew us away was how exceptionally well-curated the entire space is for visitors. The team created a super fun interactive game that walks you through the steps of whisky making, turning the history lesson into something really engaging and hands-on!

After playing through the game, we made our way to the tasting room. Naturally, tons of tourists were taking full advantage of the chance to try out various rare samples and single casks—and we definitely weren't going to pass that up! 🥃✨

Art Museum Snag, Shopping & Chef’s Evening Feast

Once we wrapped up our tasting, we had planned to check out the nearby Museum of Art, but luck wasn't on our side and it was closed for the day!

We pivoted and took the train back into Kyoto city to do a bit of shopping and wander around downtown. To cap off a fantastic day, Chef cooked us an incredible beef dinner back at our spot 🥩🍷. Absolutely yum—the perfect way to wind down!