Fuji Gotemba Distillery
Type: Distillery
Fuji Gotemba Distillery has made both malt and grain whisky on one site in Gotemba, on the southeastern flank of Mount Fuji. Part of the Kirin group, it began production in November 1973 and is known for three distinct grain whisky styles. Its current distilling status is not confirmed.[2][4][5]
Fact box
| Field | Details |
|---|---|
| Country | Japan.[4] |
| Location | Gotemba city, Shizuoka Prefecture, on the southeastern flank of Mount Fuji.[4] |
| Elevation | About 620 metres.[8] |
| Group owner | Kirin group.[3][4] |
| Exact legal owner | Not reliably established from the sources checked.[3][4] |
| Business, distilling and visitor status | Cannot confirm from the sources checked in November 2026.[3][4] |
| Current pot still count | Not reliably established.[3] |
| Installed capacity | Not reliably established.[3][4] |
| First production | November 1973.[2][4] |
| Production scope | Malt and grain whisky, from mashing to bottling, on one site.[5] |
| Grain equipment | A five-column still, a kettle and a doubler, used in different configurations.[5] |
| Water | Mount Fuji rain and snowmelt described as filtered through volcanic basalt for about 50 years.[4] |
What Fuji Gotemba Distillery is known for
Whisky Magazine describes Fuji Gotemba as one of the few sites making both malt and grain whisky through the complete sequence from mashing to bottling. Its grain equipment can be arranged to produce light, batch-light and heavy styles, giving the blending team three different components.[5]
Grain whisky is therefore central to understanding the distillery, rather than a supporting detail behind its malt. Master blender Jota Tanaka calls the three styles the “three umami brothers”, using a comparison with Japanese cooking to explain their different contributions.[5]
There is also a long history behind the more recent Fuji name. For decades, the distillery’s output went into domestic blends, including Robert Brown, Dunbar, Fuji Sanroku and Boston Club. Fuji, launched as a brand in 2020, is a newer chapter in a distillery story that began in the 1970s.[2][4]
The Mount Fuji setting
The distillery stands at about 620 metres above sea level in Gotemba, Shizuoka Prefecture. The published account of its site selection says the climate was considered close to Scotland’s, with an average annual temperature of about 13°C.[1][4][8]
Whisky Clan describes rain and snowmelt passing through Mount Fuji’s volcanic basalt for about 50 years before reaching the water supply used by the distillery. That is the source’s account of the water’s journey, rather than an independently established measurement of every drop used in production.[4]
These details explain the choice of place in the published history. They should not, by themselves, be read as tasting notes.[4][5]
A joint venture, then a Kirin distillery
Story box: Two dates behind one distillery
Kirin Seagram was formed in 1972 by Kirin Brewery, Joseph E. Seagram and Sons, and Chivas Brothers. Production at Fuji Gotemba followed in November 1973.[2][4]
The producer’s history says three companies from the UK, the US and Japan brought their technology together, and that the distillery began operating in 1973.[9] In 2002, the business became a subsidiary of Kirin Brewery and was renamed Kirin Distillery.[2][4]
Verdict badge: The founding year
Claim: Fuji Gotemba’s founding year is given as either 1972 or 1973.
Verdict: Disputed
What the record shows: Wikipedia gives 1972, while the producer’s account identifies 1973 as the start of operations. The joint venture was formed in 1972 and production began in November 1973.[1][4][9]
Evidence gap: The dates refer to different milestones. The earliest source of the discrepancy is not established.
Sources: Wikipedia; Whisky Clan; producer’s history. Checked November 2026.
Production and release timeline
The timeline distinguishes the start of the business from later changes to its whiskies and equipment. It also shows how much of Fuji Gotemba’s history predates the Fuji brand.[2][4]
| Date | Recorded milestone |
|---|---|
| 1972 | Kirin Seagram formed as a three-company joint venture.[4] |
| November 1973 | Whisky production began.[2][4] |
| 1974 | Robert Brown released.[2] |
| 1975 | Dunbar launched.[2] |
| 2002 | Business became a Kirin Brewery subsidiary and was renamed Kirin Distillery.[2][4] |
| 2015 | Fuji Gotemba Single Malt 17 years old and Single Grain 25 years old released.[2] |
| 2016 | Fuji Gotemba Blended 18 Years and Distillers Select released.[2] |
| 2020 | Fuji brand launched with Fuji Single Grain.[4] |
| 2021 | Fermentation tanks and four pot stills added; wooden vats introduced alongside stainless steel fermenters.[3] |
| 2022 | Fuji Single Blended followed.[4] |
| 2023 | Fuji Single Malt followed.[4] |
The 2021 equipment account also records one first-distillation still and one second-distillation still being taken out of service. It describes an equipment change, not a verified current total of pot stills.[3]
Three ways of making grain whisky
Fuji Gotemba’s grain production is a useful technical detail to understand before looking at its individual releases. The equipment comprises a five-column still, a kettle and a doubler, with different configurations producing three named styles.[5]
The table summarises the published production account. Tanaka’s broth comparisons explain the components’ roles, rather than serving as tasting notes for a particular bottle.[5]
| Grain style | Published production route | Tanaka’s comparison |
|---|---|---|
| Light | Multi-column continuous still.[5] | Kelp broth.[5] |
| Batch-light, also described as medium | Beer column, then kettle, then rectifying column, working in batches.[5] | Bonito broth.[5] |
| Heavy | Beer column with a doubler, described as the approach used for most bourbon.[5] | Shiitake broth.[5] |
These names describe distinct production styles, not age grades. Tanaka’s broth comparisons present them as related components, not a ranking.[5]
Jota Tanaka and the blending perspective
Master blender Jota Tanaka is described by Master of Malt as a former winemaker who previously worked at Four Roses. His explanation of Fuji Gotemba’s grain styles emphasises how different components contribute, rather than treating them as interchangeable.[5][6]
The “three umami brothers” comparison comes from the blender explaining the production system. It offers a way to follow his thinking without claiming that a finished whisky literally tastes of kelp, bonito or shiitake. Those are his culinary analogies.[5]
From domestic blends to Fuji
Fuji Gotemba’s earlier identity was closely connected with blends. Robert Brown and Dunbar appeared soon after production began, while Fuji Sanroku and Boston Club are also documented as blends made with its whisky.[2][4]
The later release history brought the distillery’s own name into greater prominence. The 2015 releases paired a Single Malt 17 years old with a Single Grain 25 years old, followed by Fuji Gotemba Blended 18 Years and Distillers Select in 2016.[2]
The Fuji brand began with Single Grain in 2020, followed by Single Blended in 2022 and Single Malt in 2023. In 2021, Fuji Single Grain became the first Kirin whisky exported to the US, according to Master of Malt.[4][6]
These dates separate the distillery, its earlier named releases and the newer Fuji brand. A recent brand launch is not evidence of a recently built distillery.[2][4]
Verdict badge: The original joint venture
Claim: A Japanese, American and British joint venture built Japan’s only distillery making malt and grain under one roof from the start.
Verdict: Documented
What the record shows: The sources record the joint venture and its production scope. The producer’s history is its own account.[2][4][9]
Sources: SipJapan; Whisky Clan; producer’s account. Checked November 2026.
Verdict badge: The partner’s name
Claim: The British partner’s name appears differently in published accounts.
Verdict: Disputed
What the record shows: SipJapan names Chivas Brothers. A machine translation of Japanese Whisky Dictionary gives Seabass or Sievers Brothers.[2][3]
Sources: SipJapan; Japanese Whisky Dictionary. Checked November 2026.
Verdict badge: Rye in the grain whisky
Claim: Published accounts disagree about whether rye is used in the grain whisky.
Verdict: Disputed
What the record shows: Master of Malt includes rye in its account of the Single Grain mash bill. Whisky Saga says the distillery does not use rye. The evidence does not establish which account is correct.[6][7]
Sources: Master of Malt; Whisky Saga. Checked November 2026.
Verdict badge: Whisky for domestic blends
Claim: For decades, the distillery’s output went into domestic blends.
Verdict: Documented
What the record shows: Whisky Clan records the history of supplying blends, but does not establish the proportion of output used in each one.[4]
Source: Whisky Clan. Checked November 2026.
Verdict badge: The broth comparison
Claim: Tanaka compares the three grain styles to kelp, bonito and shiitake broths.
Verdict: Documented
What the record shows: Whisky Magazine records his comparison. It is an analogy, not a tasting note for a particular bottling.[5]
Source: Whisky Magazine. Checked November 2026.
Common misconceptions
“Fuji is a new distillery.” The Fuji brand dates from 2020, but production at Fuji Gotemba began in November 1973. Confusing the brand with the production site removes several decades of its history.[2][4]
“Grain whisky is one neutral style.” Fuji Gotemba’s published production account identifies three distinct grain styles and the equipment configurations behind them.[5]
“Japanese whisky means only Suntory and Nikka.” Whisky Clan identifies Kirin as Japan’s third largest whisky producer. Fuji Gotemba has a separate production history, rooted in its original Japanese, American and British partnership.[4][9]
Where to go next
- Chita: continue with another Japanese distillery profile.
- Miyagikyo: explore a different producer’s distillery history.
- Shizuoka: read another distillery profile from Shizuoka Prefecture.
Sources
[1] Wikipedia. Fuji Gotemba distillery. Reference entry, version recorded November 2026. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fuji_Gotemba_distillery
[2] SipJapan. Fuji Gotemba (Kirin) Distillery: Japan's Third Whisky Giant. Trade guide, version recorded November 2026. https://sipjapan.com/blog/fuji-gotemba-distillery-guide
[3] Japanese Whisky Dictionary. Kirin Distillery Fuji Gotemba Distillery. Trade reference, version recorded November 2026. https://en.jpwhisky.net/mt-fujigotenbadistillery-2-41130/
[4] Whisky Clan. Fuji Gotemba Distillery: History, Owner and Facts. Trade reference, version recorded November 2026. https://www.whisky-clan.com/post/fuji-gotemba-distillery-history-owner-and-facts-and-faq
[5] Whisky Magazine. Going with the Grain (Fuji Gotemba). Trade feature, version recorded November 2026. https://whiskymag.com/articles/going-with-the-grain-fuji-gotemba/
[6] Master of Malt. Fuji Gotemba Whisky. Retailer’s distillery account, version recorded November 2026. https://www.masterofmalt.com/distilleries/fuji-gotemba-whisky-distillery/
[7] Whisky Saga. Fuji 12 YO Single Grain. Trade reference, version recorded November 2026. https://www.whiskysaga.com/blog/fuji-12-yo-single-grain
[8] Terroir HUB WHISKY. Fuji Gotemba Distillery. Trade reference, version recorded November 2026. https://whisky.terroirhub.com/whisky/en/shizuoka/fuji_gotemba.html
[9] Fuji Gotemba Distillery. History. Producer’s account, page summary recorded November 2026; full page behind an age check. https://www.fujigotemba-distillery.com/en/history/
This article is desk research based on the supplied verified fact sheet, with producer statements and trade accounts identified separately; no visit or tasting is implied.
Last checked: November 2026