Chichibu Distillery: History, Owner and Facts and FAQ
Updated: 3 hours ago
Chichibu is the distillery behind Ichiro's Malt. Founded by Ichiro Akuto, it was the first distillery in Japan in 35 years to receive a new whisky production licence, and its success helped revive Japanese whisky and inspire a wave of new distilleries.
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Chichibu at a glance
Distillery fact | Verified detail |
|---|---|
Distillery | Chichibu |
Country / region | Saitama, Japan |
Owner / producer | Venture Whisky |
History | Chichibu is operated by Venture Whisky Ltd., founded in 2004 by Ichiro Akuto. Akuto was born in 1965 in Chichibu and is the 21st head of the family behind Akuto Shuzo Honke, a sake brewery founded in… |
Whisky identity | Small batch and historical limited whisky releases |
Visiting | Check the current official visiting arrangements before travelling. |
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Where is Chichibu distillery?
Chichibu distillery is in Chichibu, Saitama Prefecture, Japan.
History and owner
Chichibu is operated by Venture Whisky Ltd., founded in 2004 by Ichiro Akuto. Akuto was born in 1965 in Chichibu and is the 21st head of the family behind Akuto Shuzo Honke, a sake brewery founded in 1625. The brewery later moved to Hanyu, Saitama, where it took the name Toa Shuzo and ran the Hanyu Distillery.
Akuto worked at Suntory in sales before joining the family firm at 29. Toa Shuzo entered civil rehabilitation proceedings in 2000 and was sold to Hinode Tsusho in 2004. Hinode Tsusho planned to dispose of the Hanyu whisky stock if no buyer appeared, so Akuto borrowed money from relatives and bought it himself. With help from Sasanokawa Shuzo in Fukushima, which stored the casks, he began selling it as Ichiro's Malt.
He established Chichibu Distillery in 2007. Production began in 2008 and the first single malt, Chichibu The First, was released in 2011.
Timeline
2004: Venture Whisky founded, Ichiro's Malt launched from the Hanyu stock
2007: Chichibu Distillery established
2008: production begins
2011: first single malt, Chichibu The First, released
2014: first Chichibu Whisky Matsuri festival
2019: Chichibu Daini Distillery begins operating
2025: first single malt from Chichibu Distillery II released
January 2026: Tomakomai Distillery in Hokkaido starts operating
Chichibu Daini and Tomakomai
Chichibu Daini sits 600 metres from the original distillery. Wikipedia says its capacity is five times that of the first site, its pot stills use direct firing instead of steam heating, and its fermentation tanks are French oak rather than mizunara. Chichibu has 2 pot stills at the original site.
Venture Whisky owns three distilleries. The third, Tomakomai in Hokkaido, makes grain whisky with a Coffey still. The first whisky from its spirit is scheduled for release in 2029, to be blended with malt from the two Saitama distilleries.
Chichibu Whisky Festival
The Chichibu Whisky Matsuri has run every year since 2014 at Chichibu Shrine and the Chichibu Jibasan Center, with tastings of spirits from Japanese and overseas distilleries. In 2024 it drew 4,000 visitors from Japan and abroad.
Awards and records
2007: King of Diamonds, made from Hanyu stock, won the top Japanese malt award at Whisky Magazine.
2012: Chichibu The First was named Japanese Whisky of the Year at Whisky Advocate's 18th Annual Awards.
2019: Akuto was named Master Blender of the Year at the International Spirits Challenge.
2017 to 2025: whiskies made with Chichibu stock won World's Best titles seven times at the World Whiskies Awards.
March 2024: Whisky Magazine inducted Akuto into its Hall of Fame, the fifth Japanese figure to receive the honour.
The Card Series, 54 Ichiro's Malt bottlings from Hanyu stock released from 2005 to 2014, set Bonhams records, reaching 1.52 million USD in 2020. In 2025 the Ten of Spades sold for 132,910 USD, the highest price for a single Ichiro's Malt bottle.
Visiting and official website
Opening details and visitor information were not reachable from an official source on 20 October 2026, so check before travelling. Look up the distillery through Venture Whisky or the Chichibu Whisky Festival pages.
Frequently asked questions
Who founded Chichibu distillery?
Ichiro Akuto, through Venture Whisky.
When did Chichibu start production?
2008, after being established in 2007.
What is Ichiro's Malt?
The principal brand of Venture Whisky, first made from remaining stock of the Hanyu Distillery.
What was Chichibu's first single malt?
Chichibu The First, released in 2011.
What is Hanyu?
The distillery run by the Akuto family company Toa Shuzo. Its remaining stock became Ichiro's Malt.
Where is Chichibu?
In Chichibu, Saitama Prefecture.
Sources and gaps
Loaded: Wikipedia (Chichibu distillery, full article, read 20 October 2026). Did not load: venturewhisky.com (domain for sale), hombo and chichibu-distillery.jp style addresses (request failed), Whiskybase (page not found). Whisky Advocate home page loaded but no Chichibu page was found. Gaps: still sizes, capacity, current range and ABVs, visitor details. Facts therefore rest on one source and should be checked against Venture Whisky before publishing. Cover photo: Wikimedia Commons.
What makes Chichibu distinctive?
Small batch and historical limited whisky releases.
Chichibu whisky bottles and releases
Bottle / expression | Age | ABV | Documented producer expression |
|---|---|---|---|
Ichiro's Malt and Grain World Blended Whisky | Check label | Check label | Documented expression; batch and availability vary |
Ichiro's Malt Chichibu The Peated | Check label | Check label | Documented expression; batch and availability vary |
Ichiro's Malt Chichibu On The Way | Check label | Check label | Documented expression; batch and availability vary |
Producer and release sources document these expressions. Historical bottles may be out of production or unavailable. Bottled sourced or blended whiskey is not always entirely distilled at this site.
The table records named expressions, not live stock. Bottle strength and cask treatment can vary by market and release. Always consult the producer.
More distilleries to explore
Frequently asked questions about Chichibu
Where is Chichibu based?
Saitama, Japan.
Who owns Chichibu?
Venture Whisky.
What is notable about Chichibu?
Small batch and historical limited whisky releases.
Which bottles does Chichibu have?
Ichiro's Malt Chichibu The Peated, Ichiro's Malt Chichibu On The Way. Releases and availability change.
Can you visit Chichibu?
Check the distillery's official visitor or tour information before making travel plans.
Sources and editorial checks
The original history, references and research remain in this guide. Whisky range and visitor information may change.
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Whisky producer and release source: https://www.whisky-clan.com/post/chichibu-distillery-history-owner-and-facts-and-faq
About the author
 | Filip Janczak Storyteller, drinker and explorer of all things whisky. Read more about the person behind Whisky Clan and explore additional reviews and distillery guides. |
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