Hanyu Distillery: History, Owner and the Card Series
Updated: 2 hours ago
Hanyu Distillery in Hanyu, Saitama Prefecture, Japan, is a closed distillery. It was operated by Toa Shuzo, the company of the Akuto family. Its remaining stock became Ichiro's Malt, including the Card Series, one of the most collected series in Japanese whisky.
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Hanyu at a glance
Distillery fact | Verified detail |
|---|---|
Distillery | Hanyu |
Country / region | Saitama, Japan |
Owner / producer | Historic Toa Shuzo |
History | The Akuto family heads Akuto Shuzo Honke, a sake brewery founded in 1625 in the area of present day Chichibu. |
Whisky identity | Closed distillery with rare historic whisky stocks; no regular modern bottlings |
Visiting | Check the current official visiting arrangements before travelling. |
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Hanyu at a glance
Location: Hanyu, Saitama Prefecture, Japan
Operator: Toa Shuzo Co, owned by the Akuto family until 2004
Status: closed, remaining stock bottled as Ichiro's Malt
Stock owner after 2004: Venture Whisky, founded by Ichiro Akuto
Successor distillery: Chichibu, opened by Akuto in 2007
History of Hanyu
The Akuto family heads Akuto Shuzo Honke, a sake brewery founded in 1625 in the area of present day Chichibu. In the generation of Ichiro Akuto's grandfather the brewery moved to Hanyu, Saitama, where it took the name Toa Shuzo and operated the Hanyu Distillery.
Toa Shuzo's performance deteriorated and it entered civil rehabilitation proceedings in 2000. After taking full control in 2001, Ichiro Akuto had to sell the company to Hinode Tsusho in 2004. Hinode Tsusho planned to dispose of the Hanyu whisky stock if no buyer could be found, so Akuto borrowed money from relatives and bought the stock himself. The whisky was stored in the warehouses of Sasanokawa Shuzo in Fukushima Prefecture.
Ichiro's Malt and the Card Series
In 2004 Akuto founded Venture Whisky and began selling Ichiro's Malt from the Hanyu stock. The Card Series is a set of 54 bottlings released between 2005 and 2014. It has set several auction records. The series achieved the highest sale price ever recorded for a whisky series at Bonhams in 2015, 2019 and 2020, with the 2020 sale reaching 1.52 million US dollars. In 2025 the Ten of Spades sold for 132,910 US dollars, the highest auction price recorded for any Ichiro's Malt bottling.
In 2007 the King of Diamonds, released in 2005 from Hanyu stock, received the Gold Award in the Japanese malt category from Whisky Magazine.
From Hanyu to Chichibu
Akuto established Chichibu Distillery in 2007. It began production in 2008 and was the first new whisky production license granted in Japan in 35 years. Its success helped start the wave of new distilleries across the country. Read our Chichibu profile for that story.
A closed distillery and the Card Series
Whisky Era describes Hanyu as a distillery in Saitama Prefecture, formerly part of Toa Shuzo, which stopped production and was demolished in the early 2000s. Ichiro Akuto, grandson of Hanyu founder Isouji Akuto, saved the remaining whisky stock before the distillery closed.
Last vintage: whisky distilled in 2000 is described by auction houses as the final vintage
Card Series: Ichiro's Malt bottled 54 bottles, 52 cards and two jokers, mostly single cask releases, with the Colour Joker combining several casks
Casks: the stock matured under Akuto in sherry, bourbon and Japanese mizunara casks, per the article
Collecting: complete Card Series sets have repeatedly reached high prices at international auctions
Frequently asked questions
Is Hanyu still making whisky?
No. It is a closed distillery and only the remaining stock is bottled.
What is the Card Series?
A set of 54 Ichiro's Malt bottlings from Hanyu stock, released between 2005 and 2014.
Sources and gaps
Source: the Wikipedia article on Chichibu distillery, which covers Hanyu's background. Wikipedia has no Hanyu article. Not confirmed: the year Hanyu was founded, the year it stopped distilling, stills and capacity. Cover image: none set.
Further source read on 21 October 2026: Whisky Era article on Hanyu history and the Card Series.
What makes Hanyu distinctive?
Closed distillery with rare historic whisky stocks; no regular modern bottlings.
Hanyu whisky bottles and releases
These are producer- or archive-documented expressions; historical editions are not current stock guarantees.
Rare and historic whisky releases
A closed distillery or a past limited batch cannot be assumed to be still producing this whisky.
Bottle or expression | Age or release | ABV | Verified context |
|---|---|---|---|
Hanyu Card Series Ace of Hearts 1985 | 1985 vintage | 56% | Cask 9004 |
Hanyu Card Series Ace of Spades 1985 | 1985 vintage | 55% | Cask 9308 |
Hanyu Card Series Queen of Diamonds 1985 | 1985 vintage | 58.5% | Cask 9109 |
Hanyu Card Series Joker Colour | Historic | 57.7% | 2014 rare |
Hanyu Card Series Joker Monochrome | Historic | 54.9% | 2014 special |
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 Hanyu
Where is Hanyu based?
Saitama, Japan.
Who owns Hanyu?
Historic Toa Shuzo.
What is notable about Hanyu?
Closed distillery with rare historic whisky stocks; no regular modern bottlings.
Which bottles does Hanyu have?
Hanyu Ichiro's Malt Card Series. Releases and availability change.
Can you visit Hanyu?
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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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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