Akashi

Eigashima Distillery

Akashi, Japan

Whisky distillery of Eigashima Shuzo Co., Ltd. at Nishijima, Okubo-cho, Akashi City, Hyogo Prefecture, overlooking the Seto Inland Sea. The company is a historic sake brewery (current corporate form from 1888) that obtained a licence to produce whisky and other Western-style spirits in 1919; the present whisky distillery facilities date from 1984. Single malts are bottled under the White Oak and related labels. Weekday tours by reservation visit the whisky distillery, sake production areas and history museum; guidance is in Japanese with English handouts available. Business hours for the company office are weekdays; the site is closed Saturdays, Sundays and national holidays outside arranged tours.