Proposal for New Whisky Tourism Visiting 28 Craft Distilleries Nationwide! 'Japanese Whisky Passport Douinchō' Now on Sale!

Ryokō Yomiuri Publishing Co., Ltd. (President and Representative Director: Yuki Hasegawa), a 100% subsidiary of Yomiuri Travel Co., Ltd. (President and Representative Director: Hidenori Iwagami), will begin selling the 'Japanese Whisky Passport Douinchō' (supervised by T&T TOYAMA) on April 1st (Japanese Whisky Day), where users collect and paste 'copper seals' issued by craft distilleries nationwide.

Ryokō Yomiuri Publishing Co. launched the 'Tetsu-incho' (Iron Seal Book) project in July 2020, described as the 'railway version of the Goshuincho (temple/shrine stamp book),' and has focused on promoting railway usage, revitalizing areas along the lines, and creating new revenue sources for railway companies.

Leveraging this expertise, the new initiative to increase local visitor numbers is the 'Japanese Whisky Passport Douinchō'. The name comes from the fact that whisky stills, pot stills, are made of copper. The pot still, which is said to be the heart of a distillery, determines the whisky's flavor based on its shape and size.

Japanese Whisky Passport Douinchō

The 'Japanese Whisky Passport Douinchō' introduces 28 craft distilleries nationwide. By presenting the Douinchō at each distillery, you can purchase each company's original 'copper seal' and collect them by pasting them onto the designated pages. Visiting each distillery and learning about the differences in pot stills and the distillers' commitment allows you to feel not only the taste but also the essence and charm of Japanese whisky. As the 'copper seals' include dates, they are also ideal for recording your visits and travel memories. The book includes the definition and history of Japanese whisky, as well as a manga that helps you understand the world of the 'Douinchō.' With English notation also available, it can be enjoyed by foreigners. The world's first Japanese whisky bottler, T&T TOYAMA (Office: Tonami City, Toyama Prefecture), supervised the entire project.

Takahiko Inagaki of T&T TOYAMA, the supervisor, expressed his expectations: "With this initiative, we hope that Japanese whisky will not be a mere boom, but will lead to whisky tourism that takes root as a culture."

In addition to being sold at the 28 distilleries, the "Japanese Whisky Passport Douinchō" ...