Summary of whiskey events attended in 2024
In 2024, we participated in a total of six whiskey events.
The whiskey drunk at each event is listed in the detailed article, so this time I will briefly introduce the characteristics of the event.
January 2024: Whiskey Lovers Nagoya
The first whiskey event in 2024 and one of the largest in the Tokai area.Whiskey Lovers Nagoya”.
Lineup
There is a well-balanced lineup of booths from major and emerging Japanese whiskey distilleries, official Scotch distilleries, bottlers, and bars.
There will also be food and drink booths, so you can enjoy meals and Otsumami (Snacks) without leaving the venue.
There are standing tables, but they tend to fill up.
Japanese Whiskey Shinko Distillery: ◎
Scotch official: ◎
Bottlers: ◎
Bar: ◎
Eating and drinking: ○
The whiskey I drank that day was ``here” is introduced.
ticket
Usually, it goes on sale around November.
Please note that there will be no tickets sold on the day.
Tickets may sell out closer to the event, so it's best to purchase them as soon as possible.
Access/venue size/crowdiness
The venue is Fukiage Hall, a 5-minute walk from Fukiage Station on the Sakuradori Subway Line.
You can also access it from Nagoya Station without changing trains.
As expected, there are lines at some of the Japanese whiskey booths, but the venue is large so overall you don't have to worry about crowds.
Product sales/limited bottles
Event-limited bottles and distillery goods will be sold at each booth.
Several types of Japanese whisky, as well as Scotch and blended whiskies, will be on sale exclusively for the event.
Japanese whiskey will be sold by lottery.
Personally, I think the target is Tatsumi Distillery's gin, which is sold only at events.
Seminar
There will be no seminars.
Others
I thought that when I participated in 2024, I would need to be careful about water supply.
You will be given a bottle of water upon entry, and you can get an additional bottle for free at the water distribution booth.
The water at the distribution booth sold out quickly, and the vending machines at the venue were also sold out.
There was a convenience store nearby, so I had to go there to buy some food and restock.
You can bring your own water and soft drinks, so I thought it would be a good idea to purchase them in advance.
We hope that this will improve in 2025.
Overall Assessment
With a full lineup, product sales, and limited edition bottles, I think this is a must-attend event for whiskey lovers living in the Tokai area.
It's easily accessible from the Tokyo metropolitan and Kansai areas via the Shinkansen, so I think it's worth a visit.
However, it will be sandwiched between major events such as the Whiskey Festival in December and the Chichibu Whiskey Festival in February, so it may be a good idea to skip it, especially if you live in the Tokyo metropolitan area.
February 2024: Chichibu Whiskey Festival
A traditional whiskey event,Chichibu Whiskey Festival”.
When it comes to whiskey events in Japan, the Chichibu Whiskey Festival is one of the top events.
Whiskey events are viewed by people other than whiskey lovers as ``There's some sort of event going on.You may only think that, but the whole Chichibu town is getting excited about the Chichibu Whiskey Festival.
Lineup
There is a well-balanced lineup of booths from major and emerging Japanese whiskey distilleries, official Scotch distilleries, bottlers, and bars.
Probably due to the size of the venue, new Japanese whiskey distilleries will be centered around Honbo Sake Brewery (Komagatake/Tsunuki), Akkeshi, Shizuoka, and Saburomaru, which were in operation by around 2017.
Although there are no food and drink booths at the venue, the Chichibu Gourmet Food Festival will be held inside Chichibu Shrine, and the Kizuna Bazaar will be held on the same day in front of the Chichibu Festival Hall where the Garapon lottery will be held, where you can enjoy Otsumami (Snacks) and other Chichibu specialties.
There are tables you can sit at, but they tend to fill up.
Japanese Whiskey Shinko Distillery:○
Scotch Official:○
Bottlers: ◎
Bar:○
Eating and drinking: ◎
The whiskey I drank that day was ``here” is introduced.
ticket
Tickets must be competed for.
Pre-sales will be held at partner bars and liquor stores in early December.
I think they usually sell out within the day.
General sales will be held online in mid-December, but usually they sell out within 1-2 minutes.
In addition, many people come to Chichibu a few days in advance to enjoy the bars and gourmet food, and there will be competition for hotels the day before the eve festival (or more accurately, Miyakawa Night Bazaar).
Access/venue size/crowdiness
The event will be held near Chichibu Station.
I think many people board the Chichibu train from Seibu Chichibu Station, but it is about a 15 minute walk from Seibu Chichibu Station to Chichibu Station.
A new large tent venue will open in 2024, and will be divided into four locations: the large tent venue, local production center, and gathering hall.
There are a lot of participants compared to the size of the venue, so it's best to be prepared for crowds, as the inside of the tent is like a sauna during peak hours.
Product sales/limited bottles
Event-limited bottles and distillery goods will be sold at each booth.
Event-limited Japanese whiskey and scotch are basically sold by lottery.
There will also be a raffle for event-limited whiskey at Garapon on the day of the event.
Seminar
Seminars will be held the day before and on the day of the event.
To participate in a seminar, you will need a seminar ticket in addition to an event ticket, and all seminars are so popular that they sell out immediately after they go on sale.
In particular, I think many people are looking forward to the Chichibu Distillery's open day.
The Chichibu Distillery is not usually open to the general public, so it is difficult to visit unless it is on a day like this, so it is very popular.
Overall Assessment
This is an event that only those who win the competition for tickets, seminars, and hotels can enjoy.
The difficulty level of participation is extremely high, but I think the fun is worth it.
This is an event that you should definitely try to participate in at least once.
April 2024: Whiskey Harbor Kobe
Held in Kobe,Whiskey Harbor Kobe”.
Lineup
The lineup includes major and emerging Japanese whiskey distilleries, Scotch official distilleries, bottlers, and more, just like any other event.
However, there are very few bar booths.
Kobe is known as the sacred place of the west.main maltThere are some famous bars such as ``, so have fun outside the event! That may be the case.
There will be food trucks set up in the parking lot area of the venue.
We didn't use it because there weren't many tables and it was raining that day.
Japanese Whiskey Shinko Distillery: ◎
Scotch Official:○
Bottler:○
Bar: ×
Eating and drinking: ○
The whiskey I drank that day was ``here” is introduced.
ticket
Pre-sale will start from early February at the executive committee and partner stores.
General sales will be held online from mid-February.
In 2024, tickets with glass straps were sold out immediately after general sales began, and regular tickets were also sold out before the event date.
After that, resale was carried out after adjusting the inventory for the pre-sale.
I think it's best to purchase it as soon as it's convenient.
Regular ticket: 4,500 yen
Access/venue size/crowdiness
The venue is KIITO Design Creative Center Kobe, a 20-minute walk from Sannomiya Station, and the nearest station is Port Liner's Trade Center Station, which is also a 10-minute walk from there.
Buses are an option, but they are less frequent, so access is poor.
As expected, there are lines at some of the Japanese whiskey booths, but the venue is fairly large, so overall you don't have to worry about crowds.
Product sales/limited bottles
Event-limited bottles and distillery goods will be sold at each booth.
Only one bottle of event-limited whiskey will be sold by lottery each year.
Selected by Kyoto Fine Wine and Spirts (commonly known as Mr. Kyoto), 2023 is Craigellachi, 2024 is Pulteney, and it is a choice for connoisseurs.
Seminar
Several seminars will be held.
Seminar tickets are required in addition to admission tickets, and popular seminars sell out quickly, so be sure to purchase them as soon as they go on sale.
Overall Assessment
This is the first event to be held in Kansai in the new year, so if you live in the Kansai area, it would be a good idea to participate.
However, the Whiskey Festival in Osaka, hosted by the Whiskey Culture Research Institute, is held in June every year, and the Liquor Man Whiskey Messe is held in Kyoto in the summer (September in 2024), so I think the lineup pales in comparison to these.
As of December 2024, there have been no announcements regarding the event, but if there is a Kurashiki Whiskey Forum held in March in 2024, people in the Chugoku region may be unable to attend.
Furthermore, in 2025, the Whiskey Festival in Yokohama will be held the following week, so some people in the Tokyo metropolitan area may decide not to participate.
Although we are at a loss in terms of lineup and schedule. . Events are great, but Kobe is also full of gourmet food and bars, so I personally recommend visiting for those purposes.
May 2024: Tokyo Internal Barshow
Although it is more of a cocktail and distillery event than a whiskey event,Tokyo Internal Barshow”.
Lineup
It's a cocktail and distilled spirits event, and I get the impression that the whiskey element is getting weaker and more focused on cocktails year by year.
Japanese whiskey was only sold by three major companies: Venture Whiskey, Honbo Sake Brewery, Kanosuke, Nagahama, and Shizuoka.
There was a decent lineup of Scotch officials.
At regular whiskey events, the booths are simple, but at Barshow, the booths are elaborate and luxurious, with bar counters and more.
There is no bar booth and you cannot drink rare bottled whiskey.
However, the people making the cocktails at each booth are bartenders from famous restaurants all over Japan, and it's amazing to see them making cocktails right in front of your eyes.
There are no food booths, but there are many restaurants in the area, so you won't have to worry about going out for a meal.
Japanese Whiskey Shinko Distillery: ×
Scotch Official:○
Bottlers: ×
Bar (cocktail): ◎
Eating and drinking: ×
The alcohol I drank that day was ``here” is introduced.
ticket
Tickets generally don't sell out, so it's best to buy them when you're sure you can go.
Since it is held on Saturday and Sunday, it is better to buy a 2-day ticket.
You will be asked to confirm your age with your ID (driver's license, passport, etc.) when entering the venue, so be sure to bring it with you.
2-day ticket: 11,000 yen
Access/venue size/crowdiness
It will be held at Prism Hall in Tokyo Dome.
It can be accessed by multiple lines including JR Suidobashi Station, Toei Subway Mita Line Suidobashi Station, and Tokyo Metro Marunouchi Line/Namboku Line Korakuen Station.
The venue itself is large, but there are quite a lot of participants.
Be prepared for crowds, as you may have to wait over 30 minutes for popular booths, and there may be crowded aisles that are difficult to navigate.
Product sales/limited bottles
Some past event limited edition bottles are on sale.
Although there are no new event-limited bottles on sale, Chichibu Distillery releases event-limited bottles every year.
Some are even joining in to drink this.
Seminar
Free talk shows and other events will be held on the main stage.
A paid seminar will also be held as a master class, and applications will be accepted on a first-come, first-served basis on the day.
In addition, each booth will offer limited cocktails for a limited time.
Others
It's not a whiskey event, but a cocktail and distillery event, so we'll be sampling a variety of alcoholic beverages.
Also, cocktails are easy to drink considering their alcohol content, so you'll be pretty drunk before you know it.
Be careful not to get too drunk by drinking more water than usual and taking meal breaks.
Overall Assessment
This event is recommended for those who are interested not only in whisky, but also in various other alcoholic beverages.
Personally, I try to participate every year because I think it gives people an opportunity to get interested in things other than whisky.
June 2024 Whiskey Talk Fukuoka
A historical event ``Whiskey Talk Fukuoka”.
Lineup
The lineup includes major and emerging Japanese whiskey distilleries, Scotch official distilleries, bottlers, and more, just like any other event.
Bars from all over Japan, not just Fukuoka and Kyushu, are exhibiting, and there are an overwhelming number of bar booths.
There are food and beverage booths, but since it was outside and it was hot that day, I didn't use them.
Japanese Whiskey Shinko Distillery: ◎
Scotch official: ◎
Bottlers: ◎
Bar: ◎
Eating and drinking: ○
The whiskey I drank that day was ``here” is introduced.
ticket
Tickets usually go on sale around April each year.
In 2024, the venue was large, so tickets were not sold out.
Tickets will not be sold on the day, so be sure to purchase them as soon as you are sure you can attend.
Access/venue size/crowdiness
It has been held at Marine Messe Fukuoka Building B since 2024.
Access from Hakata Station is by bus or subway + walking.
The venue was the largest of any whiskey event I've ever attended, and although there were lines at some of the Japanese whiskey booths, it was large enough that it didn't feel crowded.
It's so spacious that I feel like it's a bit of a waste to have extra space.
Product sales/limited bottles
Each booth will sell event-limited bottles and distillery goods.
A lottery will be held for event-limited bottles at a later date, and there is a wide range of lineups from Scotch to Japanese whisky.
I think Chichibu, Kanosuke, and Tsunuki are especially popular.
Seminar
Several seminars will be held.
Seminar tickets are required in addition to admission tickets, and popular seminars sell out quickly, so be sure to purchase them as soon as they go on sale.
Overall Assessment
Personally, this is my favorite whiskey event.
The lineup is well-balanced and you can enjoy the event itself, but above all, Fukuoka's gourmet food is delicious, so I like being able to enjoy that as well.
December 2024: Whiskey Festival in Tokyo
One of the largest whiskey events in the metropolitan area,Whiskey Festival in Tokyo”.
Lineup
There is a great lineup of major Japanese whisky, especially emerging distilleries, including a distillery that has just started producing New Pot.
The lineup of Scotch official and bottlers is comparable to other events.
There are very few bar booths.
There are no food booths.
Japanese Whiskey Shinko Distillery: ◎
Scotch official: ◎
Bottlers: ◎
Bar: ×
Eating and drinking: ×
ticket
Tickets will go on sale to Whiskey Culture Research Institute members one week earlier than the general sale, and general tickets will go on sale around late September every year.
It won't be sold out the moment it goes on sale, but it will be sold out within a few days.
Therefore, if you want to participate even a little, I think it's better to buy it anyway, even if it's not convenient.
There are four sessions: Saturday AM/PM and Sunday AM/PM.
Some booths offer evenly distributed drinks, while others offer more and more until they sell out, so if you have a bottle you'd like to drink, we recommend you come on Saturday morning.
Additionally, there is a time limit of three and a half hours per session, making it difficult to visit all the booths, so if you are visiting from afar, it may be a good idea to purchase two sections.
Access/venue size/crowdiness
The venue is Bellesalle Takadanobaba, about a 10-minute walk from JR Takadanobaba Station.
The event venue is spacious, but the Japanese whiskey booths are set up in clusters, so it gets crowded.
The venue will be held underground, but there is no Rakuten Mobile signal.
There is no WiFi, so we recommend that you take precautions in advance.
Product sales/limited bottles
Each booth will sell event-limited bottles and distillery goods.
There will be a lineup of four event-limited bottles, all of which will be entered into a lottery in advance.
The lineup is centered around Japanese whisky, and the distillery is different each time.
Seminar
Several seminars will be held.
Seminar tickets are required in addition to admission tickets, and popular seminars sell out quickly, so be sure to purchase them as soon as they go on sale.
The seminars held for each division are different, and if the seminar is held on Saturday AM, you will need an admission ticket for Saturday AM.
Also, since there is a time limit of 3 hours and 30 minutes for each session, I feel like it would be a bit of a waste to spend 1 hour on the seminar.
Overall Assessment
This is a very useful event for checking out the flavors of new Japanese whiskey distilleries, checking out official flavors, and checking out new releases from bottlers.
If you live in the Tokyo metropolitan area, this is a must-attend event, and I think it's a large-scale event that's perfect for the end of the year.
Impressions
In 2024, we have participated in six whiskey events.
I was able to participate consistently in the first half, but I regret that I took about half a year between Whiskey Talk Fukuoka in June and Whiskey Festival in Tokyo in December.
I plan to participate constantly next year.
Also, events held outside the Tokyo metropolitan area have become fixed in Nagoya, Kobe, and Fukuoka, so I would like to visit other events as well.
I look forward to continuing to enjoy whiskey in 2025.
