Mars Tsunuki Distillery

Welcome to the Mars Tsunuki Distillery, a site that represents both the deep historical roots and the dynamic future of Japanese whisky. Located in the picturesque landscape of Kagoshima Prefecture, this distillery is the second…

Our journey begins at the perimeter of the distillery, where the ancient stone walls serve as a silent testament to the long history of the Hombo family in this region. These walls date back to the earliest days of the company's…

Stepping inside the production facility, we encounter the first stage of whisky creation: milling and mashing. The primary ingredient here is malted barley, often germinated to just the right point to unlock the starches needed…

Following the mashing process, the sweet wort is cooled and transferred into fermentation tanks, or 'wash backs'. It is here that the critical ingredient of yeast is added. …

We now enter the architectural and technical center of the distillery: the still house. Here, the low-alcohol wash is transformed into a high-proof spirit through the process of double distillation. …

Leaving the heat of the still house, we move into the quiet, cool sanctuary of the maturation cellar. This is where the new-make spirit is filled into oak barrels and left to age, a process that takes a minimum of three years to…

A highlight of the Tsunuki visit is the Hojo House, a beautifully preserved traditional Japanese residence that once served as the home of the second president of Hombo Shuzo. This structure is a masterpiece of early 20th-century…

As we conclude our tour of the Mars Tsunuki Distillery, let us reflect on the remarkable journey we have witnessed. This site is a powerful symbol of revival—a homecoming that has transformed a dormant historic location into a…