Don’t Miss a Single Sparkling Moment! Sign up for The Court Jeweller Newsletter The Court Jeweller Sparkling Royal Jewels From Around the World 01.03.2025 by // Leave a Comment New Year’s week means sparkling tiaras at the Imperial Palace in Tokyo I’ll be covering the tiaras of this year’s reception when I return to my desk next week I’ve got a closer look at one of my personal favorite tiaras from the imperial vaults: a diamond honeysuckle tiara that belonged to a fascinating Japanese princess 24-year-old Prince Chichibu—the formal title of Prince Emperor Yoshihito the second son of the Emperor of Japan—was studying at Magdalen College in Oxford when a message arrived with sad news The studious prince put down his books and headed to London where he stayed just long enough to lay a wreath at Arlington The lightning-fast visit in the midst of a tense moment turned out to be life-changing the prince struck up a conversation with 17-year-old Setsuko Matsudaira the daughter of the Japanese ambassador to the United States Setsuko and Yasuhito had known each other since they were children was a favorite friend and courtier of Yasuhito’s mother But the meeting at the embassy marked the first time that they’d seen each other in years because Setsuko spent several years studying in the United States thanks to her father’s diplomatic appointment Prince Yasuhito quickly departed for San Francisco after a day in Washington his father had already passed during his journey home from England but Yasuhito reunited in Tokyo with his mother and brothers for the emperor’s funeral The death of Emperor Yoshihito had placed Yasuhito’s elder brother Because Hirohito so far only had a daughter the accession also made Yasuhito the heir apparent The independence he had enjoyed in England had to be interrupted Emperor Hirohito denied his brother’s request to be able to return to Oxford to finish his studies and Yasuhito focused on his duties supporting the emperor at home papers were filled with speculation about the prince’s future bride as the imperial succession was not yet secure Yasuhito’s mother quickly decided that the perfect future wife for her son was Setsuko Matsudaira The formal proposal was made to her father During the marriage negotiations in the summer of 1927 the ambassador apparently initially turned down the offer to have his daughter become an imperial princess stating that the honor was simply too great the matter was settled satisfactorily when an imperial representative traveled to Washington to repeat the offer in person to make the couple’s status equal ahead of their wedding day The wedding was held in Tokyo on September 28 a few months after her father was appointed as ambassador to the United Kingdom The couple dressed in traditional Japanese attire for the wedding ceremony itself and then changed into Western-style dress later in the day for a banquet at Akasaka Palace Setusko—now known as Princess Chichibu—wore a spectacular suite of diamond jewelry: a diamond honeysuckle tiara with a coordinating necklace Though their marriage had been an arrangement Prince and Princess Chichibu apparently had a happy and harmonious marriage they were not able to have children of their own Prince Yasuhito ceased to be heir to the imperial throne the prince and princess remained central members of the imperial family often representing the family at important events abroad the anglophile prince and the British-born princess represented the Emperor in London at the coronation of King George VI and Queen Elizabeth of the United Kingdom It was a joy for both of them to return to England and they were invited guests at a whole range of balls Princess Chichibu decided to wear her diamond wedding jewels Two days before the coronation ceremony at Westminster Abbey Yasuhito and Setsuko posed for press photographers wearing the uniform and jewels that they would wear for the ceremony itself Newspapers described Setsuko’s dress as “a gown of gold lamé hand-embroidered with diamante and pearls in a design of Japanese chrysanthemums,” adding “She will wear it with a long train of the same material and a tiara and necklace of diamonds.” Along with the honeysuckle tiara and necklace she also wore the same glamorous diamond bow brooch that she wore for her wedding banquet almost a decade earlier Prince Chichibu passed away in 1953 after contracting tuberculosis his wife worked to prevent and eradicate the disease She also remained an active member of the imperial family supporting causes like the Japanese Red Cross Her fascination with global travel also continued throughout her life and she often made post-war visits to Britain had tea with her during his 1970 visit to Japan he paid her a particularly high compliment: “She reminds me of my grandmother.” But increasing health problems made wearing heavy tiaras uncomfortable The solution for several gala events in the 2000s was the lighter Chichibu Honeysuckle Tiara given the probable 1920s date of its creation Empress Michiko swapped out her heavier tiaras in favor of the lighter honeysuckle diadem for a whole range of occasions She wore the tiara prominently in June 2006 during the Diamond Jubilee celebrations for King Bhumibol Adulyadej of Thailand in Bangkok Another important outing for the tiara came in May 2007 when the Emperor and Empress traveled to Sweden to be present for the celebrations of the 300th anniversary of Swedish botanist Carolus Linnaeus at Uppsala Castle Given that the late Princess Chichibu was the honorary president of the Sweden-Japan Society the choice to wear the tiara for this event was a particularly fitting one Michiko stopped wearing tiaras altogether because of discomfort issues After her husband’s abdication and her son’s accession in 2019 the honeysuckle tiara presumably returned to the imperial vaults We don’t know precisely how jewel assignments work within the world of the notoriously-private Imperial Household Agency but I’d imagine that it’s certainly possible that we may see Princess Chichibu’s gorgeous tiara sparkling on another lady from the imperial family in the years to come Perhaps Empress Masako could take it out for a spin Categories // Japan Enter your name and email address below to subscribe to our weekly newsletter Sign up for my new subscriber-supported community, Hidden Gems, delivered directly to you each Saturday! Copyright © 2025 THE COURT JEWELLER LLC Decanter is supported by its audience. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Learn more Two of the most important attributes for a great whisky blender are patience and knowledge. So it’s little surprise that Ichiro Akuto – of Hanyu and Chichibu fame – is one of the driving forces of today’s Japanese whisky renaissance Akuto represents the 21st generation of his family to produce alcohol. His ancestors started brewing sake around 1625, before moving into whisky production in 1946 However that thread could easily have been severed in the year 2000 Akuto had come to assist his father in running Hanyu; but too late The distillery shut down in 2000 and was demolished four years later Akuto was left with 400 unwanted casks of whisky and little else A stroke of marketing genius transformed his fortunes The launch of the hugely successful Playing Card series of Hanyu releases in 2005 created a franchise that was to become a darling of the auction rooms in the years that followed and Akuto opened the tiny Chichibu Distillery it was the first new whisky distillery to open in Japan for 35 years Japan’s great love of whisky had dimmed from its peak in the early 1980s to a nadir around 2007 It was a brave – some would say foolish – time to start up a new distillery ‘What Ichiro did was to visit about 2,000 whisky bars in Japan over a period of about two years,’ explains Yumi Yoshikawa ‘He found so many people enjoying whisky even then – and they were not just drinking one whisky That research gave Akuto the confidence that his approach was the right one with attention to the finest details of raw materials Soon Chichibu – and the adjacent releases of Akuto’s innovative flavour-led blends – earned a cult reputation Many of those blends were ‘world’ whiskies combining different origins Their cult status was only reinforced by their scarcity Washbacks of mizunara oak at Chichibu Distillery much larger (by Chichibu standards) distillery opened in 2019 It was capable of producing more than four times the amount of spirit ‘Sometimes people are worried when they hear we have opened a second distillery,’ says Yoshikawa but less quality.” But we needed more characters in the warehouse.’ A highly promising cask sample from the second distillery – nothing has yet been commercially released – suggests that it will take the original Chichibu’s scented fruit-forward distillate and add some structure and heft from the use of direct fire to heat the stills The trademark Akuto approach to whisky-making combines a no-fear exploration of new ideas and techniques – think world blends and a wide array of cask types – with a truly artisanal style That style encompasses local barley and floor malting Ichiro – he has something new in his head every year,’ says Yoshikawa but we always want to show the character of the distillate.’ A ‘wide array of cask types’ is used at Chichibu That ‘something new’ in Akuto’s head currently is a third distillery the use of locally grown maize and a production level that will dwarf the Chichibus It’s now been two decades since Hanyu was demolished In that time Japanese whisky has gone from an ailing industry just beginning to make its mark on the international awards scene to one of the most sought-after whisky origins on the planet people said: “Not many people are enjoying whisky now Why don’t you make wine or shochu?” But he kept going and kept telling his story in Japan and around the world – and he opened up the new era of Japanese whisky with redcurrant and wild strawberry to the fore with a touch of yellow fruit from the spirit and a lifting prickle of menthol The seventh in a series of annual releases with the accent on maturation in former bourbon barrels undercut by sandalwood and a whisper of smoke A rounded mid-palate is full of pâtisserie notes of rich cream and brioche this globetrotter combines malt and grain whiskies from Japan malted milk on the fruit-forward palate – apple pear – then butterscotch from the grain and light brown sugar Past meets present in this crowd-pleasing blend of spirits from Hanyu and Chichibu A thread of scented fruit plays against perfumed aromas of pot-pourri and face powder the smoke asserts itself with great intensity Another world whisky, this blended malt was finished in virgin Japanese mizunara oak for a year Cream-accented apple and pear fruit leads into notes of baking spices and perfumed sandalwood A blended ‘world whisky’ that combines Scottish spirit with Chichibu, finished in Bordeaux red wine casks The vinous character is front-and-centre here The wood gives the palate great structure and not a little power but the overall effect is sweetly appealing – and just a little jammy Dutch distributor Salud Spirits has unveiled two Chichibu Symphony editions as part of the Spirits of Salud range Salud is the official importer of the Japanese whisky in the Netherlands and Austria represent Chichibu master blender Ichiro Akuto’s ability to combine world whiskies into compelling expressions Released as part of the Spirits of Salud range the two Ichiro’s Malt & Grain whiskies are named after different music styles each whisky in the blends were chosen by Akuto to create a symphony of flavours ‘like musical instruments with their unique notes coming together in perfect harmony and unison’ The blend is said to unfold with a slowly building intensity with each layer of the whisky showing its full richness candied plum and floral aromas of orchid and dahlia The non-age statement single cask blend was aged in a first-fill Sherry hogshead and is limited to 270 bottles Aged in a single third-fill ex-peated Bourbon barrel the blend offers aromas of smoked mackerel Manuka honey and candied pineapple notes on the the palate Allegro is limited to 240 bottles at 60% ABV Both expressions will be made available in February 2025 and feature a QR code leading to a Spotify list representing the music styles Last December, Salud Spirits held an official launch event for the penultimate release of the Chichibu 7even Gods of Fortune series Earlier this month, Salud’s managing director Maurice van Vliet attended Moutai Kweichow’s 2025 distributors’ meeting and raised questions about the baijiu brand’s price hikes for 2025 We are using cookies to give you the best experience on our website You can find out more about which cookies we are using or switch them off in settings This website uses cookies so that we can provide you with the best user experience possible Cookie information is stored in your browser and performs functions such as recognising you when you return to our website and helping our team to understand which sections of the website you find most interesting and useful Strictly Necessary Cookie should be enabled at all times so that we can save your preferences for cookie settings we will not be able to save your preferences This means that every time you visit this website you will need to enable or disable cookies again including one teacher in town for 10 days of cultural exchange a delegation of 14 people from Japan arrived in town as part of the Antioch-Chichibu Sister City Organization’s exchange program for a 10-day visit They were given a warm welcome and greeted by applause from city staff and banners held by host family members at City Hall The delegates are being treated to multiple events and tours in Antioch and San Francisco ending with a Farewell Party and BBQ open to the public next Tuesday before flying home on Wednesday The delegates are staying with host families in Antioch and according to coordinator Jessica Davis “This year is extra fun for a few of our hosts and delegates because five of these Chichibu delegates are getting to stay with the family of the student that they hosted last summer.” Established in 1967 to encourage friendship and cultural awareness between America and Japan the volunteer run home stay exchange program alternates with delegations from Antioch visiting Japan in odd numbered years and the Chichibu delegation visiting Antioch in even numbered years The relationship resulted in the naming of Chichibu Park in Antioch and Antioch Park in Chichubu The organization is part of the larger, Sister Cities International Eisenhower in 1956,” as “a nonpartisan 501(c)(3) nonprofit which serves as the national membership organization for individual sister cities This network unites tens of thousands of citizen diplomats and volunteers in over 300 member communities with over 2,000 partnerships in more than 140 countries.” This year’s delegation includes four adults and 10 students: Hitoshi Sahara, Chichibu-Antioch Sister City Member the delegation enjoyed lunch at Sizzler in Pinole then a brief welcome ceremony in Antioch City Hall for photos and meeting their host families On Tuesday they had a tour of the Black Diamond Mines in Antioch The group then toured the Antioch Water Treatment plant where they got to see the new brackish water desalination plant then a tour of Antioch High School and the Antioch Historical Society Museum They were officially recognized by the mayor and council during their meeting and presented with the Proclamation approved that night in which the host family and their guests were on their own It ended with the official Welcome Dinner at Smith’s Landing Seafood Grill with the city council members The delegates were each presented with gift bags filled with City of Antioch and other themed items the delegates enjoyed a tour of San Francisco with a trip down Lombard Street a trip across the Golden Gate Bridge to the Marin Headlands the visitors from Chichibu will enjoy a pool party and potluck at the home of organization president Antwon Webster followed by another Family Day on Sunday the delegation will be given a Delta Tour by boat from the pier near Smith’s Landing The public is invited to visit with the Chichibu delegation during the Farewell Party at the Antioch Waterpark on Tuesday a BBQ dinner by local master John Davis will be served at 5:00 pm and optional Water Aerobics will be held from 6:30 pm to 7:30 pm to work off dinner The 14 Sister City delegates from Chichibu with their host families will then meet up Wednesday morning at City Hall before departing for the SFO Airport for the flight home that afternoon and Members-at-Large Phyllis Fox and Brad Helfenberger who is also the city’s Director of Parks and Recreation and current Acting Assistant City Manager To see more photos of this year’s visit and for more information see the organization’s Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/AntiochChichibu/ or email Jessica Davis at AntiochchichibuSCO@gmail.com IN HONOR OF WELCOMING THE VISITING DELEGATION FROM Eisenhower initiated a new international Sister City program for the purposes of cultural and economic exchange by establishing relationships between cities of similar size and economic base; Mayor Verne Roberts traveled with the League of California Cities to six countries to investigate the possibility of establishing a Sister City relationship; and at the same time Chichibu City was seeking a sister city in California; The two cities were likely candidates to be each other’s sister city as each city had manufacturing plants and were at the edge of the economic sphere of a large metropolitan area; the City Council adopted a resolution formally accepting Chichibu as Antioch’s Sister City with annual exchanges occurring every year beginning in 1971 with Antioch visiting Chichibu on odd numbered years and Chichibu visiting Antioch on even numbered years; The 2024 delegation from Chichibu consists of 14 individuals including 10 youth and two additional chaperones who will be visiting Antioch and the Bay Area from July 22-July 31 do hereby welcome the 2024 delegation visiting from Chichibu Antioch places great value on the friendship with our Sister City that we’ve enjoyed for the past 57 years and look forward to continuing this fellowship for many years to come XHTML: You can use these tags: <a href="" title=""> <abbr title=""> <acronym title=""> <b> <blockquote cite=""> <cite> <code> <del datetime=""> <em> <i> <q cite=""> <s> <strike> <strong> © 2025 Antioch Herald - Entries (RSS) - Comments (RSS) - Log in Salud Duty Free has been named the exclusive distributor for Japanese whisky distillery Chichibu in European travel retail The company said it plans to initially focus on a select group of key travel retailers within Europe due to limited stock availability Salud Holding CEO Maurice van Vliet said: “Although supply grows organically we are talking about a high-selling niche brand here so we are focusing on conscious consumers by giving them a choice in selecting real Japanese whisky besides the widely available larger brands they can choose from this beautiful hard to get niche brand from now on.” Van Vliet also highlighted the need to address pricing differences between airport retail and domestic markets noting that travel retail prices often exceed domestic market prices The partnership aligns with the rapid expansion of the Japanese whisky category driven by a surge in new distilleries and brands Van Vliet said: “It looks like the market is balancing out after so many Japanese distilleries popped up in the recent years not only many so called ‘fake’ Japanese whisky appeared on the market due to the scarcity of Japanese whisky but also due to the popularity this category gained the last years “The market always develops faster than the industry catching up with This combination of a lot more brands launched within a very short period of time – larger assortment of existing brands and a decline in consumer spending – results is slowing down of this category.” He stressed that only “strong brands” with compelling stories such as Chichibu high-quality producer that prioritises craftsmanship over profit distinguishing it from brands leveraging the category’s popularity He added that while the Japanese whisky category has strong growth potential established brands that were around before its recent boom are expected to drive much of the expansion These brands focus on authenticity and craftsmanship over market trends Chichibu was founded by its Master Blender Ichiro Akuto who is credited with pioneering innovative releases such as the rare Card Series and the World Blend combining whiskies from various regions aged in Chichibu casks Akuto introduced the debut Card Series in 2005 well before Japanese whisky gained global recognition This ultra-rare collection of 54 bottles was sold for US$1.52 million at auction in 2020 showcasing Akuto’s forward-thinking approach to whisky-making the high demand for Japanese whisky while there was not much more to produce in a short period of time and the popularity of highballs in Japan communicated very clearly that this release contains whisky from all over the world including from their own distillery.” Salud Duty Free plans to release four to six single-cask Chichibu whiskies annually alongside its core range stored in a bonded European warehouse Recent Chichibu releases include the highly sought-after Intergalactics series and the ongoing 7EVEN Gods of Fortune series the company imports other niche Japanese whisky brands Salud Duty Free is a retailer and distributor of travel retail and duty-free products in Europe Subscribe to our newsletter for critical marketing information delivered to your inbox The Moodie Davitt Report is delighted to present the results of the inaugural TREX Awards A trailblazing celebration of the finest travel retail-exclusive products and other initiatives the TREX Awards recognise the critical need for differentiation within travel retail shining a spotlight on innovations that deliver unique value to travellers is relaunching its annual whisky festival under the name Whisky Social Club 1 is the inaugural release in a collection of limited-edition single malts that celebrate the pioneering spirit of James ‘The Major’ Grant Copyright © The Moodie Davitt Report | Website by Yellowball We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website Please click on one of the buttons below to accept We use cookies to help you navigate efficiently and perform certain functions You will find detailed information about all cookies under each consent category below The cookies that are categorized as "Necessary" are stored on your browser as they are essential for enabling the basic functionalities of the site We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze how you use this website and provide the content and advertisements that are relevant to you These cookies will only be stored in your browser with your prior consent You can choose to enable or disable some or all of these cookies but disabling some of them may affect your browsing experience Necessary cookies are required to enable the basic features of this site such as providing secure log-in or adjusting your consent preferences These cookies do not store any personally identifiable data Functional cookies help perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website These cookies help provide information on metrics such as the number of visitors Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with customized advertisements based on the pages you visited previously and to analyze the effectiveness of the ad campaigns ' + scriptOptions._localizedStrings.webview_notification_text + ' " + scriptOptions._localizedStrings.redirect_overlay_title + " " + scriptOptions._localizedStrings.redirect_overlay_text + " Look out for your first newsletter in your inbox soon We help you navigate a myriad of possibilities Sign up for our newsletter for the best of the city By entering your email address you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy and consent to receive emails from Time Out about news, events, offers and partner promotions. Tokyo SaitamaPhoto: Chichibu Yomatsuri10 most spectacular traditional festivals you must see in Japan in 2025Japan is home to amazing cultural events – so plan your trip around these Japanese celebrations in Tokyo Japan has a host of awe-inspiring traditional festivals every year some of which have been celebrated for centuries offering visitors a glimpse of Japanese culture that you won’t find at your average museum What makes traditional festivals in Japan particularly special is the fact that many of them are perfectly preserved customs that have been passed down through generations It also helps that many Japanese people are still actively involved in these festivals – they're still deeply important community gatherings If you’re wondering which events are the best ones to catch we’ve rounded up Japan's most spectacular annual festivals From the snowy showcase at Hokkaido to summer’s bon odori dancing these are the celebrations you should definitely check out while you’re in the country RECOMMENDED: The most beautiful places in Japan Photo: Kouniceshot/PixtaWhat is it?The Hakata Dontaku Matsuri in Fukuoka is Japan’s largest festival over the Golden Week holidays in May A staggering 30,000 people are involved in the festivities which culminate in two massive parades known as the Hakata Matsubayashi that travel through the streets of Fukuoka.Celebrated for over 800 years the two-day festival sees locals from Fukuoka and the Kyushu area perform dances along the city streets Participants are usually dressed in bright that are covered with fresh flowers and driven through the procession There’s no better time to show off your smooth moves as the final evening encourages everyone to participate in the dancing to bring the festival to a close Why go?This festival is worth the trip to Fukuoka: besides the big parades there are live performances on stages all over the city as well as the mouthwatering food and drink stalls Do also check out the fringe events near Hakata Port.  When is it?The festival takes place on May 3 and 4 every year over the Golden Week holidays 画像提供：神田明神What is it?The Kanda Matsuri is one of Tokyo’s three major festivals and takes place around Tokyo’s Kanda Shrine the festival is considered one of Japan’s top three along with the Kyoto Gion Festival and Osaka’s Tenjin Matsuri with the highlight being the full-day parade through the central Tokyo districts of Kanda accompanied by mikoshi (portable shrines) from these neighbourhoods The Kanda Matsuri originated in the Edo period (1603-1868) as a demonstration of Edo’s (present day Tokyo) prosperity when the first Tokugawa shogun settled there.  Why go?The festival is considered a celebration of good fortune and prosperity and is one of the largest processions in Tokyo it’s a rare sight to see as the festival happens only on odd-numbered years.  When is it?The spring festival takes place in mid-May on odd numbered years and runs for six days with the main festivities concentrating on the Saturday and Sunday of the decided week The next festival is slated for May 8 to 15 2025 Photo: Kobby Dagan/DreamstimeWhat is it?The Kyoto Gion Matsuri is the annual festival of Yasaka Shrine with a history going back about 1,100 years It's considered one of the top three festivals in Japan along with Tokyo’s Kanda Matsuri and Osaka’s Tenjin Matsuri The festivities span over the entire month of July but the highlight is the procession of 33 large floats known as yamahoko which are pushed down the streets of Kyoto Nearly all of the floats – or 29 to be exact – are designated Important Tangible Cultural Properties There’s a large main procession followed by a smaller one on a later date.  Why go?As the festival spans an entire month there’s something for everyone to see as long as you're in Kyoto sometime in July There are a number of fringe events leading up to the main procession: watch locals assemble the ornate floats see beautifully decorated folding screen displays in Kyoto’s traditional machi-ya townhouses When is it?The festival takes place throughout the month of July with the grand procession of floats scheduled for July 17 There is also a second smaller procession on July 24 Photo: Osaka Convention & Tourism BureauWhat is it?Undoubtedly one of Osaka’s most famous festivals, Tenjin Matsuri is also one of Japan’s three big traditional celebrations along with Kyoto’s Gion Matsuri and Tokyo’s Kanda Matsuri The Tenjin Matsuri is tied to Osaka’s Tenmangu Shrine and honours the shrine’s deity Sugawara no Michizane The first day of the festival sees rituals performed on the shrine grounds while the second day comprises two processions – one on land and one on water The former has people parading through the streets in colourful costumes Two mikoshi (portable shrines) are also brought through the streets to the Okawa River the shrines are loaded onto boats and the procession moves onto the water with special performance boats floating down the river and a fireworks display.  Why go?The procession along Okawa River makes this festival unique –  you can watch from the riverside as boats carrying noh (classical Japanese theatre) and bunraku (puppetry) performers sail past The river is also lined with food and drink stalls.  When is it?The festival is scheduled for July 24 and 25 every year The main festivities happen on the second day Photo: Kyonntra/iStockWhat is it?The summer Aomori Nebuta Festival is a Japanese fire festival that sees around 20 massive lantern floats (known as nebuta) paraded down the streets of Aomori in northern Honshu inspired by traditional kabuki or mythical Japanese stories The festival also features nebuta dancers accompanying the parade along with performers playing instruments such as flutes and drums A staggering number of guests head on up to Aomori for this annual celebration when the city hosts approximately 2.5 million people over the duration of the festivities Why go?One of the most popular festivals in the country Aomori Nebuta Festivalwas designated an Important Intangible Folk Cultural Property of Japan in 1980 Don’t miss the final day of the festival when the nebuta floats are placed on boats in Aomori Bay and sailed around under a stunning fireworks display When is it?The festival takes place between August 2 and 7 every year with parades of the floats scheduled for every evening except the night of August 7 – that’s when the floats are on boats in the bay Photo: fb.com/sendaitanabatamatsuriWhat is it?A common celebration around Japan, Tanabata is also known as the ‘star festival’. This Sendai edition is one of the largest Tanabata festivals in the country and it happens annually at the beginning of August The festivities take place in downtown Sendai with the highlight being the colourful streamers that can reach up to 5m in length strung through the city’s main shopping arcade These cheerful decorations are crafted by local shops Why go?Other than seeing the beautiful streamers and a fireworks display to kick off the festival on the evening of August 5 When is it?The festival was traditionally celebrated on the seventh day of the seventh month of the year by way of the lunar calendar When Japan pivoted to the solar calendar the festival moved to August and is now held annually on August 6-8 with the festivities kicking off on the evening of August 5 Photo: fb.com/tokushimacityawaodoriWhat is it?This annual celebration takes place in Tokushima and is one of the most famous summer dance festivals in Japan thousands of visitors flock to Tokushima to watch people perform what’s known as the ‘fool’s dance’ with a history dating back more than 400 years There are multiple celebrations throughout the day but the main event happens in the evening when groups dance their way through the streets of downtown Tokushima Dancers are accompanied by traditional musical instruments that set the beat Women generally wear colourful yukata (summer kimono) while the men dress up in happi (lightweight coats with straight-sleeves).  the festival sees a number of stages set up for professional dance group performances. Other big draws are the festive food stalls and games You might even be able to join a dance or two to show off your own moves – so don’t be shy!  When is it?The Awa Odori is held during obon season (when spirits of the deceased are thought to visit the realm of the living) in mid-August Photo: fb.com/karatsu.kankouWhat is it?The Karatsu Kunchi Festival takes place in the city of Karatsu in Saga prefecture This autumn event celebrates a bountiful harvest season and sees large hikiyama floats parading down the streets from Karatsu Shrine all the way to Nishino Beach This is definitely one of the more photogenic festivals – the detailed floats can take up to three years to make and are even embellished with gold and silver The first evening of the festival sees the large hikiyama strung with lanterns and paraded down the brightly lit streets.  Why go?The floats used in this festival are unlike any others you’ll see around Japan Some are 7m tall and come in impressive shapes such as lions When is it?The festival takes place from November 2 to 4 If you can’t make it to the festival Karatsu is still worth a visit: the iconic floats are displayed at an exhibition hall the rest of the year Photo: Chichibu YomatsuriWhat is it?The Chichibu Yomatsuri, otherwise known as the Chichibu Night Festival, is an annual celebration that takes place out at Saitama’s Chichibu Shrine and has been celebrated for over 300 years It's a Unesco Intangible Cultural Heritage and the highlight here is the massive floats with their stunningly ornate designs The evening procession sees four large floats move down the streets accompanied by smaller floats known as kasaboko and lively music courtesy of flutes and taiko drums The areas around the procession can get really crowded but there’s still plenty to see as the final day of the festival boasts an amazing fireworks display and lots of food and drink stalls.  Why go?Chichibu Shrine is roughly 90 minutes from central Tokyo so it’s an easily accessible festival if you’re already visiting the capital there’s a large fireworks display which is rare in winter – fireworks are usually a summer thing in Japan When is it?The festival takes place every year on December 2 and 3 with most of the main festivities happening on the second day including the large procession of floats and the fireworks show Why go?While the festival is worth a visit both day and night, the evening sees the snow and ice sculptures lit up until 10pm (11pm in the Sukino area). The festival also has tons of family-friendly activities for kids.  When is it?Sapporo Snow Festival takes place for one week every February at Odori Park, as well as the entertainment district of Sukino. The 2025 festival took place from February 4 to 11. Photo: Byodoin/Sean PavoneFrom Okinawa to Kyoto and Mt Fuji, these nature and historical attractions are essential stops on any trip through Japan Photo: Sean Pavone/DreamstimeTravel off the beaten track to these storybook villages Edo-era towns with geisha (not Kyoto!) and seaside retreats Thanks for subscribing! Look out for your first newsletter in your inbox soon! facebooktwitterpinterestinstagramAbout us Today's print edition Home Delivery a small city in western Saitama Prefecture an amber glow is cast onto the surrounding nightscape from the latticed windows of a renovated 100-year-old kominka (traditional wooden home) And while many similar structures dotting the area retain remnants of their history as sericulture wholesalers during the late Taisho (1912-26) to early Showa (1926-89) eras this particular building has a different story to tell This is the Highlander Inn Chichibu a Scottish-style pub in the Japanese countryside a pair of chōchin lanterns are inscribed with a major source of local pride: Ichiro’s Malt Chichibu Distillery is master distiller Ichiro Akuto himself — a Chichibu native who has become a global legend in the world of independent whisky makers.googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-1499653692894-0'); }); Born into a local family who began brewing sake in the 16th century using the area’s pristine mountain waters Akuto’s grandfather additionally began pursuing whisky-making by opening the Hanyu Distillery in Chichibu during the 1940s creating single malt whiskies after purchasing two stills from Scotland but the Akuto family ceased whisky production in 2000 amid declining sales and when it became clear that whisky was not within the new buyer’s plans Akuto bought back 400 casks of the family stock In a time of both misinformation and too much information quality journalism is more crucial than ever.By subscribing Your subscription plan doesn't allow commenting. To learn more see our FAQ Sponsored contents planned and edited by JT Media Enterprise Division Discover the untapped potential of this rising destination Japan broke its own records with almost 37 million international visitors It’s great news for the country’s deserving tourist industry but for guests looking to escape the busiest destinations it calls for new Saitama is typically regarded as a residential region for those commuting into central Tokyo but the natural beauty of the west of the prefecture is quickly being recognised as an attractive destination for those looking to conveniently escape the urban hustle of Tokyo and the crowds in popular day-trip towns like Hakone and Nikko I travelled just over an hour west of Tokyo to Chichibu to discover what this up-and-coming area has to offer before it starts pulling in the crowds How to get to Chichibu: A scenic and easy journey from Tokyo Chichibu is the ideal base for exploring the natural side of Saitama prefecture the fastest connection is the Seibu Railway Limited Express from Ikebukuro to Seibu-Chichibu Station (80 minutes passing through the attractive Iruma River valley Those looking for a more luxurious trip could consider the special “52 seats of Happiness” service a tourist train with dinner included (AUD 155 to 185) expect a journey of around two hours from Tokyo Chichibu can also be accessed from the west through Kumagaya making it a suitable stop between Tokyo and the ski regions of Nagano Gunma and Niigata prefectures if combining it with a snowsports trip Staying in Chichibu: Boutique comfort and traditional charm Chichibu does not yet have the breadth of accommodation options you’d find in neighbouring Tokyo NIPPONIA Chichibu: Historic character with modern touches The newly opened NIPPONIA Chichibu brings an element of boutique luxury to this traditional town principal venue of the Chichibu Yomatsuri (see below) NIPPONIA provides privacy and top-class hospitality within a small-hotel setting each of the eight rooms preserving individual styles befitting the history of their spaces Large hinoki wood bath tubs in each room provide a soothing and private space to relax while the hotel’s restaurant puts emphasis on local flavours with its impressive Japanese breakfast Miyamotoke Ryokan: From farmhouse to luxurious retreat this converted farmer’s mansion offers an authentic Japanese stay with warm hospitality brings the same dedication and precision to his seasonal kaiseki cuisine as he once did to the ring it’s an excellent base for exploring Chichibu’s culture and nature Chichibu night festival: A spectacle of floats Chichibu is most known within Japan for its annual Yomatsuri taking place each year on December 2nd-3rd One of Japan’s big three festivals featuring floats it’s the only one to take place during the snow season offering an ideal opportunity to combine this important tradition with a snowsports trip in the Japanese Alps The festival wards off the evil spirits through a procession of intricate floats and streets bursting with local food and drink options This UNESCO recognised event should not be missed Seasonal wonders: From ice festivals to cherry blossoms Those visiting in January and February can also view the impressive Misotsuchi icicles illuminated daily as part of the Otaki Ice Festival Access is via car or bus from Chichibu with a journey time of around 45-minutes from central Chichibu the lake’s surrounding hills transition through the colours as the seasons progress The best way to experience this all is from the water Bencher Canoe provide expert guiding and tuition in high-quality single or catamaran canoes with a truly unique opportunity for coffee and cake in the centre of the reservoir More details are available on the official website In April and May the slopes of Hitsujiyama Park explode into a carpet of 400,000 pink flowers and mosses Popular with locals and Tokyoites and just 10 minutes from Seibu-Chichibu station it’s a magnificent sight with Mt Buko towering behind You’ll also find stalls selling local foods and souvenirs to keep you fed and entertained during your visit Walking the Chichibu pilgrimage: A journey through time and temples Those looking to combine an active holiday with cultural significance should consider the Chichibu Pilgrimage the forests along the 100km route remain cooler during the humid months of the Japanese summer and transition to red and orange as autumn approaches You’ll pass through 34 Buddhist temples set amidst Chichibu and its surrounding hills and traditional villages following paths used since the 13th century The entire route should take 4-7 days to complete on foot but can also be enjoyed in shorter one-day sections or by bike The area around Chichibu offers some good activities for wet weather days The Meisenkan museum documents the production of silk the traditional industry of the area during the Meiji and Showa periods with the opportunity for hands-on silk weaving and printing experiences the Highlander Inn is a great place to end your evenings Anyone familiar with bars in the Scottish Highlands could wake up after a few too many ‘drams’ in this bar and think they’d been transported across the world dark wooden tables and exposed beams are uncanny of this bar’s namesake which the building blends with a traditional Japanese-style courtyard to retain its national roots showcasing specialties including the local Ichiro’s Malt from Chichibu Distillery and prices are especially reasonable with plenty of options for non-whisky drinkers too Why you should consider Chichibu as part of your next Japan trip Chichibu offers an excellent blend of nature and adventure just beyond Tokyo’s urban boundaries Whether hiking on historic pilgrimage trails this under-the-radar destination provides an active and authentic escape For visitors seeking a unique extension to a Japan ski trip – or an off-the-beaten-path alternative – Chichibu should certainly be considered for an unforgettable experience without the crowds *All prices and conversions are correct as of February 2025 Check details on the individual websites of each attraction another big storm was due and with over one metre in the forecast.. showcase of spectacular big mountain freeriding from some of the world’s best.. he Snow Australia Awards have allowed us to reflect on another amazing season.. we see higher than average pressure to the southeast of New Zealand Snow Australia Awards recognise the achievements of athletes across the 2024/25.. The Mountainwatch.com team is as passionate and dedicated about the mountains as you are everything about those huge piles of dirt and rock keep our blood flowing Our team strives to provide you with detailed weather conditions and vision of our most used mountain areas in Australia Roka has collaborated with Japanese whisky distillery Chichibu on the launch of a new blended malt whisky to mark the restaurant chain’s 20th anniversary “We have had the privilege of working with Chichibu – part of distillery Venture Whisky – for over 10 years with this being the 4th bottle we have produced together,” Simon Freeth “Speciality Drinks has been an important partner in the creation process with each of these bottlings The first three bottlings that were made for us and our sister restaurant Zuma were from single casks The first was a Hanyu cask (one of the last remaining from Hanyu’s historic stock before it closed) and the other two casks from Chichibu.” was supposedly Japan’s first single malt distillery to be built since the 1970s “Following a discussion in London with Ichiro Akuto (owner master distiller and blender) and Yumi Yoshikawa (global brand ambassador) last year we wanted to create something special for Roka’s 20th anniversary This resulted in Ichiro Akuto himself creating a blend for us it also aligns with Venture Whisky’s 20th anniversary which makes the collaboration even more pertinent,” Freeth added the whisky offers rich aromas of dry apricot and honey On the palate I get a blend of ripe stone fruit and the soft the whisky will be available to sample in 25ml (£24) and 50ml (£48) servings at all four of Roka’s London sites (Charlotte Street “This whisky will only be served neat,” he explained there are several cocktails that we have created with Chichibu for the specially curated Roka 20th anniversary dinner [on 9 September] to pair with several of the courses One of the cocktails is with Ichiro’s Malt & Grain whisky soda and pairs really well with the grilled duck breast and smoked soy butter.” Other pairings with dishes from the dinner that Freeth revealed include “the baby back ribs with cashew nuts and sansho salt or one of the desserts such as the sticky toffee pudding with miso caramel and sweet potato ice cream” “Whisky is an interesting product when it comes to pairing,” he explained we must take into account the ABV and how that may balance with certain food flavour profiles We are very fond of serving whisky in the traditional Japanese Mizuwari fashion while reducing the overall ABV of the drink.” Asked if Roka has any other drinks collaborations lined up Freeth shared that the restaurant has a special sake in store: “We have also partnered with the Totsatsuru sake brewery for the Roka 20th anniversary In this case it is a special labelling of their famous Azure and they are a brewery that Roka has been working with since the very beginning It is one of my favourite sakes and my all-time favourite bottle design This was led by Laura Blanchett (global head of wine and sake at Roka) who worked with the owners directly to make this happen The sake is a ginjo and is made in Shikoku Island Dutch distributor Salud Spirits has revealed the penultimate single malt release in the Chichibu 7even Gods of Fortune collection: Daikokuten the series will contain seven bottlings of Japanese Chichibu whisky with the final edition due for release in 2025 Inspired by the seven gods of fortune worshipped in Japan since the Middle Ages each bottling highlights a different god that generally represents good fortune but carries other associations pays tribute to the god of commerce and prosperity He is sometimes considered the patron of cooks He is usually depicted with a bag full of valuable objects The heavily peated liquid was distilled in 2015 and aged for nine years in a second-fill Bourbon barrel the single barrel expression is limited to 187 bottles The 7even Gods of Fortune series was created in partnership with Warbb commented: “When I was approached by this wonderful whisky brand It’s an honour to contribute to the total customer experience and it’s the ultimate way to bring my art to life “I want to immerse the proud owner of this rare Chichibu bottle in a world I’ve created: the world of Warbb.” Ichiro Akuto, the owner of the Chichibu distillery, is considered ‘one of the most influential people in Japanese whisky’, having operated his family’s Hanyu distillery until its closure in 2004 and managing the release of its remaining liquid since Akuto releases two single casks for Salud BV and Salud GmbH every year. The 7even Gods of Fortune is a project created by the Salud Holding Group, with previous releases including Ebisu, Hotei, Bishamonten, Benzaitan and Fukurokuju said: “Everything about this project is special We will celebrate the launch of this release with an exclusive dinner powered by Jermain de Rozario from Restaurant de Rozario in Helmond “The dinner is accompanied by our amazing Japanese Chichibu and other special releases we will bring to the market in 2025 Even the Japanese ambassador to the Netherlands is part of this special occasion It might be the last series that we will do – let’s see we are enjoying every moment of it.” Embark on a once-in-a-lifetime cultural adventure Join the Chichibu Sister City Program and experience the beauty From breathtaking landscapes to rich history this is your chance to build lifelong connections and unforgettable memories delegates from Japan joined us here in Antioch Apply today and be part of this amazing exchange Learn more information about the Antioch Chichibu Sister City Program when you visit their Facebook page Antioch-Chichibu Sister City Organization or email AntiochChichibuSCO@gmail.com Dutch distributor Salud Spirits has partnered with the Spanish Liquor Mini Bottle Collectors Club (CECBL) to offer Chichibu 7even Gods of Fortune miniature exclusively to its members during the 14th annual meeting of the CECBL held in Segovia the official bottling of the Chichibu 7even Gods of Fortune was presented to its exclusive members as a commemorative 50ml miniature For the dedicated event, the Dutch and Austrian distributor produced an exclusive and limited series of 140 miniatures of the fifth edition of Chichibu’s Seven Gods of Fortune series The Japanese single malt whisky was aged for eight years in Bourbon casks It was distilled in 2015 and bottled in 2024 at 61% ABV The miniature represents the design style of its original 700ml bottle It was made available exclusively to CECBL members attending the event and non-attendants in the following days a member of CECBL and coordinator of the project commented: “I am hoping we can do more projects together with Salud’s fantastic Chichibu bottlings especially since a miniature release has never drawn so much positive attention as this one.” praised Viceira’s professional approach and experience in bottling miniatures: “The partnership was extremely pleasant and I look forward to doing many more of these exciting projects together.” The 7even Gods of Fortune series debuted in 2022 and Fukurokuju – each named after a god worshipped in Japan since the Middle Ages Earlier this year, Salud Spirits unveiled ‘the most limited Chichibu release ever’, Spirits of Salud: Angels Favourite This year in the UK, Chichibu collaborated with Roka on a whisky for the restaurant’s 20th anniversary and released its seventh annual release of London Edition London-based drinks agency Speciality Brands has released the fourth edition of Chichibu On The Way in the UK The Japanese single malt from Chichibu Distillery was created by founder and master blender Ichiro Akuto The fourth edition of the series follows previous limited releases from 2013 Each bottling in the series is said to focus on the craft behind whisky-making and a specific production process reflecting the distillery’s commitment to authentic and artisanal whiskies On The Way 2024 is crafted from 100% floor-malted barley The technique is described as resulting in ‘enhanced flavour by imparting a rich The single malt is a blend of whiskies aged in various casks followed by ripe peach and plum notes on the palate On The Way 2024 will be distributed in the UK under allocation by Speciality Brands It is available at selected independent retailers for a recommended retail price of £290 (US$375) Last September, Chichibu released its UK-exclusive London Edition 2024 in partnership with Speciality Brands In the Netherlands, Chichibu is distributed by Salud Spirits, known for its Spirits of Salud and 7even Gods of Fortune bottlings of Chichibu whiskies Japanese single malt whisky distillery Chichibu has unveiled its seventh annual release of London Edition the limited edition release is ‘highly sought after’ by whisky fans for its ‘exceptional quality according to Chichibu’s UK distributor Speciality Brands The 2024 edition features a colourful label designed by Raj Chavda Chavda said of the label design: “For the latest Chichibu London Edition I took inspiration from Musha-e: The Warriors of Ukiyo-e we have the noble warrior battling a dragon Japan’s most legendary warrior and most iconic mythical beast – a symbol of courage and strength The glow-in-the-dark element was something I have been experimenting with and is a first for the brand combining Japanese design tradition with modern techniques.” with whisky enthusiasts eagerly anticipating each release The seventh edition continues the tradition offering a ‘unique’ character distinct from previous releases It is the series’ first edition since Chichibu announced its partnership with Speciality Brands The blend of approximately 10 casks is predominantly matured in ex-Bourbon barrels which ‘impart a gentle sweetness and fruitiness’ with an additional red wine cask to add structure and balance Opening with ‘notes of creamy vanilla and rich honey accompanied by hints of white peach and a delicate smokiness’ the palate follows with ‘velvety texture with flavours of white pepper and cream leading to a bright finish with fresh minerality and a touch of resinous pine’ the 2024 Chichibu London Edition is offered at 50.5% ABV in 700ml format The expression will be available and sold through The Whisky Exchange and other independent retailers with a suggested retail price of £210 (US$281) at the time of release Located 100km from Tokyo in Saitama prefecture Chichibu Distillery was established by Ichiro Akuto whose family has a long history of alcohol production in Japan the distillery has gained a reputation for producing ‘elegant and sophisticated’ whiskies Last month, Chichibu collaborated with Roka on a whisky for the London-based restaurant’s 20th anniversary Earlier this year, Dutch distributor Salud Spirits released the fifth edition of the Chichibu 7even Gods of Fortune series: Fukurokuju and unveiled ‘the most limited Chichibu release ever’, Spirits of Salud: Angels Favourite Dutch spirits distributor Salud Spirits has revealed the fifth edition of the Chichibu 7even Gods of Fortunes series: Fukurokuju The 7even Gods of Fortune series debuted in 2022. The fifth edition, Fukurokuju, follows the previous releases of Ebisu, Hotei, Bishamonten and Benzaitan – each named after a god worshipped in Japan since the Middle Ages The series contains seven bottlings of Chichibu single cask whiskies Each of the seven expressions ‘share the fortune of the very best Chichibu casks with whisky lovers worldwide’ each god symbolises good fortune while carrying certain characteristics and associations who is said to ‘bring a wealth of flavours and a finish that lasts ages to those who enjoy and savour it’ The new whisky release is made with Odyssey barley aged eight years in a first-fill Bourbon barrel and bottled at its cask strength of 61% ABV Salud Spirits invited a panel of whisky connoisseurs to choose their favourite Fukurokuju offers ‘floral and fruity aromas with icing sugar and tumtums’ on the nose followed by an ‘explosion of tropical fruits and peppery notes’ on the palate The series has been made in cooperation with digital and NFT designer Warbb “When I was approached by this wonderful whisky brand It’s an honour to contribute to the total customer experience it’s the ultimate way to bring my art alive,” said Robbin Snijders In line with the Seven Gods’ beneficiary nature Salud Spirits celebrates the release this July by helping those less fortunate with a special benefit in partnership with the Japanese Consulate in The Hague is held in support of Second Harvest Japan a charity helping those in hunger have access to food At the event, Salud Spirits will auction the second bottle of Fukurokuju, as well as other exclusive Chichibu bottlings such as Spirits of Salud and Chichibu Red Wine Cask 2023 The winners of the auction ‘might’ have the chance to get their bottles signed by Ichiro Akuto The Dutch arm of Salud Spirits held an official launch event on 8 December for the penultimate release of the Chichibu 7even Gods of Fortune series was attended by a select group of customers and business partners Guests were treated to a lunch by Jermain de Rozario Salud’s brand ambassador Martijn van Opstal presented the company’s whiskies bottled in 2024 and exclusive cask releases planned for 2025 The six whiskies served included Chichibu Red Wine Cask 2023, Fukurokuju single cask 2024, and, the latest edition, Daikokuten single cask The upcoming 2025 whisky releases unveiled were Chichibu M&G Symphony Allegro and Allargando and Akkeshi Claude x Salud friendship cask The sixth release in Salud’s 7even Gods of Fortune series is a nine-year-old heavily peated single malt from Japanese distillery Chichibu the barrel yielded only 187 bottles – now available exclusively at specialised liquor stores in Salud’s markets across the Netherlands and Austria The final edition of the 7even Gods series will be released in 2025 announced that the last release would be a “very special cask” of Chichibu In the past month, Salud’s Austrian arm released a 12-year-old Loch Lomond whisky aged in a Madeira hogshead cask and a limited edition Kavalan Solist Vinho Barrique Japanese distillery Chichibu has collaborated with Roka on a whisky for the restaurant’s 20th anniversary The whisky combines single malt from Chichibu a distillery located in Saitama province in Japan with liquid from one of the few casks left over from Hanyu a lost distillery that ceased production in 2000 Chichibu was founded by Ichiro Akuto in 2008 as Japan’s first single malt distillery since the 1970s The distillery is situated near the demolished Hanyu distillery and is said to be home to its last remaining stocks The whisky offers aromas of caramel and hazelnut on the nose with notes of stone fruit and silver jasmine on the palate The release will be celebrated at a dinner on 9 September at Roka Mayfair The evening will include a specially curated menu in the restaurant’s private dining room showcasing the best of Roka’s contemporary Japanese robatayaki cuisine alongside paired sake Guests will also be given a 200ml bottle of the exclusive whisky to take home whisky enthusiasts can savour the whisky in 25ml priced at £24 (US$31) and 50ml for £48 (US$62) servings in Roka’s all four London sites in Charlotte Street Earlier this year, Dutch distributor Salud Spirits revealed two single-cask releases of Chichibu single malt: 7even Gods of Fortunes Fukurokuju and Spirits of Salud Angels Favourite Dutch distributor Salud Spirits has unveiled ‘the most limited Chichibu release ever’ the heavily peated eight-year-old Japanese single malt is limited to only 75 bottles worldwide making it one of the rarest Chichibu’s ever released The whisky was initially intended for release under the distributor’s 7even Gods of Fortune series the outturn was considered too small for an official release due to a leak in the cask which resulted in the loss of almost three-quarters of the liquid inside Released under the distributor’s Spirits of Salud range Angels Favourite is a play on the term ‘angel’s share’ a nickname for the evaporation of whisky from the cask during maturation “not a single cask of Chichibu has ever leaked as much whisky as the Angels Favourite.” The whisky was chosen by an expert panel and offers aromas of ‘peat followed on the palate by umami flavours with seaweed Angels Favourite Chichibu single malt is made with heavily peated Concerto barley aged in a second-fill Bourbon barrel and offered at 63.5% ABV in 700ml bottles The rare bottling will be initially launched in the Netherlands and Austrian markets and is expected to be highly sought-after by whisky enthusiasts Created with AI technology by design studio Warbb who is trying to protect the whisky from evaporating and Earlier this month, Salud Spirits released the fifth edition of the Chichibu 7even Gods of Fortune series: Fukurokuju As the train rounds a bend in the deepening greenery of Saitama Prefecture chef Hiroshi Tsubouchi puts the finishing touches on his main dish: Akagi beef tagliata in a Chichibu red wine sauce accented by a medley of crookneck squash red radish and purple dragon carrot — all harvested that morning from his own farm a traveling restaurant on the Seibu train line heading toward Chichibu Station As the passengers — participants on a special Ichiro’s Malt whisky tour — tuck into their entrees and whisky pairings the chef extends a welcome in his typical warm and gentle demeanor.googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-1499653692894-0'); }); When Tsubouchi isn’t cooking aboard rolling stock, you can usually find him at Cucina Salve in Chichibu his restaurant has earned a collection of both domestic and international accolades including a 2022 two-toque rating from Gault et Millau awarded to establishments with a “new take on cuisine.” Summer is here and with it the chance to see the many sites and events of a city hidden in a  valley in Saitama prefecture not far from Yokota Air Base in western Tokyo local friends helped my family and me navigate the area We took a winding road up to Chichibu Muse Park a loaded recreation area that spans nearly 1,000 acres across the city The park is laid out in four zones consisting of sports areas hiking and open spaces for adults and children The park also boasts a grand music hall and a large open-air entertainment stage that seats up to 5,000 visitors It features opportunities to see local artistic expressions We visited the captivating Fountain of the Muses an acre of Greek-styled marble statues and columns was a comfortable reprieve from a day of the rain and heavy fog We found there a small café and vending area Flower gardens found throughout the park are filled with an array of species including the rhododendron and can be observed through the spring season we drove up a winding mountain road in Higashi-Chichibu to attempt a look at the Tenku no Poppy or the “Poppies in the Sky,” at the Sainokuni Fureai Ranch white and pink poppies spread across rolling fields of green to the horizon we found dense clouds had settled there and We were not wholly disappointed as we descended to a lower ranch featuring red poppies in the same area Thousands of people usually come to take photos of the Poppies in the Sky from mid-May through June approximately 800,000 flowers appear on the six-acre field; a multitude of visitors travel from near and far to view them each year during the Fuji Shibazakura Matsuri festival held mid-spring Another place worth a visit includes Chichibu-Tama-Kai National Park almost 500 square miles of mountainous and heavily forested park It spreads out into four prefectures including Saitama just be careful of the bears known to inhabit the area Directions: About a 90-minute drive from Yokota Air Base; two hours by train Saitama 368-0102; Poppies in the Sky field at 2949-1 Sakamoto Times: Chichibu Muse Park is open every day year-round Costs: Parking and entrance are free at Muse Park Japanese robatayaki restaurant Roka has partnered with Chichibu coincides with Roka’s 20th anniversary and features the limited edition Chichibu x Hanyu Blended Malt Japanese Whisky The bespoke liquor combines single malt from Chichibu with a rare cask from the now-defunct Hanyu distillery The whisky will be showcased at an exclusive dinner at Roka Mayfair on the launch day and will also be available across all four Roka locations in London The event at Roka Mayfair will include a whisky tasting a masterclass on Chichibu’s whisky production by Global Brand Ambassador Yumi Yoshikawa that highlights Roka’s robatayaki signature cuisine paired with sake was the first new single malt distillery in Japan since the 1970s Chichibu has access to some of the last stocks of Hanyu single malts enabling them to produce sought-after blended whiskies The new whisky is described as having notes of caramel and hazelnut with hints of stone fruit and silver jasmine finishing with a touch of white peppercorn It will be served in 25 ml and 50 ml measures exclusively at Roka’s restaurants in Charlotte Street Attendees of the Mayfair dinner will receive a 200ml bottle of the whisky a collector’s item not available for separate purchase The journey of the global restaurant group Azumi began in 2002 when chef Rainer Becker there are 22 Zuma restaurants and 11 Roka locations worldwide In addition to the iconic Zuma and Roka concepts Azumi expanded with the opening of Oblix at The Shard in London in 2013 For further information on Roka, visit the restaurant’s website. For purchasing tickets for the whisky and celebratory dinner, visit the dedicated webpage.  By entering your email address you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy and consent to receive emails from Time Out about news, events, offers and partner promotions. featuring a winter forest of artificial ice formations If you’d rather stay close to Tokyo this coming winter Saitama’s got a winter wonderland you need to check out.  While it doesn't snow or get very icy in Tokyo, you can catch both at the annual Ashigakubo Icicles event in Chichibu just an hour and a half from central Tokyo The stunning area is filled with massive displays of artificial icicles created by spraying water from a nearby stream into the cold winter air.  The Insta-worthy spot features icicle displays that cover the entire landscape of the area The area is also open in the evenings for a special illumination that’s truly stunning The frozen formations are lit up with colourful lights giving the entire area a whimsical feel as if you’re walking through a scene from the movie ‘Frozen’ The frozen forest is now set to open from January 9 to February 24 2025 and it's open from 9am to 4pm Evening illuminations are held from Thursday to Sunday including holidays from 5pm to 8pm daytime tickets also come with a free cup of tea or non-alcoholic amazake (sweet fermented rice drink) You can get to the area in ten minutes on foot from Ashigakubo Station. Tickets cost just ¥500 (¥300 for elementary school students). Reservations are required to visit the evening illuminations. More details here This article was originally published on January 25 2022 and updated on December 3 2024 Tokyo is ranked as one of the world’s best cities for 2025 teamLab Planets is expanding with new artworks Here's the official Japan cherry blossom forecast for 2025 Takashi Murakami and Louis Vuitton take over Harajuku with a pop-up shop and café Announcing the first 7 chefs and restaurateurs coming to Time Out Market Osaka in March 2025 Want to be the first to know what’s cool in Tokyo? Sign up to our newsletter for the latest updates from Tokyo and Japan. Saitama Wild Knights ensured they remained an ever-present in the Japan Rugby League One championship final Saturday as they came from behind to beat Yokohama Eagles 20-17 in the first of the weekend's semifinals A 59th-minute try by two-time Rugby World Cup winner Damian de Allende proved to be the clincher at Prince Chichibu Memorial Rugby Ground after the Eagles had turned around a 13-3 halftime deficit to lead 17-13 The victory ensures Saitama veterans Shota Horie and Keisuke Uchida will play the final games of their professional careers at Tokyo's National Stadium on May 26 against either Brave Lupus Tokyo or Tokyo Sungoliath Koki Takeyama and Jack Cornelsen scored first-half tries for the Wild Knights with Rikiya Matsuda adding a penalty and slotting over the extras to de Allende's five-pointer Sione Halisili and Masayoshi Takezawa touched down early on in the second half to give the Eagles' fans hopes of an amazing upset -- their team having not beaten Saitama since 2013 held on thanks to a courageous defensive effort with de Allende and Ben Gunter to the fore "There's no doubt that was a real arm wrestle," said Wild Knights coach Robbie Deans They played tactically well and put us under pressure While the game was a great advert for Japanese rugby given the sparkling tries and courageous defense it also contained a fair few errors that just added to the nail-biting among the crowd of 15,464 But that was down to the pressure the teams exerted on one another "When you see quality players making uncharacteristic errors "The game was played at a different level of intensity." particularly given how close his team had come to upsetting the Wild Knights who they had lost 53-12 to on the opening week and 43-14 two weeks ago on the final day of the regular season so we wanted to win this match no matter what," he said but I think we were able to give it our all." Rugby: Wild Knights go into League One playoffs eyeing perfect season Rugby: All Black Cane set for long-term deal with Sungoliath Rugby: Japanese woman set to be 1st to play, referee at Olympics To have the latest news and stories delivered to your inbox, subscribe here. Simply enter your email address below and an email will be sent through which to complete your subscription. Please check your inbox for a confirmation email. If you wish to change your message, press 'Cancel' to go back and edit. Thank you for reaching out to us.We will get back to you as soon as possible. First launched in 2013, each bottling in the series focuses on the craft behind whisky-making and a specific production process. It reflects the distillery’s commitment to making authentic and artisanal whiskies. On The Way 2024 is made from barley that has been 100% floor malted. Floor-malting is a technique that has largely been abandoned due to the extensive amounts of manual labour and replaced by more efficient means. Chichibu used this artisanal process for this release as it enhances the flavour profile of the whisky, imparting a rich, nuanced character to the spirit – reminiscent of whiskies from the early 20th century. Using no filtration or colouring, On The Way 2024 is a vibrant single malt made of whiskies aged between 9 and 15 years. These are aged in a variety of casks, including ex bourbon, ex sherry, mizunara wood, ex wine casks and chibidaru. This whisky has bright and elegant notes of kumquat, peach, and sweet vanilla, with a touch of honey and citrus peel. On the palate is a richness from the barley and creamy character with hints of ripe peach and plum. The finish is long and elegant with plum and biscuit ending with orchard fruits. Chichibu On The Way 2024 (54.5% ABV) will be available on allocation at selected independent retailers including The Whisky Exchange – RRP £290 DIRTEA, the UK’s leading functional mushroom brand, announces a series of major retail partnerships, further... Benefit, the UK's #1 Prestige Brow Brand, is delighted to announce the return of its... WHITE RABBIT is taking on the premium ambient biscuit aisle, with a category-first authentic gluten-free... Creator of authentic Mexican food, Gran Luchito, is proud to announce that Morrisons will now... The Glen Grant Single Malt Scotch Whisky announces the release of The Glen Grant 30-Year-Old,... This Coeliac Awareness Month, BFree is supporting Coeliac UK by donating 40p from every pack... The “52 Seats of Happiness” train promises you many pleasures then a journey aboard a carefully designed train through beautiful landscapes to Chichibu The “52 Seats of Happiness” was put into service in April 2016 by the private company Seibu with the aim of offering you an experience worthy of a fine restaurant while traveling aboard a train with particularly careful decoration The great designer-architect Kengo Kuma was called upon to transform a 4000 series train into an object of desire and pleasure for the eyes The livery of the four cars of the train expresses the four seasons of Chichibu the rushing waters of the Arakawa River that flows down from the mountains to Tokyo these same mountains in the colors of autumn ‘Koyo’ and the snow covering the peaks and the frozen winter waterfalls Two cars have been completely transformed into dining rooms The fourth car is a free space for different uses or other special use when the train is rented using local wood for the interior decoration covered with silk a ceiling covered with Japanese kakishibu-washi paper in room 2 and a lattice of cedar and cypress wood slats for room 4 "52 Seats of Happiness" means that the Seibu company wants to bring you joy with a train with multiple sensations of flavor during a trip to a beautiful region These 52 seats are very often fully booked as soon as they open for sale 100 days prior to a departure This '52' is also related to the riches of the Chichibu region a place of rejuvenation for the inhabitants of the Tokyo megalopolis Graphic designer Masayoshi Kodaira imagined the logo of "52 Seats of Happiness" which presents four colors with symbols reminiscent of playing cards the green four-leaf clover represents both greenery and happiness while the pink heart represents the space and time in which the train designers and the on-board staff want to share the same feeling with the customers who invite themselves there because composer Minoru Mukaiya has created original music to harmonize the dishes and the landscapes Some of the train departure melodies in the stations are also his own Several types of services are available depending on the chosen route Several chefs take turns every three months the great French chef Philippe Batton takes over the kitchens of this restaurant train Brunch: after the sautéed shrimp appetizer comes a fish dish with scallop quenelles and white fish with a creamy lobster sauce then as a main course a duck leg confit with sautéed potatoes The dessert consists of a red fruit ice cream flavored with red wine and Chichibu black tea Dinner: starter: Chichibu mushroom velouté then comes a first course with Provençal-style stuffed squid and spicy tomato sauce second course: Chichibu red wine braised beef cheek to finish with Tatin-style apple tart and Saitama milk ice cream The first departure of the train offers ‘Brunch’ either from Seibu Ikebukuro Station at 11:02 arriving in both cases at 13:57 at Seibu-Chichibu The ‘Dinner’ service offers a 16:00 departure from Seibu-Chichibu arriving at 18:22 in Ikebukuro or 18:34 in Shinjuku a minimum of 20 reservations are required for the departure to take place The morning departure for the ‘Brunch’ costs 15,000 yen (95€) for the journey a souvenir gift and a ‘Seibu One Day Pass’ ticket to allow you to return and use all Seibu lines (pay extra for the ‘Limited Express’ trains) The afternoon departure for the ‘Dinner’ costs 18,000 yen (115€) with the souvenir gift and the ‘Seibu One Day Pass’ 52 Seats of Happiness Car4 (SeibuRail) Close Latest Articles The New Utsunomiya Tramway The city of Utsunomiya has finally got itself a fast and pleasant means of urban transport with this new tramway with a futuristic look that is changing the city The "Hinabi" Joyful Train JR East has just launched a Joyful train in northern Honshu Chiba Urban Suspended Monorail The Chiba Monorail is a very special urban transport system but also a handy way to escape the daily traffic jams Japanese Stations Getting Around Tokyo Shinkansen Travel Tips Itineraries for Japan Getting Around Kyoto Train in Japan Sign up and be the first to hear our news and special offers paragraph publishing ltd.   Copyright © 2025 all rights reserved.   Website by Acora One is a privately owned museum in Chichibu famous for its peculiar inventory stones that naturally look like faces.  It’s a strange fusion of geology and outsider art sure to give visitors giggles and chuckles The founder of the Chinsekikan, Shōji Hayama, originally collected locally produced stones to sell in Tokyo after deciding that some of the more curious stones should stay in Chichibu his collection was mostly comprised of rocks shaped like mountain ranges and islands a relative sent him a bizarre black stone with three fossilized cowrie shells attached to it That stone changed his life forever.  This face allegedly appeared in Hayama’s dreams one night More than a thousand jinmenseki eventually came into his possession When he opened the museum in 1990,  Hayama wasn’t expecting much feedback but it soon gained publicity as word of mouth circulated The museum was also promoted internationally on TV and the internet Hayama passed away in 2010 at the age of 89 took over curatorship of the Chinsekikan after his passing there are over 1,700 stones in the collection on display Many of the stones have been given names by visitors and they are welcomed to christen the unnamed stones or bring their own jinmenseki to donate to the museum.  The Chinsekikan is open every day from 10 a.m The curator lives and runs a sushi restaurant next door simply call her using the numbers indicated on the door and she will come shortly and give you a tour through the hall This Moab institution functions as both a rock store and a small natural history museum beautifully-lit underground quarry leaves visitors in awe a massive coral reef existed in what is now the largest limestone cave in Japan A museum with a window view of the Himalayas and an on-site climbing wall This gorgeous stretch of coastline is home to beautiful views and centuries-old rock art One of the world’s largest collections of petroglyphs records 2,000 years of human activity A prehistoric geological oddity tucked behind Stockholm's natural history museum Beauty and history abound in this remote West Texas canyon The official website for Fureru., the new original anime film from the Super Peace Busters creative team, unveiled a new trailer, visual, cast, and October 4 opening on Friday. The video reveals and previews the theme song "Monotone" by YOASOBI Aniplex is producing the film with Story Inc. and distributing it with TOHO Sources: Fureru. anime film's website, Comic Natalie Hiroshi Yamamoto and Hideki Shibayama of "Hui-Nam Running Club ♡" participated in the 100km section of the trail running race "FunTrails Round Chichibu & Okumusashi" held on November 16-17 What did the experience of running 100 kilometers What did the experience of running 100 kilometers bring them and what did they see beyond that distance We followed them closely from before the start to the finish Hanse Golf Design has completed work on the Chichibu greens at Tokyo GC as seen here on the par-three seventeenth hole Hanse and his associate Neil Cameron also restored the course’s fairway bunkers described by Hanse as “one of the boldest compositions we’ve ever worked with” The new green on the par-four fourteenth hole Original course designer Kohmyo Ohtani was inspired by Hugh Alison Tokyo Golf Club in Japan has introduced its new Chichibu green complexes following redesign work by Hanse Golf Design The course has two green complexes per hole – named Asaka and Chichibu after prior locations for the club before it moved to its present site in Sayama in northwest Tokyo The club will alternate the set of greens to be played on a daily basis The course was originally designed in 1940 by Japanese golf course architect Kohmyo Ohtani who was also the club’s vice president Ohtani was inspired by the work of Hugh Alison the longtime partner of Harry Colt and designer of Tokyo GC’s previous course at Asaka the first project on his visit to Japan in the 1930s During that time Alison also created layouts for Hirono and Kawana leaving a significant mark on golf course design in the country where his large and deep bunkers became known as ‘Alisons’ Tokyo GC turned to golf course architect Gil Hanse to prepare a master plan for the club and renovate the Asaka green complexes Hanse returned in 2017 to begin work on the Chichibu greens as well as fairway bunkers and teeing grounds “During this project we renovated the Chichibu green complexes rebuilt all and re-positioned some of the fairway bunkers and mounds created new back and forward teeing grounds and removed a significant number of trees from the golf course,” said Hanse “The project started in October of 2017 and was completed in October of 2018,” said Hanse “The course was closed for the summer months of 2018 to allow us to work on the fairway bunkers and the tees play is typically much lower so there was minimal disruption to the membership With the dual greens complexes the members were able to play the existing set of greens while we renovated the second set of greens.” Hanse was on site regularly throughout the project with lead shaper and design associate Neil Cameron there throughout “While the Chichibu green complexes are all original designs from Hanse and Cameron the fairway bunkers were more of a restoration of the original design of Ohtani-san,” said Hanse his respect for Alison and the time that they spent together is clearly evident in the scale and bold positioning of his work “All of the fairway bunkers have been restored some of them were shifted down range to reflect the current length of the game “The restoration of the split fairway par-five fifteenth hole is one of the boldest compositions we have ever worked with and we were happy to restore it The scale and positioning of the bunkers on holes thirteen fourteen and fifteen comprises a very dramatic and interesting set of bunker complexes for three straight holes.” The Antioch-Chichibu Sister City Organization is excited to announce that we are back After a short hiatus due to travel restrictions related to the pandemic The Antioch/Chichibu Sister City Organization is a volunteer non-profit organization comprised of interested citizens in both cities We are hosting a fun filled day at Chichibu Park on May 20th from 10am-3pm Our activities will include a park clean up as well as local vendors and a community garage sale We are still accepting vendors and garage sellers We look forward to meeting and sharing information about our organization with many community members on Saturday The purpose of the organization is to give citizens of Antioch and Chichibu the opportunity to experience each other’s country and culture The benefits of our program include the making of many friends between the two cities We alternate years with Chichibu to send delegations to each other’s city for a roughly two-week home-stay We last hosted our friends from Chichibu in 2018 it is our turn to send a delegation to Chichibu Our visit is scheduled for July 13th to the 23rd We have elected a new board: President Antwon Webster Our student delegates are: Noah Engle-Senior Antioch High Haylee Wong-Sophomore Clayton Valley Charter High Alexander Ferguson-8th Grade Antioch Charter Academy The Chichibu Night Festival took place on December 3rd in Saitama’s Chichibu city approximately 90 minutes north of central Tokyo men and women dressed in happi (traditional festival clothing) paraded four gorgeous and exquisite floats and two kasaboko (a float with willow-like fronds descending in a giant umbrella shape) the festival reached its climax when about 6,500 fireworks filled the winter night’s sky with beautiful colors The Chichibu Night Festival dates back some 300 years ago it was registered as an Intangible Cultural Heritage with UNESCO It is among the three biggest float parade festivals in Japan the other two being Kyoto’s Gion Festival and Hida Takayama Festival You must be logged in to post a comment The Antioch-Chichibu Sister City organization is an incredible nonprofit organization that works independent from the city of Antioch The purpose of the organization is to give Antioch and Chichibu students the life changing opportunity to experience each other’s country and culture while developing new The program teaches students the importance of communication Student delegates are selected from deserving applicants that will best represent our city students and adult chaperones are finding it difficult to participate in this worthwhile opportunity Our young delegates are working tirelessly to make this trip a reality Any funds raised after that date will continue to contribute to this ongoing program and future delegates The goal is to raise $40,000. Contributions can be made on the GoFundMe page Your support in any amount helps provide a culturally immersive educational opportunity to our students Your browser does not support JavaScript, or it is disabled．Please check the site policy for more information National Report a species thought to have gone extinct more than a century ago may still roam the rugged mountain terrain of central Japan--but finding solid proof remains elusive despite a string of “sightings.” who heads a nonprofit organization dedicated to proving Japanese wolves still exist believes he will one day be able to prove his hunch While giving address about his work in mid-November at the famed Omachi Alpine Museum here multiple participants came forward with stories of having come across creatures they believed to be Japanese wolves The event was held to coincide with a special exhibition about the city and the animals that used to inhabit the area The last known sighting of a Japanese wolf The exhibition featuring stuffed specimens of a Japanese crested ibis and a river otter The alpine museum is the only one of its kind in Japan multiple participants reported sightings of “animals that appeared to be Japanese wolves.” Japanese wolves were last officially recorded in Nagano Prefecture during the Meiji Era (1868-1912) there have been a string of supposed sightings in recent years and claims of having heard the animals howling in the wilderness reckons he heard a wolf howling in July 1969 when he stayed at a mountain hut as a staff member on Mount Naebasan near the border between Nagano and Niigata prefectures He has since devoted much time to tracking down a live specimen Only three specimens of Japanese wolf exist at the National Museum of Nature and Science in Tokyo and elsewhere in Japan The only type specimen that could identify the Japanese wolf is kept at a Dutch museum It was shipped to the Netherlands by German doctor Philipp Franz von Siebold who arrived in Japan during the late Edo Period (1603-1867) Siebold sent the fur and skull of a Japanese wolf The type specimen’s stand refers to the sample as that of a yamainu to raise a question: Is the Japanese wolf the same as yamainu Confusion lingers over whether the two animals are one and the same or different from each other What is clear is that Japanese wolves were killed off before Japanese researchers took an interest in them Yagi presented the findings of his years-long research into Japanese wolves An image of a canine seen in a mountain area of the Chichibu region in Saitama Prefecture in October 1996 proved to be of particular interest Spotting a mammal about the size of a Kishu dog Yagi thought it “must be a Japanese wolf” and sent a photograph of the animal to the former head of the National Museum of Nature and Science’s Department of Zoology “It is at least certain that the animal is valuable given the possibility of it being a surviving Japanese wolf,” the ex-department chief said in the reply to Yagi Yagi named the newly uncovered creature “Chichibu wild dog.” He believes it provides evidence for the Japanese wolf’s presence a member of the audience shared a surprising tidbit a resident of Nagano city’s Shinshu-Shinmachi district said he spotted a large hound while slowing on a curve as he drove home one night five or six years ago “I love animals in the wild so much that I can distinguish almost all of them but this one fell outside the scope of my expertise,” Tsutsui said “But when I saw the Chichibu wild dog in a TV show said he encountered a peculiar hound-like animal 10 years earlier at the Tokusa Pass in Yamanashi Prefecture while he was snapping photographs of the starry sky “It emerged at a distance of just 15 meters around 5 a.m.,” Ito recalled “It was muscular and had smaller ears and a straight tail The Chichibu wild dog in the image really resembles the one I came across.” Ito also explained that he heard howls like those experienced by Yagi in the Otome and Mikubo highlands of Yamanashi Prefecture on many occasions Yagi has renewed hope his own quest will not be in vain “You must record that howling,” Yagi told Ito “Analyzing your data can help decide what kind of animal it is Examining more than one case will help us get closer to the truth.” Yukio Kondo completed a course at Shinshu University’s Faculty of Agriculture and then joined The Asahi Shimbun in 1986 He made his debut as a mountain reporter at what is now the company’s Toyama general bureau Kondo later transferred to the sports division at Asahi’s Osaka head office among them the Arctic and Antarctica as well as the Himalayas After redeployment from the sports department at the Tokyo headquarters to the Nagano general bureau in 2013 Kondo started on his career path as a specialized mountain writer the local grouse population and other topics connected to mountains Kondo left The Asahi Shimbun to go freelance in January 2022 Kondo is a member of the Japanese Alpine Club the Himalayan Association of Japan and the Japan Academic Society of Mountain Culture Fangs worn to ward off evil deemed to be from extinct wolf Disease-repelling charm confirmed as skull of extinct wolf in Aichi The legend of ‘Monster Wolf,’ savior of crops DNA study offers third theory on origin of extinct Japanese wolf Information on the latest cherry blossom conditions Please right click to use your browser’s translation function.) A series based on diplomatic documents declassified by Japan’s Foreign Ministry Here is a collection of first-hand accounts by “hibakusha” atomic bomb survivors chefs and others involved in the field of food introduce their special recipes intertwined with their paths in life A series about Japanese-Americans and their memories of World War II In-house News and Messages No reproduction or republication without written permission Ichiro Akuto’s passion for making single malts that are ‘not necessarily easy to drink’ is winning global praise in ChichibuMon 29 Aug 2016 01.55 CESTLast modified on Sat 18 Aug 2018 08.53 CESTShareJust over a decade ago it took all of Ichiro Akuto’s powers of persuasion to convince a bank to lend him the money to open a whisky distillery despite working out of modest premises with just two tiny pot stills in the hills of Chichibu Akuto’s single malts are winning rave reviews from the global whisky cognoscenti Many are willing to pay hundreds of dollars - and in a few cases much more - for a bottle of single malt from what is Japan’s smallest distillery The Whisky Magazine, a British publication, has consistently given awards to Akuto’s firm, Venture Whisky, and its range of “Ichiro’s” single malts now rival those from the bigger and more established Japanese distillers Suntory and Nikka This year, Akuto won first prize in the Japanese single malt single class category at the World Whiskies Awards The 50-year-old traces Japan’s newfound obsession with whisky to its long history of brewing sake “We love perfecting the art of making things so you could say we’re quite geeky in that respect,” he says “That determination to do things right extends to whisky.” Venture Whisky uses two pot stills imported from Scotland Photograph: Justin McCurry/The GuardianThe comparison is particularly apposite in Akuto’s case was running the family’s 300-year-old sake brewery when he decided to obtain a distiller’s license a year after the second world war ended Akuto’s father continued to dabble in whisky making using two stills imported from Scotland to produce about 400 casks the end of Japan’s bubble economy and a decline in sake consumption forced the family to sell up turned out to be the beginning of Ichiro Akuto’s successful career as a distiller after he snapped up the unwanted stills and casks of maturing whisky from the brewery’s new owners He launched Venture Whisky in 2008 and produced his first label – Ichiro’s Vintage Single Malt 1988 – the following year Much of the rest of the inherited stock went into Venture’s award-winning “card” series with each small batch labelled with the name of a playing card Ichiro Akuto Photograph: Justin McCurry/The GuardianThe whiskies sold out as soon as they went on sale for tens of thousands of yen online by whisky enthusiasts Some bottles in the series are now considered collector’s items Akuto achieved another milestone last year when a bottle of his 1960 Karuizawa single malt – made with whisky rescued from the family sake brewery - sold for a US$118,500 at an auction in Hong Kong The bottle sold at Bonhams was one of its kind just 41 in existence but it is the whiskies - which cost anything from a few thousand yen to 100,000 yen or more - made exclusively at the Chichibu distillery that are reinforcing Japan’s unlikely status as a whisky superpower Most of the distillery’s barley comes from Norfolk with smaller quantities from Germany and Scotland whose peaty tones initially struggled to win over Japanese drinkers more accustomed to lighter Akuto is also experimenting with barley grown locally promises to produce a genuinely Japanese whisky The company produced 90,000 bottles of whisky last year about half of which were for the international market France and Taiwan among its biggest customers “If we were interested in just making balanced easy-to-drink whiskies then we would inevitably have to compete with Suntory and Nikka,” says Yumi Yoshikawa “But we’re trying to do the opposite – making whiskies with character that are not necessarily balanced or easy to drink That’s how we’re keeping our market share,” adds Yoshikawa whose love of the “water of life” has taken her on study tours to 70 distilleries around the world over the past five years Venture’s older single malts of the future are maturing in 4,000 casks that once contained sherry from Spain and Portugal lengths of Japanese oak are being turned into wholly domestic casks that will impart new flavours to its whiskies Casks of whisky at Venture Whisky’s distillery in Chichibu Japan Photograph: Justin McCurry/The GuardianChichibu’s hot humid summers and cold winters are ideally suited to whisky production with the temperature variation exacerbated by the town’s mountainous location “That all makes for deep whisky maturation,” Akuto says The number of international awards going to Japanese whiskies underlines the dramatic progress the country’s distillers have made since Masataka Taketsuru launched Suntory’s Yamazaki distillery in 1923 whisky – usually the blended variety – was often drunk as highballs or watered down is the closest Japan comes to a genuinely craft distillery with a staff of 14 whose average age is just 30 “We’re not competing with the big companies,” says Akuto who likens his enterprise to a lean sumo wrestler who lacking the heft to bulldoze his opponents must rely on faultless technique and a sense of adventure “You could say that we’re building our own more exclusive sumo ring and keeping out the bigger guys out that way,” he adds Bottles of whisky produced at Venture Whisky’s distillery in Chichibu Japan Photograph: Justin McCurry/The GuardianHe has ambitious plans for his distillery including a 10 percent annual increase in sales and expanded premises But he has no intention of selling his idiosyncratic whiskies in supermarkets or convenience stores; instead their growing number of devotees must go online or buy directly from specialist suppliers and they’re intended to be drunk over time and savoured,” says Akuto whose next big project is to release a 10-year-old whisky to coincide with the 2020 Tokyo Olympics followed by a 30-year-old single malt made entirely in Chichibu Judging by the reviews his tiny distillery has received so far Drinks distributor Salud Spirits has unveiled a new Chichibu whisky that’s been aged in red wine casks Named Ichiro’s Malt & Grain Red Wine Cask the Japanese whisky will be released under the company’s ‘Spirits of Salud’ label which looks to attract a newer generation of whisky drinkers said: “Chichibu’s Ichiro’s Malt & Grain Spirits of Salud is a celebration of craftsmanship and a tribute to the art of blending “This release represents not just a whisky but an exclusive experience that Japanese whisky enthusiasts will appreciate.” Salud Spirits illustrated ‘a place surrounded by colourful nature along with an ‘angel educating herself reading the pages of life that would resonate with the world of Chichibu whisky’ The whisky’s notes are said to feature ‘almond cream candied violets and dried pear’ on the nose while the palate presents ‘malt chocolate flavours with hints of red peppercorn’ Only 272 bottles of the 59.8% ABV whisky were produced It will be available to purchase before Christmas from official Chichibu stores and specialised liquor shops in the Netherlands and Austria The release represents another collaboration between the two brands, with Salud Spirits having previously launched the Japanese producer’s 7even Gods of Fortune series in September Last month, Salud Spirits also brought Starward’s limited edition Lagavulin cask-finished whisky to the Netherlands On March 10, the annual Yamada Spring Festival hosted by the Tsunemochi Shrine in Chichibu, Saitama Prefecture The streets buzzed with excitement as crowds gathered to witness the grand procession of floats Locals proudly paraded three floats, recognized as the city's tangible folk cultural properties. According to the city's education board, the Kasaboko float towers at 6.4 meters (21 feet) in height. It has an umbrella-like structure adorned with around 4,000 washi-paper flower decorations The morning procession spanned approximately 1.5 kilometers (0.9 miles) This was followed by a longer route of 6 kilometers (4 miles) in the afternoon winding through the streets of the Yamada district.  The Yamada Spring Festival is renowned as the first event of the year featuring floats in the Chichibu region Adding to the festival's charm were the four "wakagyo" performers standing on the Kasaboko float energetically chanting "Horyai!" while waving Japanese fans the society dedicated to preserving these floats shared that "Horyai" means "treasure is coming" in the local Chichibu dialect A man in his 20s who came to watch from Kyoto exclaimed (Read the article in Japanese.)Author: The Sankei Shimbun You must be logged in to post a comment Naked Inc is lighting up Chichibu in Saitama prefecture with a matsuri festival-themed installation this winter.  Chichibu is around 80 minutes by train from Ikeburuo Station and famous for its traditional festivals. The Naked Yoru Sanpo night walk will celebrate this with iridescent lights projection mapping and immersive displays around the city on Fridays Saturdays and Sundays from January 27 to February 19 between 5.30pm and 8.30pm The main part of the event is the Chichibu Winter Festival projection mapping at the Chichibu Festival Hall a museum that celebrates the city's famous festivals Naked is creating an immersive matsuri experience with realistic images and sounds that are inspired by the Chichibu night festival You can buy your ticket for ¥500 at the Chichibu Jibasan Shoten local produce shop next to Chichibu Station This is also the place to pick up a Naked Hanamikuji (¥500) – an omikuji fortune slip in the form of a flower Another thing to look out for in the Chichibu Festival Hall is the Tsukubai installation which is inspired by the ritual of cleansing your hands before entering a tea ceremony room You’ll see a flower blooming on your palms You can also participate in the immersive night walk by renting a paper lantern (¥500) to carry around. They're available at Chichibu Jibasan Shoten and Seibu Chichibu Ekimae Onsen Matsuri no Yu near Seibu Chichibu Station Make sure to take a stroll by Chichibu Shrine which is part of the Naked Yoru Sanpo night walk as well It will be illuminated with colourful lights and have music during this time What's more, visitors can also receive discounts at participating restaurants along Banba-dori street in the centre of Chichibu and at the Matsuri no Yu hot spring by Seibu Chichibu Station throughout the event There are set tickets available for Naked Yoru Sanpo, too. Entry to the Chichibu Festival Museum including paper lantern rental is ¥800 and the same set with the addition of a Naked Hanamikuji fortune slip is ¥1,200. Otherwise, it's free to walk around the outdoor installations. To find out more about Naked Yoru Sanpo, check the website The 2023 Japan cherry blossom forecast is here This is what Shibuya Nichome could look like in 2029 See Ueno Zoo's famous panda before she returns to China in February Travel from Fukushima to Niigata on the spectacular Tadami Line train This onsen in Morioka is ranked best in northern Japan for fourth year in a row I put on one of my meisen kimono to go visit the Saitama Prefectural Museum of History and Folklore It was time for the museum's meisen kimono show.  Located in Omiya Park, the Museum is lovely in autumn. It's also next to the famous Hikawa Shrine and its position in clothing history are very interesting Japan was busy exporting all of its best silk to the United States and some to Europe Silk accounted for a third of Japan's total export income So it was an important source of revenue.  The silk that was left for domestic use was of a lower quality Japan had been importing reeling and weaving technology from Europe This was making the production of silk kimono much less labor intensive and much cheaper than before.  Makers learned how to produce a semi-mechanized type of kimono meisen kimono could be considered the "jeans" of the kimono world And indeed it is estimated that at least 50% of Japanese women wore them Meisen kimono are a Kanto regional product and the industry was very important for Saitama Prefecture Chichibu (Saitama Prefecture) is said to be the first place where the technique was developed But Isesaki in nearby Gunma Prefecture also makes the claim to be first.  It was also produced in Ashikaga (Tochigi Prefecture) The collection on display is part of around 600 items donated to the museum by the famous meisen expert and collector What is unique about the production of meisen is that it is halfway between hand-loom weaving and kimono which are dyed with stencils on white cloth It uses a technique invented in Chichibu in 1908 called Hogushiori.  Originally Hogushiori were the warp threads that were all laid out and then dyed with stencils They had loose diagonal threads through them to keep them in place as stencil dyeing threads is very much more difficult than dyeing fabric.  the Hogushiori threads are removed and the warps are put on the loom to be woven with the weft Whereas with hand-loom weaving every thread would have been tie-dyed this process is much faster and enables the use of more colors and complex designs.  which appear the opposite from the back to the front meisen fabric is the same on the back and front This enables the other side of the fabric to be used if the front gets dirty The technique became very popular and various girls' schools used it for their school uniforms For example,  Gakushuin Girls' School used Isesaki meisen and Ochanomizu Girls' School used Chichibu meisen.  But in the 1930s Isesaki started to stencil dye the wefts as well Isesaki was known for the exciting designs that they produced.  where sections of the weft threads were stencil dyed which was produced after 1945 in Hachioji and had a patterned weave in the ground as well as the meisen patterns.  Chichibu is also famous for the tamamushi style which shines like an insect's shell because the warps and wefts are opposite colors.  They demonstrate the different types and also show the different styles that a woman may have worn at different stages of her life.  There are also posters and magazines on display Meisen was advertised in many different ways And there was a lot of competition between makers and department stores to produce the most interesting designs Magazines from the World War II period show how to turn your meisen kimono into pants and padded headgear to protect yourself in dangerous situations the industry largely turned to making futons and cushions as fewer people were wearing kimono.  Various tools are on display so it is possible to see how the fabric was produced It is popular in antique shops for its uniquely bright tennis rackets and oil lamps are on the kimono.  The exhibition ends with pieces from two workshops that are still producing meisen in Chichibu, with silk from silkworms harvested in Chichibu. They are Arakei and Henmi workshops The link to the exhibition, which runs to December 4th, click here. To find out more on the workshops, click here and here.  You must be logged in to post a comment Please enable JS and disable any ad blocker won a top whisky award for the sixth time at a prestigious international competition held in London The company’s Ichiro’s Malt & Grain Blended Japanese Whisky 2023 was ranked first in the World’s Best Blended Limited Release category of the World Whiskies Awards in March More than 1,500 whiskies from at least 40 countries were entered in 23 categories Venture Whisky had won five top awards in various catergories since 2017 The World’s Best Blended Limited Release category carries a ceiling of 5,000 bottles Venture Whisky produced only 500 bottles of the award winner President Ichiro Akuto said the company collected some of its very best spirits to create the blended whisky a well-balanced sweetness and a fruity feel,” he said “It turned out to have the taste a delicious whisky must have Akuto visited Chichibu Mayor Atsushi Kitabori at city hall on April 18 “We hope that the company continues to produce a whisky with an even higher quality as a major brand from Chichibu,” the mayor said including tax.The whisky was released in late March Best in Travel is here! Discover 2025’s destinations The 30 best countries, cities and regions to visit in 2025 Plan your trip with Elsewhere, by Lonely Planet See where a Lonely Planet Membership takes you Subscribe to our weekly newsletters to get the latest travel news, expert advice, and insider recommendations Explore the world with our detailed, insightful guidebooks Stay ahead of the curve with our guidebooks Uncover exciting new ways to explore iconic destinations Every month, we release new books into the wild Search Search Close search menu Explore Best in Travel 2024 Africa Close menu Countries Antarctica Antarctica Close menu Regions Asia Asia Close menu Countries Australia & the Pacific Australia & the Pacific Close menu Countries The Caribbean The Caribbean Close menu Countries Central America Central America Close menu Countries Europe Europe Close menu Countries Middle East Middle East Close menu Countries North America North America Close menu Countries South America South America Close menu Countries Hiking is a popular pastime in the beautiful surrounds of Chichibu © Yoshio Taniguchi / EyeEm / Getty Images If you use your imagination and think of Tokyo as an eye then Saitama Prefecture is like the eyebrow curling around the city from the northeast to the northwest of Tokyo Prefecture feature countless train lines carrying commuters into Tokyo for the daily grind while western parts include forest-covered mountains For any traveller who has grown tired of the full-on sensory overload of the capital, Saitama Prefecture offers perfectly low-key, off-the-beaten-track cultural experiences, and a chance to discover the real Japan away from ever-increasing visitor numbers in Tokyo You have the opportunity to not only learn about Japanese art from the masters themselves but create a unique memento to take home as a souvenir of the experience An absolute must-see experience can be found in the mountainous west of Saitama Prefecture: the small town of Chichibu It’s known throughout Japan for the Chichibu Sanjūyon-kasho a 34-temple Buddhist pilgrimage that covers 100 kilometres and dates back to the early 13th century All have free admission and are easy to visit Chichibu also offers up some excellent hiking in the surrounding mountains, especially around Mitsumine-jinja, an atmospheric Shinto shrine at the summit of the mountain of the same name. The Chichibu mountains are also known for their mineral-rich water, perfect for making sake. Matsuoka Brewery produces award-winning sake with a fruity aroma and a unique Matsuoka also produces citrus- and lemon-flavoured brews plus a chocolate-flavoured sake that is recommended as a perfect gift for Valentine’s Day Make sure you take some Daiginjō sake home to savour at your leisure; it’s come out on top on eight separate occasions at the National Sake Competition you’ll need to book ahead for free English-language tours While you explore the delights of the region, base yourself at Miyamotoke Ryokan is the twelfth member of the Miyamoto family to own the ryokan and is a former sumo wrestler Enjoy the hospitality that features tatami-mat rooms an onsen (hot springs bath) and amazing food with the freshest farm-to-table ingredients available If you’re planning a visit during December the Chichibu Night Festival is the ideal distraction from a cold winter night The historic Chichibu Yomatsuri is officially one of the Three Great Float Festivals of Japan Watch two fabulously festooned kasaboko (huge parasol-like objects) and two yatai (house-shaped floats) paraded through the dark city streets Proceedings are particularly exciting on the night of 3rd December when the mighty floats (which can weigh up to 20 tonnes) are carried up a steep slope to a chorus of drumbeats and flute-whistles A battery of fireworks accompanies the efforts bringing brilliant illumination to the chill East of Chichibu, and only an hour by train from Tokyo station, lies the small town of Kawagoe. Its main street is lined with kurazukuri, clay-walled warehouse buildings, reminiscent of a town from the Edo Period (1603-1867) Kawagoe’s symbol is its beautiful 16m-high wooden bell tower with famous bells that chime four times daily a Buddhist temple that offers something marvellously different As well as having historic buildings and a beautiful garden These lifelike statues represent disciples of Buddha who attained enlightenment left the mundane world and lived in a state of nirvana They were cut in stone between 1782 and 1825 and each has its own facial features and personality Legend says that everyone has a lookalike among the 500 and it’s a lot of fun searching for your own It’s not just culture that Saitama Prefecture has in spades – it’s also a great destination for sports fans. Only 20 minutes by train from Tokyo’s Ikebukuro Station, just over the prefectural border in Saitama, Tokorozawa is on Japanese television screens almost daily during baseball season. Its stadium, the Seibu Dome, is home to the Saitama Seibu Lions a popular and successful professional baseball team owned by the Seibu Group – who also own department stores Going to a Japanese baseball game is more than just a baseball experience with fans enthusiastically participating in co-ordinated chants and songs of support that are almost as entertaining as the game itself aviation enthusiasts should make time to visit the Tokorozawa Aviation Museum on the site of Japan’s first airfield So, while Saitama Prefecture might not have a big-ticket attraction such as a DisneySea, Tokyo Skytree or a Shibuya ‘scramble crossing’, it has a lot to offer those in search of a genuine Japanese experience that few foreigners get to enjoy. Make the effort to get out of Tokyo and see what nearby Saitama Prefecture has to offer. Produced by Lonely Planet for the Saitama Prefectural Government Department of Industry and Labor Tourism Division. All editorial views are those of Lonely Planet alone and reflect our policy of editorial independence and impartiality.