Independent guide to Japanese whisky and sake — distilleries, bottle reviews, auction watch, and market intelligence for collectors and investors worldwide.https://kanpaijournal.com/https://kanpaijournal.com/blog/auction-watch-japanese-whisky-q1-2026/https://kanpaijournal.com/blog/auction-watch-japanese-whisky-q1-2026/A data-led look at Japanese whisky auction realizations from January through March 2026. What rose, what fell, and what the post-2024-regulation premium is doing to the secondary market.Wed, 06 May 2026 00:00:00 GMThttps://kanpaijournal.com/blog/chichibu-distillery-profile/https://kanpaijournal.com/blog/chichibu-distillery-profile/Chichibu is the post-2010 Japanese whisky story in microcosm — built by a third-generation distiller after his family's old distillery was lost, now setting the pace for craft Japanese whisky globally.Mon, 04 May 2026 00:00:00 GMThttps://kanpaijournal.com/blog/hakushu-distillery-profile/https://kanpaijournal.com/blog/hakushu-distillery-profile/Suntory's second malt distillery sits at 700m elevation in the southern Japanese Alps. The water, the climate, and the deliberate stylistic difference from Yamazaki shape one of the most distinctive single malts in the world.Tue, 05 May 2026 00:00:00 GMThttps://kanpaijournal.com/blog/hibiki-17-disappeared-what-to-buy-instead/https://kanpaijournal.com/blog/hibiki-17-disappeared-what-to-buy-instead/Hibiki 17 was discontinued in 2018. Here is what actually happened, what the secondary market looks like in 2026, and which currently-available bottles deliver the closest profile.Thu, 07 May 2026 00:00:00 GMThttps://kanpaijournal.com/blog/japanese-whisky-2024-regulation-explained/https://kanpaijournal.com/blog/japanese-whisky-2024-regulation-explained/Until 2024, anything bottled in Japan could be called "Japanese whisky." That changed. Here is what the new JSLMA standard actually requires, and how to read a label after the rules.Sun, 10 May 2026 00:00:00 GMThttps://kanpaijournal.com/blog/karuizawa-closed-distillery-prices/https://kanpaijournal.com/blog/karuizawa-closed-distillery-prices/Karuizawa closed in 2000, was demolished in 2016, and has become the most expensive Japanese whisky on the secondary market. Here is what actually happened and what the remaining stock looks like.Sun, 03 May 2026 00:00:00 GMThttps://kanpaijournal.com/blog/sake-grades-junmai-daiginjo-honjozo-guide/https://kanpaijournal.com/blog/sake-grades-junmai-daiginjo-honjozo-guide/Sake labeling looks intimidating to non-Japanese drinkers. The system is actually straightforward once you know two variables: rice polishing ratio and added alcohol. Here is the working knowledge you need.Sat, 02 May 2026 00:00:00 GMThttps://kanpaijournal.com/blog/top-10-sake-breweries-exporting-us-2026/https://kanpaijournal.com/blog/top-10-sake-breweries-exporting-us-2026/A working buyer guide to the ten Japanese breweries with the strongest US distribution and the bottles worth ordering. Updated for the 2026 export landscape.Fri, 08 May 2026 00:00:00 GMThttps://kanpaijournal.com/blog/where-to-buy-japanese-whisky-uk-2026/https://kanpaijournal.com/blog/where-to-buy-japanese-whisky-uk-2026/UK collectors and drinkers have arguably the best Japanese whisky distribution outside Japan, thanks to specialist retailers and auction houses concentrated in London and Scotland. Here is the working list.Fri, 01 May 2026 00:00:00 GMThttps://kanpaijournal.com/blog/yamazaki-distillery-complete-profile/https://kanpaijournal.com/blog/yamazaki-distillery-complete-profile/Suntory Yamazaki has been the engine of Japanese whisky since 1923. Here is the full picture: founder, water, stills, core range, and why bottles vanish from shelves the day they ship.Sat, 09 May 2026 00:00:00 GMT