Established in 1626 by the Akuto family as sake brewers in Chichibu, this venerable family enterprise entered distilling in 1941 when 19th-generation Isouji Akuto built the Hanyu Distillery northwest of Tokyo. Securing a whisky license in 1946, Hanyu produced traditional Japanese whisky until its closure in 2000. The 21st-generation Ichiro Akuto salvaged the remaining casks, creating the iconic 'Card Series'—now among the world's most collectible Japanese whiskies. Today, Ichiro's Malt continues the legacy at the Chichibu Distillery, founded in 2007, producing award-winning single malts that embody Japanese whisky craftsmanship.