Today, the Japanese Whisky Day Executive Committee announces that the first ever Japanese Whisky Day will be celebrated on April 1, 2021.
This year, there’s an online event scheduled for the day open to anyone, with crowdfunding providing more exclusive access and goodies. Let’s take a look.
What is Japanese Whisky Day?
To support fans of Japanese whisky worldwide, Japanese Whisky Day’s goal is spreading knowledge about the history of the category, celebrating the accomplishments of those that came before us, and delivering current information about the ongoing wave of popularity.
Of course, these goals align very, very closely with the goals of nomunication.jp itself. So I’m happy to say that I sit on the Japanese Whisky Day Executive Committee.
What’s the significance of April 1 for Japanese Whisky? April 1, 1929 is the day that Suntory’s Shirofuda, the first genuine whisky distilled in Japan, was released to the public.
This year’s plans
Given the ongoing corona situation, the plans for this year’s Japanese Whisky Day are:
- Registration of Japanese Whisky Day with the Japan Anniversary Association (no, I didn’t know this existed either)
- The launch of an official website, chock-full of Japanese whisky content, this summer: https://jw-day.org/
- Launch of social media accounts (Facebook and Twitter)
- A massive online kampai on April 1 with Japanese whisky fans from around the world
- A crowdfunding campaign to fund ongoing activities
Online event: 18:00-19:45, April 1 2021
This year’s free online event will kick off at 18:00 JST, April 1, 2021. After we hear from special guest speakers, at 19:25, a countdown will begin for a kampai at precisely 19:29.
There’s no fee or advance registration required.
I’ll update this article with the URL once it’s available. Of course, I’ll also share it via FB and Twitter.
Crowdfunding campaign
Today is also the launch of Japanese Whisky Day’s crowdfunding campaign. At least for 2021, Japanese Whisky Day is 100% crowdfunded, meaning all activities are funded by Japanese whisky fans, for Japanese whisky fans.
There are three crowdfunding options for individuals.
- 1100 yen: Exclusive access to an hour-long seminar prior to the online event, where whisky expert Mamoru Tsuchiya will go into the history and future of Japanese whisky
- 3300 yen: Seminar access + one 100ml bottle of blended Japanese whisky–distilled and matured in Japan–selected and blended by Tsuchiya-sensei himself
- 5500 yen: Seminar access + special whisky + a tasting glass
Please note that receiving the rewards for the 3300 yen and 5500 yen options will require shipping addresses in Japan. The seminars and online event will also be held only in Japanese.
I look forward to raising a glass with all of you!
Hi there! I created and run nomunication.jp. I’ve lived in Tokyo since 2008, and I am a certified Shochu Kikisake-shi/Shochu Sommelier (焼酎唎酒師), Cocktail Professor (カクテル検定１級), and I hold Whisky Kentei Levels 3 and JW (ウイスキー検定３級・JW級). I also sit on the Executive Committees for the Tokyo Whisky & Spirits Competition and Japanese Whisky Day. Click here for more details about me and this site. Kampai!
This I would like to try ? I am a whiskey person. Maybe Regards