Suntory

On February 1, 1899, Shinjiro Torii opened a store in Osaka and named it Kotobukiya Liqour Shop. His weakness was Western drinks and he began importing Spanish wines. The Japanese beverage market was heavily focused on sake and soy, and for most Japanese consumers, Western beverages were quite unsympathetic. In 1907, the Akadama Port Wine, a sweetened red wine created by Shinjiro after experimenting with flavoring and sweetening Spanish wines, was launched. For three years, Kotobukiya products were sold for their medicinal value. Various other products were also sold, including spices, teas and various foods.

Shinjiro Torii loved Scotch whiskey and his dream was to establish the first whiskey distillery in Japan. In 1923, this dream came true by founding the Yamazaki Distillery in the Yamazaki Valley. He founded this distillery in a beautiful environment just outside Kyoto. There was a diverse climate, as well as clean waters and good humidity. Yamazaki single-species Whiskey is now the most popular in Japan, and Suntory's product range has expanded significantly to include food and beverages, alcoholic and non-alcoholic.