Komoro Distillery operator to build new plant, with Nagano subsidy

In May 2026, Nagano Prefecture announced that it had certified the “Sanada Plant”, which the whisky maker Karuizawa Distillery Spirits Manufacturing Co., Ltd. is building in Ueda, as a project under the prefecture’s Industrial Investment Support Ordinance. The scheme provides financial support from the prefecture for capital investment, such as building factories, within Nagano. The news neatly illustrates two trends: new Japanese whisky makers expanding production, and local government backing them.

Around 1.6 billion yen of investment and prefectural support

Karuizawa Distillery Spirits Manufacturing has its head office in Minato Ward, Tokyo, and Takashi Shimaoka serves as president. The new Sanada Plant is planned for Osa in Sanada-machi, Ueda, and will produce whisky. Under the plan, the company will invest about 1.626 billion yen in acquiring production equipment and expects to take on eight new full-time employees. The prefecture’s subsidy is capped at 65 million yen. The subsidy covers only a part of the total investment, but the fact that the prefecture has formally recognised the project as a regional industry and is backing it carries real weight.

From Komoro to Sanada: widening the production base

The company currently makes whisky at Komoro Distillery in Komoro, Nagano Prefecture. Nagano is a mountainous prefecture in central Japan, and both Komoro and Ueda lie in its eastern part. The plan adds a new production site in a nearby area to the existing distillery. New whisky distilleries have been opening across Japan in recent years, and the fact that one of these newcomers is committing to a large capacity investment at such an early stage may reflect expected demand at home and abroad. The announcement did not say when the plant will be completed or when it will start operating.

What European readers should watch for

Because whisky needs time to mature in casks, it will take years before spirit made at the new plant becomes a finished product. Under the voluntary standards set by Japanese industry bodies, a whisky can be labelled “Japanese Whisky” only if, among other requirements, it has been matured in casks in Japan for at least three years. Tasting the fruits of the Sanada Plant is therefore some way off. Until then, if you come across the name Komoro Distillery at a European specialist shop or whisky fair, it is worth picking up a bottle. When choosing, check the “Japanese Whisky” wording and the age statement on the label, which offer clues as to how that bottle was made. When you taste it, first nose it neat, then add a few drops of water and compare how the aroma opens up. It may help you appreciate the character of a new maker.