Kobe Newspaper reports that Axas Co. plans to refurbish a former leisure facility that right at the top of the Mt. Rokko Ropeway.
Axas may ring a bell if you’ve attended the Tokyo BarShow — they had a booth this year with Penderyn Distillery’s whiskies. The company is multi-faceted, dealing in beauty products, health, daily goods, camping, apparel, and of course, a food/beverage business which includes a wine and liquor importing arm. So unlike some other companies we’ve seen recently, they likely at least already have contacts within the industry.
They plan to kick off production of both whisky and spirits by November 2020. The facility is slated to include tours and a tasting room, looking to take advantage of the tourist traffic the area already sees. They plan a yearly capacity of only 11,000 liters, so it will be a small operation compared to other upcoming distilleries.