Suntory Natural Mineral Water History

1. Suntory Natural Mineral Water

2. If you want to make sake or other beverages that lots of people will enjoy, good quality water is indispensable. Knowing full well of the importance of good quality water, Suntory is fastidious when it comes to water. With its corporate message of Bringing Water to Life, Suntory has searched the length and breadth of Japan to find the best water and spread household mineral water throughout the world.  Now, let's take a look at the history of Suntory.

3. Suntory Natural Mineral Water drawn up from underground water in Japan is a soft water and, as such, suits the taste of the Japanese people.

4. Tasty

5. Suntory Natural Mineral Water tastes great because it's drawn up directly from underground water.

6. Suntory

Osaka 1899

Shinjiro Torii (20) established Torii Shoten store that produced and sold wine.

7. I want to produce a wine that suits the Japanese palette.

8. 1906

Torii Shoten became Kotobukiya Yoshuten (dealer in foreign liquors).  The following year, Akadama Port Wine went on sale.  It became a big hit.

9. Next, I want to produce a whisky that suits the Japanese palette.

10. Good quality water is indispensable for whisky.

11. Fortunately, in Yamazaki, the outskirts of Kyoto, there is a place with good spring water where Sen Rikyu set up a hermitage. It also has a humid environment necessary for making whisky.

12. I'll send this water to England to have it checked.

13. 1924

The Yamazaki Distillery began operation.

14. 1929

The first domestically-produced whisky Suntory Whisky White Label made its debut.

15. The brand name is Suntory formed by combining Akadama (red ball – sun) and the name Torii.

16. Later, Suntory Kakubin (square bottle), Old and Torys went on sale one after another giving rise to a whisky boom.

17. 1963

The company name was changed to Suntory.  The company also entered the beer business.

Keizo Saji, Company President

18. From 1965 to the 70s, Suntory pioneered the whisky-and-water culture. The company also began making mineral water for business use.

It suits Japanese-style food too.

19. Natural Mineral Water

Whisky has grown rapidly.  We need a new distillery.

20. Like Yamazaki, isn't there some large area near the metropolitan area that is abundant in underground water and where the natural environment can be maintained?

21. 1973

The Hakushu Distillery was completed in Hakushu, Yamanashi Prefecture.

22. Around this time, the import of mineral water began to increase. Also, when people came in contact with mineral water on overseas trips, the general public began to become aware of mineral water.

23. From now on, people will probably start to buy water.

24. At the start of the 1990s, people became concerned about the cleanliness of water tanks and the safety of tap water in apartment houses and other dwellings. People's interest in mineral water increased.

25. I feel safe with mineral water.

26. 1991

Natural Mineral Water of Southern Japan Alps went on sale.

27. Sparked by water shortages and the expansion of imported items, mineral water as a necessity increased rapidly.

28. We need a plant dedicated to mineral water.

29. The mineral water drawn up at the Hakushu Distillery is a refreshing natural mineral water with a hardness of 30. Let's use this.

30. 1996

The Hakushu Plant for the Natural Mineral Water of Southern Japan Alps was completed.

30-1. Fine filtering

31. At this plant, the underflow water of Kai-Komagatake (Mount Kai-Koma) is drawn up and filtered using a special filter. The water is then pasteurized using heat, sterilized at normal temperature, and bottled. Using this system, natural mineral water that does not come in contact with the outside air is produced.

31-1. Bottling

31-2. Inspection

32. Thorough inspection ensures perfect safety.

32-1. Sensory tester

33. Cost was kept low and TV commercials were used to actively promote the Natural Mineral Water.

34. Water from the mountain gods.

35. In less than no time, Natural Mineral Water of Southern Japan Alps quickly took over the top spot. When the ban on small plastic bottles was lifted, the market for mineral water expanded rapidly.

36. The small plastic bottles are easy to carry.

36-1. The illustration shows the current small plastic bottle.

37. The number of bottles of mineral water shipped exceeded expectations. If this continues, a new source of water will be needed in the future.

38. Thus, in 2003, the Aso Plant in Kumamoto Prefecture began operation. Suntory Natural Mineral Water Aso appeared.

39. We'll have the plant purify and recycle the drain water. The water will be helpful in creating forests. We'll always protect the environment.

40. Suntory brings water to life!

41. Suntory has cooperated with local self-governing bodies in reforestation, thinning, and other forestry projects. Suntory has also opened the School of Forest and Water to further its project of teaching children the importance of nature.

42. 2008

A plant in Daisen in Tottori Prefecture also began operation.  Suntory Natural Mineral Water Oku-Daisen went on sale.

43. Because of the difference in region and hardness of the water, Suntory's natural mineral water tastes different for each region. That's something to enjoy.