Rocketing domestic sales cause Japanese gin boom

Domestic shipments of Japanese gin have grown from 1.2 million litres to more than 5.5 million litres in the last five years. db looks at what's behind the phenomenon. According to the Japan Spirits and Liqueurs Makers Association, Japanese gin sales ballooned from 1.2 million litres to 5.5 million litres between 2019 and 2024. And while consumer demand for Japanese gin is growing, it's not the only reason for the leap in sales. There's also a more practical reason behind the escalation, says the association, which is that drinks producers have discovered they can easily convert existing distillation equipment over to gin-making. Small and medium-sized Japanese whisky producers are switching their allegiance to gin, which does not typically require ageing in the same way that whisky does, making it a more cost-efficient option for many distillers. With gin, producers see a return on their investment faster as the product reaches the shelf more quickly, and they don't have to invest in storage space in order to age the spirit.

Local ingredients

The growth in Japanese gin is also partially attributable to a slew of local ingredients being used in production, lending the spirit a distinctly Japanese flavour. From camellia flowers and green tea to guava leaves, shekwasha (a small Japanese citrus fruit) and bitter gourd goya, local specialties are being used to produce craft gins that taste like home for Japanese drinkers. It also allows for the idea of regional terroir in Japanese gin to flourish, with different botanicals and fruits grown in different prefectures across Japan. In Okinawa, for example, roselle (a type of hibiscus), and pipatsu (a long red pepper) are commonly found, while in Hiroshima, the likes of yuzu, sweet orange, hinoki cypress bark, red shiso and ginger are prevalent. Furthermore,"rising urban affluence" in Japan has contributed to the nation's gin boom, says a report by Maximise Market Research. This corresponds with a rise in craft gin bars like The Hisaka and Antonic in Tokyo, many of which have a gin selection of 100 bottles or more. "People are coming in droves to seek out the gin they like," Tetsuo Hagawa, owner of Bar Copain in Tokyo's Toshima Ward, told local publication The Mainichi. "We are making efforts to make it a familiar alcoholic beverage and not just a passing fad." Overall, the global gin sector has been forecast to reach US$22.73 billion by 2030. Maximise Market Research, which made the prediction, added that “consumers are showing a preference for small-batch, locally sourced, and uniquely flavoured gin brands.” Japan ticks every one of these boxes.