Suntory whisky, especially Yamazaki has become bit popular in Japan these days. Thanks to daily morning drama (Asadora, 朝ドラ) by NHK (Japanese public broadcast station) called “Massan” (マッサン). Asadora is 15 minutes drama program broadcasted every morning from Monday to Saturday, NHK has been broadcasting this format of drama since 1961 and it is especially popular among elderly.

The current drama program “Massan” is based on a real life story of Masataka Taketsuru (竹鶴 政孝). Taketsuru was born in 1894 in Hiroshima, father was sake maker. Taketsuru was hooked in whisky making and in 1918 he went to Scotland’s University of Glasgow and studied chemistry for two years. While he was at Scotland he visited scotch whiskey makers and studied whiskey making.

During Taketsuru’s two years stay at Glasgow he met Scottish girl Jessie Cowan, got married at Glasgow, and returned to Japan in 1920 as married couple. This TV drama is about first whiskey making in Japan but same time the story about international marriage back 100 years ago in Japan. International marriage was something most Japanese have not seen back then, not many Japanese seen non-Japanese in their everyday life.

After return to Japan Taketsuru met Shinjiro Torii (鳥井 信治郎), businessman trying to break into non-Japanese alcoholic liquor business. 1906 Torii’s company produced first Japanese made red wine Akadama Port Wine. Taketsuru and Torii built first whisky distillery at Yamazaki near Kyoto, there is JR station Yamazaki between Kyoto and Osaka, this is where name for whiskey Yamazaki came from.

Because of this TV drama, Yamazaki whiskey has suddenly become popular in Japan. Another trivial, origin of the name of the company Suntory. People called president of the company Shinjiro Torii “Torii-san” (鳥井さん), and he just revered that and came up with “San-Torii” which lead to the company name Suntory, as the story has it…

Later on Masataka Taketsuru started his own whiskey distillery. Moved to Yoichi-cho, Hokkaido near Otaru where Taketsuru thought climate of Yoishi-cho is similar to whisky making climate in Scotland. The distillery in Yoichi-cho became Nikka Whiskey.

Masataka Taketsuru and Jessie Cowan remained married and Jessie Cowan passed away from illness from lung at Yoichi-cho at age of 64. Jessie Cowan experienced miscarriage and the couple could not have children. Masataka Taketsuru and Jessie Cowan adopted two children, a girl and a boy. Relationship between their daughter was estranged and the relationship did not re-established till near death of Jessie Cowan.

This TV dram talk a lot about whiskey making, but same time focus a lot on tear jerking story of life of Masataka Taketsuru and Jessie Cowan. Back then international marriage was rare in Japan.