Rishiri Unlocked

Literally

Jun 26

Hey, I’m Casey. Welcome to our newsletter, sharing the startup journey of Kamui Whisky K.K. We’ve been busy, but when we aren’t overwhelmed, we’ll share a story as we craft up a whisky distillery on a remote, volcanic island in the most northern part of Japan.

A short while ago, Javier, our Head Distiller, arrived in Rishiri.

Javier just off the plane at Rishiri Airport.

It had been a long wait, with Japan’s borders closed for the last 2 years due to the Pandemic. The patience, flexibility, and grace he showed is a testament to Javier’s character while dealing with all the uncertainty of when he could enter Japan. As soon as the border opened up, we were able to get Javier’s visa smoothly, and he entered Japan no problem.

Unlocked #1

At Rishiri Airport, Javier and I weren’t sure if anyone would pick us up. Before boarding the plane in Sapporo (the flight to Wakkanai was too expensive, hence no ferry) I was texting around frantically about how we’ll get out of Rishiri’s airport. As we landed, I got a text back that the company kei truck was there.

One of our team members had flown out a week before and left it at the airport.

I had no idea where the keys were.

So we just walked up, the door was open. We looked in the glove compartment, no keys, looked above the sun visor, no keys. Dangling from the ignition they caught my eyes.

Javier was dumbfounded that the keys had just been sitting in the ignition of the truck, for near a week, in front of the airport, in the absolute closest parking spot that everyone walks by.

Moments before we found our truck totally unlocked, keys in the ignition.

Unlocked #2

We went straight to the distillery.

Again, I was texting around asking about keys. How would we get in?

Kosaka-san showed up to help us out, but, in reality, we didn’t need any help. Every door to the distillery was unlocked. Always had been. They’d never been locked. Keys were taped to the wall inside each shutter door.

Javier and Kosaka-san. Moments before finding all those shutter doors totally unlocked.

Javier wasn’t the only one surprised that our whole distillery had been unlocked for the whole world to enter, I was equally surprised that this was how things had been. Had been forever. (I’ve been in Tokyo for a while due to the baby).

Both Javier and I were asking Kosaka-san and others whether it was normal or not to have everything unlocked. Everyone gave us a laugh, “That’s island style”.

Even after several years I’m still learning Rishiri’s culture.

Rishiri style is unlocked. Even at a multimillion dollar distillery.

Javier’s first moments inside the distillery. Seemingly, satisfied with things.

Unlocked #4

Summer season here brings tourist season. We are getting buses of tourists stopping by Kamui everyday.

Without any walls up, people have been walking all around the Kamui Whisky grounds, weaving in and out of the buildings as carefree as you like.

Thankfully, being Japan, everyone is responsible and considerate to neighbors. No-one seems to have gone into any of our completely unlocked buildings.

The mailman and package guys do seem to have figured things out, as well as our neighbors who received things for us and started dropping things inside the warehouse. Kindness is pervasive.

A view of Mt. Rishiri-Fuji from between our buildings were tourists had been freely walking around like they owned the place.

Locked for the First Time

To deter would-be truants, like a younger Casey, those days of Kamui Whisky being fully unlocked will be sunsetting.

With all of our equipment arriving in the next couple of weeks we will start locking up the buildings each day.

No more chances for a crazy teenager, like that young me, to mischievously just walk in and sip some maturing whisky while no-one is around. Or even to do something crazier like try to distill themselves, not unimaginable for a young, directionless teenager like myself.

The sun sets as we lock up our facilities.

Culture Shock

Coming from the Americas, where leaving even the smallest thing unattended was an invitation for it to be stolen, Javier was very surprised at the implicit trust on our island with so much being unlocked. I, too, loved this different carry-over from a more trusting age when you can so trustingly leave keys in your car in a high traffic place, or leave your buildings open to the world.

But now, with lots of high quality, rare whisky soon to be aging in our warehouses, and a need to keep our equipment clean, and well maintained, we will daily be locking the doors.

In a way, our unlocked era is coming to an end, but we still want to keep that trusting, open culture alive. Just give us a message before you come. Or, if you see one of the doors open feel free to give us a shout and come on in.

PS - Thanks to so many of you for your wishes for Pipo’s health. He’s undergone a miraculous recovery, with the help of so much world class medical care, and heaves off prayers, that he is coming home. Tomorrow!