It's 3pm and I'm standing outside the House of Ki No Bi in Kyoto, watching a staff member hang a noren (traditional Japanese curtain) at the entrance, signalling it's open for business. Ki No Bi is the gin label of The Kyoto Distillery, Japan's first gin-dedicated distillery, but this isn't just a bar; its brand home is more like a visitor centre, where one can get acquainted with its gin through its cocktails, gin flights and tasting seminars.
Welcoming our group on the ground level is Marcy Sakuma, our host for the day and Ki No Bi's global brand ambassador. Before we start a gin masterclass, Sakuma introduces us to the building, a traditional machiya townhouse over 100 years old that once saw life as a timber mill. For the last 15 years, however, it was a popular café serving American-style pancakes and craft beers.
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