Yatte Minahare
Embracing the unknown has always been a part of our story at Suntory. We dare to question the status quo, take on new challenges, and we believe that giving up is not an option–because the future belongs to those who dream big.
This spirit of ambition, “Yatte Minahare,” was a favorite saying of our founder, Shinjiro Torii, and it drives us today pursue bold ventures as pioneering entrepreneurs.
“Yatte Minahare” isn’t just the base of everything we do here at Suntory–this phrase continues to guide us and drive us to turn our dreams into reality.
Even from the beginning of Suntory in 1899, though, our founder Shinjiro was full of ambition and daring. He pushed boundaries when his very first store in Osaka, sought to bring Western-style wines and liquors to Japan. Shinjiro’s idea was brave, but despite his hard work, the Western-style wines did not sell well. Japanese consumers were just not used to the flavors.
Still, Shinjiro did not give up.
He continued developing original wine for many years. After almost 10 years of unceasing effort, he created Akadama Port Wine in 1907, which eventually became one of the most popular wines in Japan.
But Shinjiro’s story did not end there. In 1923, Shinjiro started a whisky business with the intention of selling authentic Japanese whisky that would suit Japanese tastes. Many people thought this was impossible. But Shinjiro was different. He was driven by passion, determination, and daring.
In 1929, Shinjiro released Suntory Shirofuda (White Label), the first authentic Japanese whisky with a smoky flavor. It did not suit Japanese palates, but he persevered again. After many challenges, he finally launched Suntory Whisky Kakubin in 1937, with its iconic square bottle. Finally, he had a whisky that became popular quickly, and Suntory was recognized as a pioneer of Japanese Whisky.