Why did Shinjiro Torii choose Shimahonmachi, Osaka Prefecture, as the construction site for the Suntory Yamazaki Distillery? There are two reasons related to the surrounding natural environment.

One is the humid climate. At the southern part of the distillery at the foot of Mt. Tenno, the Katsura, Uji and Kizu rivers meet. Humidity is created by the intersection of three rivers with different water temperatures. Takahisa Fujii, 60, the factory manager, says, ``In winter, there are times when fog is so thick that it becomes difficult to see the buildings.''