Cover Gaggan Anand and Bill Bensley partner Daimon Brewery to launch a 15-suite luxury hospitality retreat in Kansai, Japan (Photo: Daimon Brewery)
Gaggan Anand and Bill Bensley partner Daimon Brewery to launch a 15-suite luxury hospitality retreat in Kansai, Japan (Photo: Daimon Brewery)
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Historic Japanese sake producer Daimon Brewery has unveiled plans for a 15-suite luxury hospitality destination in Kansai, partnering with Anand and Bensley to create an immersive experience that blends sake heritage, destination dining and high-concept design
As it celebrates 200 years of sake-making heritage, Daimon Brewery has announced an ambitious new hospitality venture that will see the historic Japanese producer partner with acclaimed chef Gaggan Anand and renowned hospitality designer Bill Bensley to create a 15-suite luxury retreat in Kansai, Japan.
Located at the foot of the Ikoma Mountain Range in Osaka Prefecture, between Osaka, Kyoto and Nara, the project will transform Daimon’s centuries-old brewery grounds into an immersive destination centred on sake, cuisine, design and wellness. Conceived as a deeply experiential stay within a working brewery, the development will feature luxury accommodation, three distinct dining concepts, wellness facilities and bespoke cultural programmes, all rooted in the brewery's 200-year legacy.
Founded in 1826, Daimon Brewery is among Japan's oldest craft sake producers and has remained in family hands for seven generations. The brewery is known for its small-batch, hand-crafted approach, employing the traditional Ginjo brewing method and drawing on pure mountain spring water. Today, it remains the only brewery in its region producing sake using natural flowing mountain water and one of only two using locally grown rice.
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Above Daimon Brewery has announced an ambitious hospitality venture in partnership with Gaggan Anand and Bill Bensley
Daimon Brewery has announced an ambitious hospitality venture in partnership with Gaggan Anand and Bill Bensley
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“We're not building another minimalist retreat or a traditional ryokan,” said Fergus Fung, chairman of Daimon International Limited. “To bring Daimon’s bold, expressive spirit to a new chapter, we’ve partnered with two of the most creative forces in hospitality to extend our legacy into a vibrant future.”
Leading the culinary vision is Anand, whose eponymous Bangkok restaurant was named No. 1 in Asia's 50 Best Restaurants 2025. Known for his boundary-pushing cuisine that draws from Indian, Japanese, French and Thai influences, Anand will oversee a dining programme designed to be as immersive as the destination itself.
“Escape the tyranny of choice. Indulge. Immerse yourself in sake, smoke and sounds. Rejuvenate in our gardens and onsen. Forget time exists,” said Anand. “We’ve done all the thinking—you just show up and let go.”
The project’s design will be entrusted to Bensley, the visionary behind some of Asia’s most distinctive hospitality destinations. Celebrated for his theatrical, narrative-driven approach, Bensley is expected to bring a bold aesthetic that contrasts with the site’s historic architecture while remaining respectful of its heritage.
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Above Daimon Brewery is among Japan’s oldest craft sake producers and has remained in family hands for seven generations
Above Daimon Brewery remains the only brewery in its region producing sake using natural flowing mountain water and one of only two using locally grown rice
Daimon Brewery is among Japan’s oldest craft sake producers and has remained in family hands for seven generations
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“This project is maximalist in every sense,” said Bensley. “We’re building on a historic brewery site to create a destination that bursts with imagination and design. It celebrates contrast and craftsmanship while keeping the spirit of heritage alive.”
For Daimon, the move represents a strategic evolution beyond sake production at a time when Japan’s domestic sake market continues to face headwinds, even as international demand grows.
“This is not just exciting, it’s intentional,” said Marcus Consolini, managing director of Daimon Brewery. “While the domestic sake market continues to struggle in Japan, the global market continues to grow in double digits, with a projected value of US$12–16 billion by 2035. Expanding into hospitality through this daring partnership positions Daimon as the sake brewery to watch on the global stage.”
The project is currently in the design phase, with construction scheduled to begin in 2027. Completion is expected between 2028 and 2029, marking the beginning of a new chapter for one of Japan’s most storied sake producers.
Credits
Images: Daimon Brewery
Dudi Aureus is the senior dining and travel editor at Tatler Singapore, covering the city’s most exciting restaurants, global travel trends, and the personalities shaping the culinary and lifestyle scenes. She also serves as co-jury chair for the Tatler Best awards in Singapore, celebrating the very best in hospitality. When she’s off duty, she can often be found at a favourite hole-in-the-wall Thai spot, savouring a perfectly balanced pad thai.
