The birthplace of Japanese whisky is worth stealing away from family duties for a few hours if you can manage it. Suntory's first distillery, founded in 1923, basically created what we now know as Japanese whisky, and their tour shows you exactly how they did it. The setting itself is pretty special - they chose this spot specifically for its legendary water quality.

What makes it fascinating is seeing how they took Scottish whisky-making traditions and adapted them to Japanese sensibilities. The tasting session at the end is obviously a highlight - you get to try some whiskies that are practically impossible to find elsewhere, including some of their award-winning single malts.

While we didn't make it there with the kids in tow, we hear the museum part is actually quite interesting even if you're not a whisky fan - it tells the story of how one Japanese man's obsession with Scottish whisky turned into a global phenomenon.