Shochu (焼酎) is one of the most consumed alcoholic beverages in Japan and the Japanese drink more shochu than sake. Considered to be Japan’s national spirit, Shochu is gaining great international attention with its rich traditions and taste profiles.

In the warmer southern region of Japan, Kyushu is the birthplace of shochu and is often cited as the “island of shochu”. Venture deeper into Kyushu’s southwestern coast and we’ll find Miyazaki Prefecture (宮崎県)–the top producer of shochu in Japan. Join us to discover the secrets of Japanese shochu through a tasting tour of the best shochu distilleries in Miyazaki. 

 

What is Shochu?

Shochu are Japan's most popular alcoholic beverage Photo by photoAC
Shochu is a traditional distilled alcoholic beverage that has over 500-year history. Shochu is usually compared to sake but shochu is distilled from a variety of ingredients like barley, rice, buckwheat, sweet potato, and brown sugar while sake is brewed from fermented rice. Shochu boasts a higher alcoholic content, ABV (alcohol by volume) of about 14% to 25%..

Shochu is made using koji through time-honoured and laborious techniques of fermentation. To preserve this culture, Japan has proposed the traditional shochu and sake making techniques of using koji mold for UNESCO’s Intangible Cultural Heritage in 2022.

There are two main types of shochu: the authentic honkaku shochu (本格焼酎) that is produced by single distillation and has very pure and umami taste and korui shochu (甲類焼酎), a type of more neutral-tasting consecutive distillation shochu. 

Shochu distillery is called shuzo (醸造) and Miyazaki has 38 distilleries and many of them produce acclaimed shochu under the mastery of shochu master brewers, who are called toji (杜氏). 

 

How to Enjoy Shochu?

Shochu is a versatile spirit that can be enjoyed in a myriad of ways. Here are some ways to drink shochu in the true Japanese style.
Photo by photoAC

Shochu is a versatile spirit that can be enjoyed in a myriad of ways. Here are some ways to drink shochu in the true Japanese style.

Firstly, shochu is most commonly enjoyed with water. This simple way of drinking brings out the best flavours of the shochu. Locals like to drink shochu mixed with hot water, which is called oyuwari (お湯割り). Pour the shochu into a cup of hot water and don’t stir. This rising steam from the hot water enhances the aroma of the shochu. Another way is to drink shochu with cold water (水割りmizuwari) as the alcoholic mixture becomes gentler and easier to drink. This method is highly recommended for barley shochu. 

Next, shochu on the rocks is a popular method to enjoy the alcohol as the melting ice gives shochu a more fragrant and mellow taste. Use a few large ice cubes and pour the spirit over them to savour the changing taste of the shochu. 

A fun way to enjoy shochu is to mix it with soda and sparkling water. Add lemon slices to the drink and enjoy its fresh and refreshing taste. Young drinkers welcome creative methods of enjoying shochu and shochu cocktails infused with ginger ale and tonic water are becoming more popular.

 

Top Shochu Distilleries in Miyazaki

Are you tempted to try shochu? Let’s tour three established shochu distilleries in Miyazaki and find out more about their traditions and famous Japanese shochu brands. 

 

Furusawa Distillery (古澤醸造)

Masako Furusawa, fifth-generation resident of Furusawa Distillery
Masako Furusawa, fifth-generation resident of Furusawa Distillery | Photo by Wendy Ng

Nestled in Nichinan (日南), Furusawa Distillery is the only distillery left in Miyazaki that is making shochu in its original traditional mud-walled buildings (土蔵 作り倉 dozo zukuri kura), which are designated national Important Cultural Heritage sites. The family-owned distillery began their shochu-making journey in 1892 and Masako Furusawa (古澤昌子) is the fifth-generation president and a respected female shochu master.

 

Ceramic jars for fermentation Ceramic jars for fermentation / Photo by Wendy Ng

The distillery has preserved its tradition of making koji with wooden trays (麹蓋 kojibuta) and used ancient ceramic jars half-buried in the ground for fermentation. The historical mud-walled buildings have thick walls that are instrumental in moderating the temperatures for the koji and fermentation processes. Try their hand-crafted Yaezakura shochu (八重桜焼酎) and indulge in an elegant shochu with a fine balance of smooth taste and texture. 

 

Furusawa Distillery (古澤醸造)

Address: 4-10-1 Odotsu, Nichinan, Miyazaki 889-3141
Access: 5-minute walk from Odotsu Station (大堂津駅)

 

Kirishima Distillery 霧島酒造

Kirishima Distillery in Miyakonojo City, Miyazaki Prefecture Kirishima Distillery in Miyakonojo City, Miyazaki Prefecture / Photo by Wendy Ng

Kirishima Distillery is run by the Kirishima Shuzo Co., Ltd (霧島酒造株式会社), a respected company that specializes in honkaku shochu. Its illustrious history started in 1916 and they are well known for using 100 percent Kogane Sengan sweet potato (黄金千貫 コガネセンガン), mineral rich water Kirishima rekka-sui (霧島裂罅水), and black koji to make their famous Kuro Kirishima (黒霧島) shochu.

Fun fact: Shochu from Kirishima Shuzo was served at the Academy Awards’ Governors Ball. 

 

Shochu tasting in Kirishima Factory Garden Shochu tasting in Kirishima Factory Garden / Photo by Wendy Ng

You can visit the Kirishima Factory Garden (霧島ファクトリーガーデン) and join a free tour to taste shochu samples and see the behind-the-scenes of their expanded Shibata factory to see how they integrate traditional methods with cutting-edge equipment and technology. During the tour, learn about their sustainability efforts where they recycle the shochu lees and sweet potatoes’ leaves to generate renewable energy. 

 

Kirishima Factory Garden (焼酎の里 霧島ファクトリーガーデン)

Address: 5480 Shibitacho, Miyakonojo, Miyazaki 885-0093
Access: 10-minute taxi ride from Miyakonojo Station (都城駅) or Nishi-Miyakonojo Station (西都城駅)

 

Yanagita Distillery 柳田酒造

Yanagita Distillery’s award-winning Aokage Shochu Yanagita Distillery’s award-winning Aokage Shochu / Photo by Wendy Ng

Yanagita Distillery has been producing shochu since 1902 in Miyakonojo (都城市). Under the leadership of the fifth-generation president Tadashi Yanagita (柳田正), the family-run distillery specializes in barley shochu. Yanagita Distillery is the first shochu maker in Miyazaki Prefecture to win the top prize for its barley-based shochu, Aokage (青鹿毛), in the 2023 Kura Master Competition in France. 

 

Tadashi Yanagita, fifth president of the Yanagita Distillery
Tadashi Yanagita, fifth president of the Yanagita Distillery / Photo by Wendy Ng

Tadashi was a former engineer and a master brewer. He has preserved the traditions that make high quality shochu and also improve and modernize the distillery and operations. The distillery uses premium rice and sweet potatoes to make a wide variety of shochu. Interested in trying shochu from the distillery? You are in luck, as Yanagita Distillery exports internationally.

 

Yanagita Distillery (柳田酒造)

Address: 14-4 Hayasuzu-cho, Miyakonojo, Miyazaki 885-0055
Access: 20-minute walk or 5-minute taxi ride from Nishi-Miyakonojo Station (西都城駅)

 

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