Sake TabiA guide to visiting Japan's sake breweries, distilleries, wineries and more
SHOCHU

Shochu: places to visit

Many shochu distilleries are in Kyushu. Some may not offer weekend tours, so check availability for your visit. Okinawa's awamori has its own page.

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Shochu storage jars lined up in a mine tunnel

Sweet-potato shochu aging in a former gold-mine tunnel, Kagoshima

Photo: メルビル / CC BY-SA 4.0 ・ Photo source ・ Resized and cropped
A photo introducing this type of drink, taken at the place named in the caption. It does not represent a specific place to visit.
Exterior of the Rokushu Brewing Workshop
Shochu
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Rokushu Brewing Workshop Tour

Rokkasho, Aomori

At Rokushu Brewing Workshop in Rokkasho, visitors can view distilling, bottling and other processes through glass.

Booking: No reservation needed
The Chicory Village building and its sign
Shochu
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Chicory Village Chicochico Shochu Distillery

Nakatsugawa, Gifu

Chicory Village accepts visits to its chicory shochu distillery and craft gin production facility.

Booking: Check the official site
The head-office building of Sengetsu Shuzo
Shochu
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Sengetsu Shuzo

Hitoyoshi, Kumamoto

A distillery in Hitoyoshi, Kumamoto, the home of Kuma shochu. You can see the process and taste.

Booking: Check the official site
Entrance of the Kuzuhara Tunnel used as the cask storage at Tunnel no Eki
Shochu
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Kagura Shuzo Tunnel no Eki (tunnel cask storage)

Takachiho, Miyazaki

A railway tunnel that never carried trains after its extension project was cancelled is now used to age shochu in casks. The storage tunnel can be viewed, and the shop offers free shochu tasting.

Booking: Check the official site
The white factory with chimneys and a fountain
Shochu
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Kirishima Factory Garden (Kirishima Shuzo)

Miyakonojo, Miyazaki

Run by Kirishima Shuzo, maker of Kuro Kirishima. The factory tour is free, held five times a day, and needs a reservation.

Booking: Reservation required
Exterior of Satsuma Shuzo's Kedogawa Distillery and Meijigura
Shochu
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Satsuma Shuzo Meijigura (Kedogawa Distillery)

Makurazaki, Kagoshima

A shochu distillery in Makurazaki, Kagoshima. Entry is free, with a self-guided route and an optional staff-guided course of about 15 minutes.

Booking: Reservation recommended
Shochu
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Ikinokura Distillery

Iki, Nagasaki

A distillery on Iki, the birthplace of barley shochu. It offers a free tour of about 40 minutes (tasting included) and a paid 60-90 minute tour.

Booking: Reservation required
Shochu
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Kuma Shochu Museum Hakutake Denshogura (Takahashi Shuzo)

Hitoyoshi, Kumamoto

A Kuma shochu museum run by Takahashi Shuzo, with production displays, a video hall, tasting, and a shop stocking products from all 27 Kuma distilleries.

Booking: Check the official site
Shochu
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Joraku Shuzo

Nishiki, Kumamoto

A Kuma shochu distillery where visitors see the barrel warehouse and liqueur facilities, watch a video of shochu and liqueur production and bottling, and taste samples.

Booking: Reservation required
Shochu
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Ohishi Shuzojo

Mizukami, Kumamoto

A Kuma shochu distillery located furthest upstream among the distilleries along the Kuma River. Visitors can watch the brewing and use the tasting corner and direct shop.

Booking: Reservation required
Shochu
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Yamatoichi Shuzo

Hitoyoshi, Kumamoto

A Kuma shochu distillery with hot-spring water in the brewery, rebuilt after the 2020 floods. It runs a reservation-only guided tour.

Booking: Reservation required
Shochu
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Sanwa Shurui Hita Distillery

Hita, Oita

Visitors can see working mash tanks and stills, and taste undiluted and aged spirits in the tasting corner. Admission is free.

Booking: Check the official site
Shochu
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Sakura no Sato Shuzo Shochu Dojo

Nichinan, Miyazaki

A hand-crafted shochu brewery built as a traditional kura. Visitors watch production through glass, taste a range of shochu and can make an original blend.

Booking: No reservation needed
Shochu
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Hamada Shuzo Denbeegura

Ichikikushikino, Kagoshima

A handcrafted shochu brewery founded in 1868. Visitors see Meiji-era shochu making up close and then taste shochu and liqueurs picked by the brewers.

Booking: Reservation required
Shochu
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Hombo Shuzo Yakushima Denshogura

Yakushima, Kagoshima

A distillery on Yakushima. The mashing work can be seen during the production season, by reservation.

Booking: Reservation required
Shochu
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Satsuma Musou (Musou-gura)

Kagoshima, Kagoshima

A distillery in Kagoshima City. The visit is free and by reservation, on weekdays only.

Booking: Reservation required
Shochu
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Wakashio Distillery Sengokukura

Shibushi, Kagoshima

Visitors can tour the handcrafted Sengokukura with its wooden-barrel stills, a tunnel storage cellar and a barrel warehouse, free of charge. A blending experience is offered at the distillery shop.

Booking: Reservation recommended