Shochu and awamori regions
The main shochu and awamori regions are Kagoshima (sweet potato), Miyazaki (sweet potato, barley, buckwheat), Hitoyoshi-Kuma in Kumamoto (rice), Ōita and Iki (barley), the Amami islands (brown sugar) and Okinawa (awamori).
Most honkaku shochu comes from Kyushu. A warm climate, sweet-potato and barley farming and clever koji made it shochu country.
- KagoshimaImoGIhot-water mixes warmed in a kurojoka pot
- MiyazakiImo, barley, buckwheat20% is the everyday drink; birthplace of soba shochu
- Hitoyoshi-KumaRiceGIa basin in southern Kumamoto
- ŌitaBarleymade light barley shochu popular nationwide
- IkiBarleyGIsaid to be where barley shochu began
- Amami islandsBrown sugaronly Amami may make kokutō shochu
- OkinawaAwamoriGIthe culture of aged kusu
Beyond Kyushu: kasutori in Fukuoka, chestnut in Kōchi, the Izu islands
Terms in this article
Also read
- Sake regions and breweriesHow water, rice, climate and brewmasters make sake taste of its place.
- Where awamori is madeThe "Ryukyu" GI and some 45 distilleries, from the main island to Miyako, Yaeyama and Yonaguni.
- How honkaku shochu is madeKoji first, then sweet potato or barley, and a single distillation.
- How awamori is madeThai rice, black koji only, one mash, and kusu that grows with age.