{"id":17718,"date":"2018-06-09T08:00:27","date_gmt":"2018-06-08T23:00:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/voyapon.com\/?p=17718"},"modified":"2020-07-30T15:10:38","modified_gmt":"2020-07-30T06:10:38","slug":"kagoshima-satsuma-shochu","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/voyapon.com\/kagoshima-satsuma-shochu\/","title":{"rendered":"Shochu, Take A Factory Tour in Kagoshima"},"content":{"rendered":"

Kagoshima<\/strong>, situated on the southern tip of Japan, is a paradise for shochu enthusiasts<\/strong>. Like whisky and brandy, shochu<\/strong> is a Japanese traditional hard liquor<\/strong> made from various ingredients. The most common base to make this distilled drink is rice<\/strong>, sweat potatoes<\/strong> (called\u00a0imo<\/em> in Japanese), wheat<\/strong>, sugar cane<\/strong> and so on. Since each of the base components brings its own unique flavor, authentic shochu, called h<\/strong><\/em>onkaku shochu<\/strong>,<\/em> comes in a wide variety of aromas and taste. If you are keen on exploring Japanese drinking culture, shochu is an absolute must try.<\/p>\n

\"Kagoshima<\/a>\"Kagoshima<\/a><\/p>\n

\"Kagoshima<\/a><\/p>\n

\"Kagoshima<\/a><\/p>\n

Take A Shochu Factory Tour in Kagoshima<\/h2>\n

Kagoshima<\/strong> is the major producer of honkaku shochu<\/em><\/strong> (authentic Shochu) in Japan. It has a distinguished taste and is made using\u00a0traditional brewing methods which you can observe during a tour at Satsuma Shuzo brewery<\/strong> located in Makurazaki<\/strong>, outside Kagoshima City<\/strong>. There you will learn about the brewing process, see how it is produced and at the end you will be able to taste a few different types of this alcohol. Moreover, if you want to buy a few souvenir bottles, it recommended to purchase them at the factory shop, along with some food products from\u00a0the local area.<\/p>\n

\"Kagoshima<\/a><\/p>\n

\"Kagoshima<\/a><\/p>\n

As you learn during the tour, there are two types of shochu liquor: one is made from continuous distillation and the other is produced from single distillation, meaning it preserves a rich flavor and the taste of the base ingredient. Honkaku shochu<\/em> refers to single distillation shochu, and it is considered a fashionable and chic drink, and is usually\u00a0 expensive compared to the continuous distillation alternative.<\/p>\n

\"Kagoshima<\/a><\/p>\n

\"Kagoshima<\/a><\/p>\n

Kagoshima\u00a0\u2014 Home to Thousands of Shochu Varieties<\/h2>\n

Kagoshima has more than 100 distillers<\/strong> and over 2,000 different shochu options<\/strong>. You can taste these diverse bottles at one of the numerous izakayas<\/strong>,\u00a0<\/em>a Japanese version of a “pub” where you can drink and order various small tapas-style dishes, scattered around Kagoshima City and in the local areas. The staff have abundant knowledge and can give\u00a0you some recommendations for shochu and food pairings. To my own astonishment, the best variety I tried was imo shochu<\/strong>, <\/em>a sweet potato liquor. It has a sweet aroma so it goes amazingly well with fatty dishes or fried foods such as tender pork and, one of the local specialties of\u00a0Kagoshima, “satsumaage<\/em>,” a fried fish cake filled with various ingredients.<\/p>\n

\"Kagoshima<\/a><\/p>\n

Shochu can be served straight, on the rocks, mixed with soda or water at different temperatures and also used as a cocktail base. In Kagoshima, it is common to enjoy imo shochu with hot water at a 60:40 ratio. This serving style enhances the natural sweetness and aroma of the sweet potato. However, once you try it you will find your own way of enjoying its rich taste.<\/p>\n

Useful Links and Information<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Shochu Factory tour: here<\/a><\/h3>\n

Access: here<\/a><\/h3>\n

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