ONLINE Tour: 100-Year-Old Japanese Shochu Distillery

Kagoshima, located in the southernmost part of Japan’s mainland, is famous for their local spirits made from sweet potato, with around 114 shochu distilleries and over 2000 brands of shochu in Kagoshima. At the southern tip of Kagoshima, you’ll find Meijigura Distillery, housed in a historic 100-year-old building, which still uses traditional shochu production methods. Over Zoom, you can enjoy a virtual tour that’s broadcast live from the shochu distillery led by your tour guide Miki, a licensed guide who carries a shochu certification. She will be joined one of the distillery’s craftsmen for a tour of the distillery, with support from Yoshie, the tour moderator. English interpretation will be provided. Lastly, you’ll be introduced to a unique shochu set and find out how to use it, as well as how to drink shochu in various ways. By the time the tour ends, you’ll have a greater understanding of how shochu is made in Kagoshima, and how to best appreciate it!