日本語 | Ｅｎｇｌｉｓｈ


Shochu by the Oldest Brewery in the Amami Island
Date：10, Jul, 2015
Investigated and Written by Misaka Youhei
About our introductory articles

Kokuto Shochu (Brown Sugar Shochu) is supposed to be famous as shochu of the Amami islands. The unique one of all them must be “Yayoi” brewed by Yayoi Shochu Brewery; the oldest brewery in the Amami Island.


Price: 2,572 JPN ( 1,800 ml ）
Alcohol:　30
Atmospheric Distillation
Made from Brown Sugar, Malted Rice (White)

The oldest brewery was built by a late woman of property; Kawasaki Tami in 1922 March. She is said to have been as prominent as a then Prime Minister gave the Dark-blue Ribbon Medal to her.

Yayoi means March in old Japanese, in passing, and she named so because it was established in March. They say they had produced Awamori at the time and got forced to make kokuto shochu by a legal reform after World War 2. Awamori used to be brewed also in the Amami islands until 1940s although lately has been produced only in Okinawa.

Yayoi Shochu Brewery has produced their shochu products with the flavor of the raw ingredients by their traditional way; Atmospheric Distillation, since it was established. Recently, we have often seen some kokuto shochu distilled at reduced pressure. But the convention must emphasize the original taste of the ingredients.

Old Houses of the Amami Island

They use Thai rice for the malted rice because it is more stable on water absorbency than Japanese rice. Strong preferences make their unique shochu. Actual try would show you what I mean.

Yayoi Shochu Brewery (Japanese)


Donan Hanasaki 60
Awamori in Yonaguni Island, Okinawa

Aochu Densho
Sweet Potato Shochu Limited in Aogashima, Tokyo