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Company Name: Satsuma Shuzo Co., Ltd | 薩摩酒造株式会社

Satsuma Shuzo is a well-known Shochu distillery in Kagoshima established by the Hombo family in 1936. It has been in operation since the Meiji period. For generations, the traditions of making things by hand and the use of clay vessels have been passed down, and are still in use today.

Southern part of Kagoshima is famous for high quality sweet potato fields, and all of Satsuma Shuzo’s products are produced using these high-quality local ingredients. Satsuma Shuzo specializes in Honkaku Shochu, meaning “authentic” or “single distillation”, to retain the rich flavour and aroma of its main ingredients. Following their guiding principles of “Appreciation for local land” and “Quality first”,

Satsuma Shuzo is committed to producing the best and most delicious traditional Shochu.

Company Name:  Kuge Honten Co. Ltd. | 株式会社 久家本店

Kuge Honten is located in Usuki City on the east coast of Oita Prefecture, on the island of Kyushu, surrounded by the sea and magnificent mountains.

In 1860, a famous Feudal Lord, Akimichi Inaba, gave the brewery to Genshiro Kuge and that is where the Kuge Honten story began. Now, 164 years on, Kuge Honten prides themselves on producing Sake of the highest quality. They use a variety of local ingredients such as rice, barley, potatoes, plums, and Kabosu – a juicy citrus fruit similar to lemon.

Usuki city is located on the south side of the Usuki -Yatsushiro tectonic line. When ground water passes through the limestone layer it becomes rich with calcium and bicarbonate ions. Kuge Honten uses this “tasty water” to produce their “tasty sake”.

Kuge Honten goes by the guiding principle of “the engine of our hometown” and is committed to supporting and promoting their local community by using only local ingredients from within Oita and even buying local electricity from Usuki Energy.

Company Name: Hombo Shuzo Co., Ltd | 本坊酒造株式会社

Hombo Shuzo is a well-known Japanese distillery famous for its Whisky and a variety of Shochu. It was founded in 1872 in Tsunuki, the southern tip of the Satsuma peninsula in Kagoshima, on the island of Kyushu. It began producing Shochu in 1909 after obtaining a license to manufacture old-style Shochu (本格焼酎), followed by new-style Shochu (甲類焼酎) from 1918 using a German-made patented distillation technology. They later diversified into Whisky production from 1949 followed by Wine business from 1960.

They produce ‘Imo’ Shochu from freshly harvested local Kogane Sengan sweet potatoes which grow especially well in damp climate. This region is also famous for its pure mineral water, and Hombo Shuzo’s Chiran distillery is located right in the heart of where many of these springs surface.

Over the years, Hombo Shuzo has continued to develop and refine the way they make Shochu. In 2009 the company patented a completely new distillation technique designed to result in a smooth yet crisp taste. In 2013, their ‘Arawaza’ Sakurajima Shochu won not only the sole Gold Medal in the Shochu category but also the Trophy Medal – the highest acclaim in the genre of the International Wine & Spirit Competition (IWSC) in London.

For over 150 years, Hombo Shuzo has continued to produce high quality spirits using locally sourced water and ingredients. Their commitment to quality and innovation has earned them international acclaim, making Hombo Shuzo a respected name in the world of Japanese spirits.

Company Name: Kaiun Shuzo Co., Ltd. | 株式会社奄美大島開運酒造

The Amami archipelagois is the only place in Japan where Kokuto (brown sugar) Shochu (Japanese distilled liquor) is produced, and Kaiun Shuzo is one of the 25 rare Amami Kokuto Shochu distilleries.

Amami Oshima Kaiun Sake Brewery is located in Uken Village in southern Amami Oshima, 380km south-southwest of Kagoshima in Kyushu. Uken is at the bottom of the sacred mountain Yuwandake, the highest peak in the Ryukyu Arc. In July 2021, the area around Mt. Yuwandake was registered as a World Natural Heritage Site. The area is blessed by warm climate, fresh air from the surrounding forests, and a pristine underground water source that is perfect for sake brewing.

Adopting the company name Kaiun (means “good luck”), the brewery was founded in 1996 by a group of amateur sake brewers who want to harness this remarkable natural environment to create an unparalleled Amami Kokuto Shochu, with the hopes of reviving an aging village. Guided by the “Amamian Spirit”, the founders adopted the theme of “living with nature and Amami” in their production of brown sugar Shochu. They experimented with different new ideas and came up with a unique maturing process called “acoustic aging,” in which classical music is played to tanks holding maturing Shochu to produce a beautiful flavour and aroma. Their Shochu became the best-selling Shochu in Japan and has also received recognition globally.

Company Name: Oyama Yumekobo Inc. | 株式会社おおやま夢工房

Oyama Yumekobo is an award winning Umeshu brewery built in 1998 in partnership with Nikka Whisky. It is located in Oyama, a mountainous town in Hita City, Oita Japan that has been specializing in growing plums for over 50 years. Oyama is one of Kyushu’s leading plum towns, where the whole region is covered with beautiful plum flowers in the blossom season.

Oyama uses only high quality plums carefully grown by local famers to make the most of the power of the plum fruit. Their Umeshu is made from plums freshly picked in the morning and pickled on the same day, and then aged for a long period of time.

This brewery has received high praise both domestically and internationally, winning multiple Gold Awards at the National Plum Wine Competition and the Gold Award at the World Liqueur Contest.

Company Name: Sasaki Sake Brewery Co., Ltd. | 佐々木酒造 株式会社

Sasaki Sake Brewery was founded in 1893 and it is located at Nishijin (西陣), Kyoto. Nishijin is notable for its textile production and is the birthplace of nishijin-ori (西陣織), a high-quality, well-known woven textiles used in Kimono.
The site where Sasaki brewery now stands is also the historic site of the Jurakudai Castle (聚楽第), the mansion of the famous Japanese samurai Toyotomi Hideyoshi (豊臣 秀吉). It was believed that Toyotomi Hideyoshi chose this place to build his residence because of the high quality of water for tea ceremonies.
Nowadays, Sasaki is the only sake brewery left in downtown Kyoto, and Sasaki is committed to staying true to traditional sake brewing without any compromise.

Company Name: OSADA Seicha Co Ltd | 株式会社おさだ製茶

Founded in 1948, OSADA is a leading organic tea manufacturing wholesaler in Mori in Shizuoka, Japan, an area known for producing high quality green tea. OSADA uses only organic tea grown in the Harun mountains (300-500m above sea level) in Shizuoka, completely free from pesticide and chemical fertilizer. The tea has a refined taste and elegant aroma characteristic of mountain green tea. OSADA has organic certification from JAS/ECOCERT and can export JAS organic products to USA, Canada and EU.

OSADA has won multiple awards, including the Japan National Tea Examination Skill Competition in 2009 and the World Green Tea Contest in 2010.

Company Name: Endo Brewery Inc. | 株式会社 遠藤酒造場

Endo Brewery was founded by Tokusaburo Endo in 1864 at Nagano Prefecture during the Edo period. During that time, Endo was a premium sake provider to the Suzaka Domain under the rule of Tokugawa shogunate. In 1982, the company was succeeded by Hidesaburo Endo at the age of 21 (6th generation). At that time, there were only 3 employees. After years of hard work and dedication, Endo became a top brewery in Nagano Prefecture, and he often appears on radio and TV. Hard work is the most important core value at Endo and there is a saying that nobody works earlier in the morning than Endo is. At Endo, sterile filtration (by advanced filters) is used instead of flash pasteurisation (by heat) to remove unwanted bacteria and yeasts, and their “Nama Sake” (unpasteurized sake) can be stored under normal ambient temperature.

Company Name: Yawataya Isogoro Ltd. | 八幡屋礒五郎 株式会社

Yawataya Isogoro headquartered in Nagano Prefecture, was founded in 1736, it is now one of the oldest spices manufacturers in Japan. “Shichimi” (七味) chili pepper is prepared by combining ground red chilli peppers, Szechuan peppers, citrus peel, sesame seeds (white and black), ginger and nori. Shichimi was invented in the Edo Period by a Japanese herbal medicine expert, and was sold in front of temples and shines because of its medicinal uses. Soon after it became widely adopted in Japanese cuisine. “Shichimi” chili pepper is commonly used as a condiment for ramen and fried rice. It is also great for sizzler dishes and even fries.

Company Name: Higashimaru Co., Ltd. | ヒガシマル 株式会社

Higashimaru is a noodles manufacturing company headquartered in Kagoshima Prefecture, Japan. One of the company flagship products (Samurai Ramen), licensed under the Funfair Co., Ltd, is completely free from animal/seafood ingredients, synthetic colourings, fragrances, and preservatives.
Higashimaru is also OEM for many famous national Japanese brands.