The ultimate cultural experience: Visiting the legendary craftsman Kurose Toji, who changed the history of shochu, and the Seven Breweries of Minamisatsuma

Kagoshima Prefecture is located at the southern tip of Japan. Minamisatsuma City, blessed with a beautiful coastline and abundant nature, is a mecca for authentic shochu (Honkaku Shochu), attracting the attention of spirits lovers from all over the world.

Here you can find the history of the Kurose Toji, a group of legendary craftsmen who have preserved the techniques of shochu brewing for over 100 years, and the passion of the Minamisatsuma Nanakura, who have come together to pass on that spirit to the future .

This time, we will take you on a deep journey through Minamisatsuma City, exploring the "human stories" and "artisanal skills" contained in a single glass.

• Table of Contents
• The legend of Kurose Toji, the master blender of the shochu world
• The Minamisatsuma Seven Storehouses Council's Challenge to Preserve Tradition and Pass It on to the Future
• The manufacturing process of "honkaku shochu" (simplified version)
• Travel destination: Toujinosato Kasasa, the home of the master brewer
• Local Experience: Pairing Shochu to Enjoy It to the Fullest
• Conclusion: A glass Shochu connects the world and Minamisatsuma

The legend of Kurose Toji, the master blender of the shochu world

What is a Toji?

"Toji" is the title given to the person with the highest authority in sake brewing in Japan, equivalent to a winemaker or a whiskey master blender.

The birth of Kurose Toji

Kurose, a small fishing village in Minamisatsuma City, has produced many excellent brewers since the Meiji era. Because there was little arable land in the Kurose area, people honed their skills and chose to go to work at sake breweries all over Kyushu in the winter.

The techniques they passed on, as well as the techniques for handling koji, an invisible microorganism, spread to almost all sake breweries in Kagoshima Prefecture.The prosperity of Kagoshima shochu would be impossible without Kurose Toji.

The Minamisatsuma Seven Storehouses Council's Challenge to Preserve Tradition and Pass It on to the Future

Currently, Minamisatsuma City is home to seven unique sake breweries. These breweries, which were once rivals, formed the Minamisatsuma Seven Breweries Council to carry on the traditions of Kurose Toji and spread the word to the world.

The council's slogan is "Connecting thoughts. To the future." Rather than simply selling alcohol, the council promotes Minamisatsuma's terroir and the pride of its artisans as a "brand."

The Seven Distilleries: Seven Unique Breweries

These seven breweries are collaborating with the local government and tourism association to develop limited edition products, experience programs, and events touring the breweries.

The manufacturing process of "honkaku shochu" (simplified version)

Step 1: Making Koji

The steamed rice is inoculated with koji mold and allowed to grow for several days.
The master brewer does not rely too much on the thermometer, but instead judges the health of the koji by its texture and aroma.

Step 2: Primary preparation

Water and yeast are added to the koji and the mixture is fermented. Cultivating a large amount of healthy yeast here is the first step to making delicious shochu.

Step 3: Secondary preparation

The main ingredient, sweet potatoes, are added. Freshly harvested sweet potatoes from Minamisatsuma City are steamed, crushed, and added to the tank. The koji converts the sweet potato starch into sugar, which is then converted into alcohol by the yeast.

Step 4: Distillation

Once fermentation is complete, the liquid is heated to extract the alcohol. The vaporized alcohol is then cooled to produce clear shochu. The first shochu, called "Hanatare," has a high alcohol content and a surprisingly mellow aroma.

Travel destination: Toujinosato Kasasa, the home of the master brewer

Kasasa, the Toji Village, is a tourist destination where you can experience the history of Kurose Toji and the charm of Minamisatsuma Shichizo all at once.

An exhibition hall where you can learn with all five senses: exhibits showcasing the tools once used by master brewers and the history of their rigorous training.

Tour of a traditional production site: You can actually see how shochu is made using wooden barrels and earthenware jars, and get a close-up feel of the craftsmen's work.

Special souvenirs: You can purchase limited edition shochu and original goods that can only be purchased here.

Local Experience: Pairing Shochu to Enjoy It to the Fullest

If you're going to enjoy shochu in Minamisatsuma, it's a must to enjoy it alongside the local food culture.

Oyuwari: This is the most common way to drink it locally. By pouring hot water first and then shochu, the sweet potato aroma will spread softly.

Torisashi: Fresh chicken sashimi. The sweet Kagoshima soy sauce and garlic complement the sharpness of the shochu.

Kibinago: A small fish caught in the waters of southern Satsuma. Connoisseurs enjoy eating this beautiful silvery sashimi with vinegared miso and washing it down with cold shochu.

Conclusion: A glass Shochu connects the world and Minamisatsuma

We offer more than just alcoholic beverages.
This is the "crystallization of culture" that the Kurose brewers are protecting and that Minamisatsuma nanakura is trying to pass on to the future.

Enjoy a drink of locally brewed shochu while watching the beautiful sunset over Minamisatsuma City.
At that moment, you become a part of Japanese tradition.
We look forward to welcoming you in Minamisatsuma City, a town where the spirit of artisans lives on.