Kagoshima Shochu

Kagoshima is the heartland of imo (sweet potato) shochu — Japan's most characterful base-material spirit. The Satsuma peninsula's volcanic soil produces Kogane Sengan sweet potatoes with a depth of earthy sweetness that transfers into the spirit through single distillation with black koji. Over 120 active shochu distilleries make Kagoshima the world's most concentrated shochu production zone. The prefecture has GI status (Satsuma Shochu) requiring all constituent shochu to be made from Kagoshima sweet potato and water.