Shōchū

A glass of Shochu

Shōchū is a typical Japanese alcoholic drink. It is usually around 25 - 37% alcohol. Shōchū is made often from barley, rice, sweet potato, buckwheat, and sugar cane. It is made in many places in Japan, but started in Kyūshū. People drink it mixed with cool or hot water, over ice, in cocktails, or straight. Shōchū is different from nihonshu, or sake. Rice shōchū is made from sake by increasing the purity of alcohol. Shochu comes in a wide variety flavors according to ingredients.

Shōchū Media

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  Choka: kettle to make hot shōchū

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  Shōchū graffiti at Kōriyama Hachiman shrine. Furigana is shown to the right. It is signed by two carpenters and dated August 11 of the 2nd year of the Eiroku period, i.e. 1559.

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  Single distillation. Wooden pot stills are most often used at smaller distilleries.

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  One brand of Satsuma shōchū

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  Various brands of sweet potato shōchū

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  Various bottled Amami kokutō shōchū

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  A bottle of awamori from the Kikunotsuyu distillery of Miyako island, Okinawa

Other websites

• https://www.satsuma.co.jp/english/con-shiru-shochu.html - A guide to shochu by a Japanese company