Machida Shuzo marks 35th anniversary with a brown sugar shochu built around yellow koji genshu

Machida Shuzo, a distillery on Amami Oshima in Kagoshima Prefecture (brand: Sato no Akebono), released the brown sugar shochu “Yurai Amami Seishika” on 4 September 2026 to mark its 35th anniversary. Brown sugar shochu is a distilled spirit made from kokuto (unrefined brown sugar from sugar cane) and rice koji, and it is the signature drink of the Amami Islands. This bottle centres on a long-stored yellow koji genshu, which is rare in brown sugar shochu and makes it noteworthy from a production point of view as well.

Blending two genshu: yellow koji and black koji

Koji is a mould grown on rice or other grains, and its job is to convert the starch in the raw materials into sugar. In shochu, black koji, which produces a robust flavour, is commonly used, while yellow koji, the type most common in sake, is in the minority. Machida Shuzo blended part of an unfiltered genshu made with black koji into a yellow-koji-based genshu that it has stored since 1997. According to the distillery, the yellow koji contributes a showy, crisp aroma and the black koji a strong umami and richness, and the aromas that come with long ageing are layered on top, giving an elegant taste with depth. The alcohol content is 34% and the volume is 720 ml.

A name and label that express love for the island

“Yurai” means “to gather together” in the Amami dialect. It carries the wish to bind the island’s nature, traditions and people together in a single bottle and carry them into the future. The label depicts the Amami seishika, a white flower that grows wild only on Amami Oshima and is classed as Endangered (IB) on the Ministry of the Environment’s Red List. Machida Shuzo positions this product as a new brand.

How to enjoy it in Europe

Because “Yurai” is sold only in the Amami Islands, it will be hard to find in Europe. Still, the product shows that brown sugar shochu comes in a variety of styles depending on the type of koji and the ageing. If you come across brown sugar shochu in Europe, try comparing bottles by the koji type on the label (black, white or yellow) and the number of years in storage. The distillery recommends it with hot water, which it says lets the umami of the unfiltered genshu and the richness of the brown sugar spread slowly. On the rocks, on the other hand, the natural strength of the spirit should come through more easily. It may also be an approachable entry point for those who like rum or brandy.