Government backs plan to boost Miyazaki honkaku shochu exports fivefold
Miyazaki Prefecture's plan to promote honkaku shochu as a "world-class premium spirit" has been folded into national strategy, targeting exports of about ¥1.5 billion by 2035.
In Miyazaki Prefecture in southern Kyushu, a leading production area for the Japanese spirit honkaku shochu, a plan to expand exports sharply is set to receive national support. Miyazaki’s “Local Industry Growth Plan” for the alcoholic drinks sector has been incorporated this fiscal year into the “Regional Future Strategy”, a national policy to revitalise regional economies. The prefecture’s effort to sell its shochu to overseas markets has, in effect, won formal recognition from the government.
Aiming for roughly five times the export value by 2035
The plan sets out concrete numerical targets. Honkaku shochu exports, which stood at ¥288 million in 2024, are to rise to about ¥750 million in 2030 and about ¥1.5 billion in 2035. That would mean growth of roughly 2.6 times the 2024 figure by 2030 and about five times by 2035. The watchword is to make honkaku shochu a “world-class premium spirit”. Local stakeholders intend to pool their efforts and step up promotion overseas still further.
What is honkaku shochu?
Shochu is one of Japan’s best-known drinks alongside sake, but it is still little known in Europe. “Honkaku shochu” is shochu made by distilling just once in a pot still, which leaves the aroma and flavour of the raw ingredients clearly intact. The ingredients vary widely, from sweet potato, barley and rice to buckwheat, and, as with whisky or brandy, the character changes greatly depending on the ingredient and the maker. The typical strength is around 25% ABV, which places it lighter than whisky and stronger than wine.
How to enjoy it in Europe
The plan suggests that Miyazaki shochu may appear more and more often in European liquor shops and bars. If you spot a bottle, check the label for the ingredient. Sweet potato shochu tends to have a sweet, floral aroma, while barley shochu is often toasty and light, and the difference is easy to notice when you taste them side by side. The standard ways to drink it are on the rocks, diluted with cold water, or mixed with hot water. Hot water opens up the aroma all at once, which suits a cold European winter. Because the strength is moderate and it does not overpower food, it also goes well with grilled meat or fish, and with cheese.
Sources
- Miyazaki Nichinichi Shimbun, “Miyazaki shochu to accelerate overseas promotion”
Sources
This article was written by The Sake Wire editorial team, summarising the public sources listed above. Images are our own.
Try Akita sake in the EU — from €6
180 ml tasting bottles and full-size sake, wine, beer and gin, shipped from Amsterdam within the EU.
