Kiyosato, Hokkaido, Begins Distilling Shochu from Konahime Potatoes
In Kiyosato in eastern Hokkaido, this season's brewing of traditional potato shochu from the local Konahime variety has begun, with release after more than a year of ageing.
The raw material: Konahime, a Hokkaido speciality potato
Kiyosato (Kiyosato-cho) is an arable farming town in eastern Hokkaido, Japan’s northernmost main island, close to the Sea of Okhotsk. In September 2026, the Kiyosato Shochu Brewery in the town began this season’s brewing of shochu made from Konahime, the local speciality potato. According to Hokkaido Television (HTB), around 17 tonnes of Konahime will be used this time. Konahime is a variety grown mainly as a raw material for starch, and agricultural organisations in Hokkaido are working to keep its production stable. A potato grown for processing rather than for the dinner table thus also becomes the raw material for a local spirit.
More than a year of ageing for a gently sweet drink
Shochu is a traditional Japanese distilled spirit made from a variety of ingredients, including rice, barley and sweet potatoes. The potato shochu from the Kiyosato Shochu Brewery is known as “Kiyosato” and is a traditional drink that has long been made locally. The shochu brewed this time is due to be shipped after more than a year of ageing. Reports say that maturing it slowly gives it a gently sweet flavour. From brewing to the glass, this is a spirit that takes a full turn of the seasons.
Not a sweet potato: a northern “potato shochu”
When people in Japan say “imo shochu”, they usually think of the sweet potato shochu made in Kyushu in the south. Shochu made from ordinary potatoes is a rarity even among these. Turning a crop raised in the cold fields of Hokkaido into a spirit in the very place it grew: Kiyosato’s shochu is one example of how closely Japanese shochu is tied to the agricultural produce of each region.
For European readers, potato spirits may be familiar from vodka and Nordic aquavit, and Kiyosato’s potato shochu makes an interesting comparison with them. Shochu is often enjoyed neat, on the rocks or diluted with water as a drink to accompany food; to appreciate its gentle sweetness, you could try a small amount neat or on the rocks. If you spot a bottle labelled “jagaimo shochu” (potato shochu) or “Kiyosato” at a specialist sake and shochu shop, it is worth paying attention to this distinctly Hokkaido ingredient.
Sources
This article was written by The Sake Wire editorial team, summarising the public sources listed above. Images are our own.
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