Kagoshima Shochu

Kagoshima is the only prefecture in Japan with no sake brewery, because the volcanic ash soil and the climate suit sweet potatoes rather than rice - so it distils instead, with over a hundred distilleries producing imo-jochu, sweet potato shochu, which by local convention is simply called shochu here and everything else needs a qualifier. The technical distinction that matters is single distillation, honkaku: distilled once in a pot still rather than repeatedly in a column, which keeps the character of the raw material rather than stripping it, so the result tastes strongly of sweet potato and is nothing like a neutral spirit. It is made with koji mould on rice or barley as the starter, then fermented with the potatoes and distilled from late August through autumn when the crop comes in. It is drunk cut with hot water in a ratio of about six to four, mixed in advance and left to settle.

What you actually see

• A prefecture with no sake - ash soil suiting sweet potato rather than rice.
• Single distillation - one pass in a pot still, keeping the raw material's character.
• A hundred distilleries - most offering tours, many free, across the prefecture.
• Cut with hot water - mixed six to four in advance and left to settle before drinking.

When to go

August to November for the distilling season. Half a day.

Honest expectations

The sweet potato character is strong and divides people sharply on first taste. Tours are largely in Japanese. Distilleries are spread across the prefecture and need a car. Drink-driving enforcement is strict.

Nearby

Sakurajima is across the bay; Ibusuki is south.