From the city of Ichikikushikino to all parts of Japan and the world.
Hamada Syuzou was founded in the same year as the Meiji Restoration, the event that inaugurated the era of modern Japan. The 500 years of shochu production and the 150 years of our company’s history writes an extensive and profound story. This story motivates us to engage in preservation of the spirit not only as a spirt product but also as a cultural phenomenon. Our three distilleries were created in this spirit, each of them under different concepts—Tradition, Innovation, and Heritage. The skills and passions which our predecessors have forged are the base of our ‘tradition’, and carrying these on for the next 500 years is going to require persistent ‘innovation’. The culmination of these traditions and innovation will eventually lead to shochu becoming a ‘heritage’ that we will pass on to future generations. Hamada Syuzou’s vision—Raise Honkaku Shochu to the status of true traditional alcoholic beverage made in Japan and make it one of the most preeminent liquors in the world. —is the path we will follow for the fans of shochu.
Brands
DAIYAME 40
The Honkaku Imo Shochu, DAIYAME, was created under the concept “Experience the distinctive aroma.” in celebration of the company’s 150th anniversary in 2018. The 40% ABV shochu was designed for the cocktail market, providing new possibilities to the cocktail scene.
ABOUT THE DISTILLERY
Established in 1868, Hamada Syuzou is currently comprised of three production facilities: Denbee-gura, Denzouin-gura and Kinzan-gura each representing a pillar of the company’s shochu-production ethos: tradition, innovation, heritage, respectively.Among these Denzouin-gura formulated under strict FSSC 22000 quality control, we are constantly in search of new possibilities that lie ahead.
World's Most Revered Alcoholic Beverage Competition Awards Hamada Syuzou the Shochu Producer Trophy, Crowning it as the Industry's Best | IWSC 2023
The International Wine & Spirit Competition (IWSC), the longest-running global competition for alcoholic beverages, has awarded Hamada Syuzou with a Spirits Producer Trophy, the most prestigious awards given to producers who have demonstrated outstanding performance. Nominees from around the world converged to compete across ten categories of spirits, with Hamada Syuzou emerging as the sole victor from Japan amidst an intense competition. This recognition not only affirms the quality of the product, but also acknowledges the exceptional craftsmanship of this cultural phenomenon.
Olivier Ward, spirits journalist and IWSC judge, noted:
“Hamada Syuzou is a distillery with a firm axis of ‘tradition’, ‘innovation’ and ‘heritage’. It is a wonderful distillery that continues to evolve and break in a new way with a balance of these three.”
PROTECTING THE ENVIRONMENT
At the main facility, Denzouingura, biogas from methane fermentation of the lees is used as fuel in the boilers and in fertilizer and live-stock feed. Furthermore, the company is cutting its energy emissions at a rate of 1% / year by switching to LED bulbs and from oil to LNG. They also installed a low-energy steaming equipment which consumes 40% less energy at the steaming stage than conventional apparatus.
THE TOPOGRAPHY AND SHOCHU OF KAGOSHIMA
Kagoshima is an archipelago of several islands with a climate ranging from temperate to subtropical and average temperatures of 19℃, the perfect topography for growing high quality agricultural products. The prefecture’s proximity to volcanoes means that half the land is covered in ash and pyroclastic plateaus such as the Shirasu Daichi which spans almost half of the prefecture. Water flowing through the plateau is naturally filtered by the ash providing some of the clearest water in Japan. Distilleries have been producing shochu here for over 500 years.
Received the “Satsuma Shochu” geographical indication from the WTO joining the likes of Scotch Whiskey and Bordeaux Wine. The geographical identification “Satsuma Shochu” designation on the label is allowed for those Honkaku Shochu that are completely sourced and produced in Satsuma (present day Kagoshima Prefecture). This means that all of the sweet potatoes and water must be from Kagoshima. Furthermore, they must be distilled in a pot still and bottled in Kagoshima prefecture.
Distilleries have been producing shochu here for over 500 years and received the “Satsuma Shochu” geographical indication from the WTO joining the likes of Scotch Whiskey and Bordeaux Wine.The geographical identification “Satsuma Shochu” designation on the label is allowed for those Honkaku Shochu that are completely sourced and produced in Satsuma (present day Kagoshima Prefecture). This means that all of the sweet potatoes and water must be from Kagoshima. Furthermore, they must be distilled in a pot still and bottled in Kagoshima prefecture.