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• Fuchita Shuzo Honten LLC

Kuma vil.

Fuchita Shuzo Honten LLC

Fuchita Shuzo is an active distillery founded more than 100 years ago in Kuma-mura where one of the largest limestone caves in Japan, Kyusendo, is located. It is also located the furthest downstream of all of the Kuma Shochu distilleries. There are no signs in front of the distillery, so it is hard to notice it at first glance. However, once you enter the small distillery, you will surely sense that it has bravely stood the test of time. The distillery, which had been located at the entrance of Isshouchi station more than a century ago, was relocated to its present place in 1908 due to the construction of the Hisatsu Railway Line. Clay vats that had been used since foundation were carefully transferred there as well. We maintain traditional handmade methods throughout all processes, from koji (malted rice) cultivation and rice-washing to distillation. The workshops of the distillery stick to traditional shochu crafting methods, using clay vats for the maturing process. They are located both inside the main building (which has the koji-room and distiller) and also the modern red brick storehouse, where twenty pots are neatly arranged. Both the first and second stage of fermentation are done here. It has been said that Mr. Kazaemon Fuchita founded the distillery with permission to distill shochu from the Meiji government in 1869 and has been called “Kazaemon’s tea-house” since that time. The old vintage shochu that was popular as "Mr. Kazaemon's shochu" is still stored in the clay vats and the casks to this day.