Kyushu, the island home to Fukuoka Prefecture, is renowned for both its shochu and sake, with Fukuoka especially well known for the latter. Whether producing shochu or sake, pristine water is key — in fact, it’s so important that it’s said that where there’s good water, there’s good sake.
Thanks to its crystal-clear rivers, Fukuoka is an ideal location for breweries and distilleries, and the prefecture boasts over 60, many of them centuries old. The prefecture’s sake and shochu are renowned across Japan for their refined flavor and craftsmanship, making them a must-try for any connoisseur. It’s worth visiting the region for these local specialties alone — but for those who want to sample them without leaving Tokyo, there’s Kojimachi Nadaman Fukuoka Bettei, a collaboration between the Fukuoka Prefectural Government and the venerable Nadaman restaurant group. Here, guests can enjoy exquisite dishes from Fukuoka alongside a carefully curated selection of local sake and shochu.
Below, we highlight some of Fukuoka Prefecture’s most notable sake and shochu breweries, worth keeping in mind whether you’re planning your next trip or simply ordering a drink.
Beniotome Shuzo: Innovation in a Glass With Sesame Shochu
Most shochu produced in Fukuoka uses barley as its base ingredient, and while Beniotome shochu makes good use of the grain, it adds sesame to the mix for a unique taste. Created in 1978, the shochu is the world’s first sesame-distilled spirit. Beniotome comes in several varieties with differing aging periods, resulting in subtle flavor variations. However, all Beniotome shochu combines the fragrant aroma of sesame with the refreshing characteristics of mountain spring water for a distinct local taste — nutty, smooth and perfectly sweet.
The Beniotome Shuzo distillery sits nestled amid stunning natural scenery and fertile fields at the foot of the Mino mountain range on Fukuoka’s Chikugo Plain. The distillery is the recipient of multiple accolades, including for its standard Beniotome sesame shochu, which has received a Monde Selection Grand Gold award and multiple golds at the Fukuoka Prefecture Liquor Appraisal.
Visitors to the distillery can stroll through its scenic grounds and enjoy guided tours of the facilities, including a unique storage house adorned with stained-glass windows.
Mii no Kotobuki: The Sake That Inspired Slam Dunk
Mii no Kotobuki may be relatively young by sake brewery standards, but its sake is as esteemed as that produced by Fukuoka’s most venerable brewing establishments. The brewery, established in 1922, is the only Kyushu producer with a win rate of 95% at the Annual Japan Sake Awards.
Located along the banks of the clear-fl owing Koishiwara River in southern Fukuoka, Mii no Kotobuki, like many other Kyushu breweries, produces sake using local Yamada Nishiki rice — the “king” of sake rice. What differentiates its brews from those of other sake producers are its blending and fermentation processes, which combine modern know-how, traditional techniques and an incredible passion for sake.
In addition to its many accolades, Mii no Kotobuki has a special claim to fame: a connection to Slam Dunk, one of Japan’s most popular manga series. Slam Dunk’s creator, Takehiko Inoue, has stated that he named character Hisashi Mitsui after the brewery, using the kanji characters for “Mii” but using the alternate “Mitsui” pronunciation. Tantalize your taste buds and thrill your inner manga fan during a meal at Kojimachi Nadaman Fukuoka Bettei with Mii no Kotobuki +14 Daikarakuchi — an extra-dry sake labeled with Hisashi Mitsui’s jersey number, 14.
The brewery does not currently offer tours of its facilities.
Wakanami Sake Brewery: Brewing the Future
Wakanami Sake Brewery aspires to “stir up young waves” — in other words, innovate — a motto inspired by the mighty Chikugo River that ripples and flows alongside the brewery in southern Fukuoka. Even the brewery’s name carries the aspiration, written as it is with the kanji for “young” (waka) and “wave” (nami). The sake’s flavor, too, flows like waves — mildly sweet on the approach, then receding with a crisp, refreshing finish. This style of sake has won the brewery numerous fans — as well as honors, which include the Governor’s Award in the daiginjo category of the first Fukuoka Prefecture Liquor Appraisal.
The brewery, established in 1922 as an offshoot of an older brewery, is run by a team that includes an eighth-generation toji (master brewer) — who also happens to be Kyushu’s first, and Fukuoka’s only, female toji. Its award-winning sake is displayed on handcrafted wooden shelves made by artisans from Okawa, alongside Japan’s first Amaou strawberry liqueur.
Yamaguchi Shuzojo: A Living Legacy
Yamaguchi Shuzojo states upfront that it produces sake for the times while carrying on the spirit of its ancestors — and it has many ancestors. Originally merchants, the Yamaguchi family established its sake brewery in 1832 after the fi fth-generation head noticed Japanese bush warblers drinking from a spring in the garden. This he took as a sign of the water’s exceptional brewing potential. Now in business for over 190 years, Yamaguchi Shuzojo — currently led by its 11th-generation head — continues its pursuit of sake-brewing mastery using crystalline water from the Chikugo Plain in southern Fukuoka.
The brewery’s main brand, Niwa no Uguisu, is named for those Japanese bush warblers (uguisu) seen so many years ago in the garden (niwa). The brand’s Tokubetsu Junmai sake faithfully utilizes brewing techniques that have been carefully passed down, generation to generation, producing a crisp and light taste while maintaining a rich flavor.
Visitors can browse a curated selection of Yamaguchi Shujo’s products at Uguisubar, a charming retail space housed in a 260-year-old building on-site.
More Information
In addition to the sake breweries featured here, various other brewery openings and events are held throughout Fukuoka Prefecture. For more information, visit its official tourism site.
Kojimachi Nadaman Fukuoka Bettei
Floor 1, Sumitomo Fudosan Fukuoka Hanzomon Bldg.
1-12-1 Kojimachi, Chiyoda city, Tokyo
T: 03-6380-8421
