Discover kokuto shochu on Amami Oshima, Kagoshima, where Nishihira Shuzo ages spirits with music, varying flavor by genre. Tour the distillery and taste rock, reggae, and shima uta shochu, each uniquely influenced by sonic vibrations.

Visit Nishihira Shuzo on Amami Oshima to experience a unique shochu-making process. This distillery ages its kokuto shochu while playing different genres of music to influence the flavor. The fourth-generation owner, Serena Nishihira, offers tours and tastings of this 99-year-old family business.

The distillery steams rice and adds koji for initial fermentation, then combines it with brown sugar. The final step involves aging the shochu in tanks for at least a year, with music played for eight hours daily. Different genres produce different vibrations, affecting the shochu's color and flavor.

Travelers can taste the difference between shochu aged with reggae, rock, or shima uta music. Reservations for tours can be made on their website, and shochu is available for purchase online. Experience this unique blend of tradition and innovation on your next trip to Japan.