Brand's products MATSUSHITA JOZO

Founded in 1804, Matsushita Jozo Co. is some of Kuma Shochu's iconic brands’ ( Saikogura and Sakura no Sato) originator. Located in Mizukami village, near Kuma River source, one of the three fastest-flowing rivers in Japan, it has been making shochu for over 200 years and is the oldest distillery among Kuma Shochu guilds.

Their ancestor Jihei Yorozuya began making shochu in 1804 in Iwano village (now named Mizukami). Located in the south-west Kyushu mountains, this village is home to 2,000 inhabitants and 7,000 deers !

A family distillery, Matsushita handles everything from A to Z (from rice production and distillation to bottling). They believe that Kuma Shochu tradition must be passed on through agriculture and the transmission of culture. They produce several Kuma Shochu: "Saiko Kura" (oldest chai) and "Sakura no Sato" (sakura village). Shochu is distilled under ambient pressure to bring out rice flavor.

It is also barrel-aged in underground jars for an even richer flavor. They also produce buckwheat shochu.