Distillation techniques originated in ancient Mesopotamia. These techniques were introduced to Japan between the mid-14th and 15th centuries, where it encountered Japan's unique koji mold, giving birth to what is now known as shochu.

When shochu distillation first began in southern Kyushu, rice was its primary ingredient. Although the volcanic ash soil of southern Kyushu was not well suited to rice cultivation because of its excellent drainage, it proved ideal for growing sweet potatoes. The fateful encounter between sweet potatoes, which had crossed the ocean from Central and South America to Japan, and shochu led to the birth of sweet potato shochu, now enjoyed throughout Japan.

In the early 1900s, the founder Kichisuke Enatsu established “Kawahigashi Enatsu Shoten” (“shoten” means “store”), the predecessor of Kirishima Shuzo, in Miyakonojo City, Miyazaki Prefecture. The business initially sold food products and fertilizer before expanding into purchasing and selling shochu. Witnessing the strong sales of shochu, Kichisuke began producing his own in 1916. It is said that they loaded shochu onto a horse-drawn wagon and traveled from town to town selling it.

For more than a century since then, Kirishima Shuzo has continued to deliver exceptional shochu to countless customers.

Junkichi Enatsu, the second president who was also a blender, was such a machinery enthusiast that he even designed his own stills. He devoted himself to improving quality and refining flavor, pursuing excellence in single-distilled shochu with unwavering passion.

At the time, continuously distilled shochu was known as “new-style shochu” (Class A), while single-distilled shochu was called “old-style shochu” (Class B), leaving the latter with an outdated and inferior image. To change that perception, Junkichi introduced the term “honkaku shochu” (authentic shochu). Today, the term is widely used throughout Japan.

He also poured his passion into modernizing shochu production; by automating the manufacturing equipment, he made it possible to deliver consistently high-quality products to even more people.

In 1955, while facing a severe water shortage, the second president Junkichi Enatsu searched tirelessly for groundwater, digging day after day. His perseverance led to the discovery of “Kirishima Rekka-sui.”

Rainwater that falls on the Kirishima Mountains is naturally filtered through layers of volcanic ash soil and shirasu and stored deep underground. That is “Kirishima Rekka-sui.” It contains the perfect balance of minerals for yeast fermentation. It is truly the source of the delicious flavor of Kirishima Shuzo's honkaku shochu.

At a time when barley shochu was the mainstream, the launch in 1998 of "Kuro Kirishima"—a sweet potato honkaku shochu which inherits the roots of black koji brewing from the founder Kichisuke Enatsu—became an explosive hit. Known for its rich sweetness and a sharp, crisp finish, Kuro Kirishima has become a flagship product of Kirishima Shuzo.

Made with the purple sweet potato "Murasaki-Masari," Aka Kirishima became highly acclaimed for its sweet, fruity aroma so that it was once difficult to find in stores due to high demand.

Today, as the No.1 honkaku shochu producer by sales, Kirishima Shuzo remains committed to using Japanese ingredients while honoring tradition and continuing to innovate.

*Researched by Teikoku Databank, 2026