Taking on the challenges of fermentation, koji, and sweet potatoes, the restaurant is expanding the possibilities of Kirishima Shuzo.

We aim to provide dishes and services that can only be enjoyed here.
The tireless search continues.

Kirishima black koji lunch, black curry, fermented potato salad, Miyazaki brand kinako pork simmered in amber...
The restaurant at Shochu no Sato Kirishima Factory Garden offers many original dishes that can only be found here, attracting not only locals but also tourists from far away.
Kazuki Kyogoku from the restaurant department and Hirofumi Uranami from the cooking department spoke to us about their thoughts on menu development and the facility.

It opened in July 1998 as a restaurant with its own craft beer brewing facilities. Since then, it has played the role of a branding facility where customers can experience Kirishima Shuzo 's corporate activities, including not only Shochu but also craft beer.
As stated in the company's stance that "Shochu culture is based on food culture," Kirishima Shuzo values the marriage of food and Shochu, and is therefore constantly taking on new challenges in its restaurant business.

"We have a core value as a Shochu manufacturer, and I believe that this is what people look forward to. The key points change for each event, but the keywords for menu development remain 'fermentation,' 'koji,' and 'sweet potato.'"
Kyogoku spoke with a serious look in his eyes. Miyakonojo, where Kirishima Factory Garden is located, is located exactly halfway between Miyazaki Airport and Kagoshima Airport. It is also a popular tourist destination known as Shochu no Sato, so not everyone is able to visit frequently.
"Of course, we want to convey our passion for Shochu making through our food, but we also want our customers to enjoy the impact of the taste and appearance, creating a relationship that is beneficial for both the restaurant and our customers."
Kyogoku says this, and has come up with a variety of ideas for developing menu items.
Menus that take fermentation into consideration, menus that consider the pairing with Shochu, menus that make use of local products... New menu ideas are thought up from a variety of sources, including reading magazines and specialist journals, and visiting restaurants both inside and outside the prefecture. Menu development proceeds by discussing these ideas with other staff members, including Uranami.

"When I see the initial proposal, I sometimes think it's so absurd that there's no way it can be done," Uranami says with a laugh.
The popular lunch menu item, black curry, was also a difficult one to come up with. Curry is a popular staple, but it's difficult to differentiate it from other dishes. After thinking about what would make it Kirishima Shuzo, the idea of serving KIRISHIMA BEER came to mind.
"We use a dark beer called stout in the brewing process, which gives it a rich, mellow flavor," says Kyogoku.
Uranami also paid particular attention to the appearance.
"It's common to put grilled vegetables on top, so I tried using raw vegetables. It gives the impression of a flower garden."
Menu development always comes with high hurdles, but the two seemed well aware that once they overcome these obstacles, a menu full of originality awaits.

During this interview, Kyogoku mentioned the term "spatial satisfaction." The nature of restaurants has certainly changed since the COVID-19 pandemic. The question now is whether the facility can evolve as a branding facility for Kirishima Shuzo while keeping up with the times.
"Not only the taste of the food, but also the location, customer service and service make up this atmosphere. We must increase customer satisfaction in all aspects."
For example, they hold events such as the "Kiri no Kura Beer Garden" from May to September and the "Kiri no Kura Fermented Warm Buffet" in the winter, where they often unveil new and elaborate menu items.
"Menus that use fermentation and koji are not uncommon, so I'm always racking my brains. Even when I come up with an idea, it doesn't work when I try it. It's a cycle that repeats over and over again," says Uranami.
When developing the menu for the first Warm Buffet, it was not only about making use of fermentation, but also about how to express the warmth. They wanted to serve hot pot dishes using mushrooms, so they gathered mushrooms from all over the world and throughout history. They are delicious and healthy. They want to help you get through the cold winter with this hot pot.

"It was the first event I had ever organized, so even though I calculated it, the cost of purchasing ended up being high," Kyogoku said, looking back on his failure at the time. After holding numerous tasting sessions, he finally managed to create his ideal mushroom hotpot. As he had hoped, it made a big impact.
"We see events like the beer garden and warm buffet as opportunities to try new things. If something proves popular here, we'll extend it to lunch and dinner. That's why we're constantly trying to understand what our customers want and respond to them through these events."

When asked if there were any plans for a second store, Kyogoku shook his head.
"First of all, we want to focus Passion getting the word out in this region and building a fan base. I don't think we're finished here yet. There must be more we can do. Right now, we just need to pursue that."
Uranami continued, "I'm still learning. The culinary world is constantly evolving. I want to be able to keep up with the trends and convey the appeal of fermentation, koji, and sweet potatoes."
"Shochu no Sato Kirishima Factory Garden" is a restaurant business run by a Shochu manufacturer. However, it is not overly tied to tradition or history. It continues to seek out new forms together with the local community while keeping an eye on the times. This attitude and determination is evident in the food and service that can only be enjoyed here.
This place, which is expanding the new possibilities of Shochu, is bustling with customers today as well.