INTRO
In episode 91, our hosts explain the history of International Shochu Day (Nov. 1) as well as run through some upcoming events surrounding this annual celebration.
CREDITS
Theme Song: Begin Anywhere by Tomoko Miyata (http://tomokomiyata.net/)
Mixing and Editing: Rich Pav (https://uncannyjapan.com/)
HOSTS
CHRISTOPHER PELLEGRINI Vermont born and bred, long-time Tokyo resident and author of The Shochu Handbook, Christopher learned about delicious fermentations as a beer brewer at Otter Creek (Middlebury, VT). He now spends most of his waking hours convincing strangers that shochu and awamori are unlike anything they’ve ever tried before.
STEPHEN LYMAN discovered Japan’s indigenous spirits at an izakaya in New York City. He was so enthralled that he now lives in Japan and works in a tiny craft shochu distillery every autumn. His first book, The Complete Guide to Japanese Drinks, was nominated for a 2020 James Beard Award.
Stephen Lyman and Christopher Pellegrini make an annual pilgrimage to Kagoshima City for the largest International Shochu Day festival in Japan.
If you have any comments or questions about this episode, please reach out to Stephen or Christopher via Instagram. We would love to hear from you.
SHOW NOTES
International Shochu Day
International Shochu Day (November 1st) was established in 1987 in response to International Sake Day (October 1st). In truth, International Shochu Day is International Shochu AND Awamori Day, but Okinawa also has their own festival days for that lovely spirit so we are focused on the shochu side of the equation in this episode.
The reason November 1st was chosen has a number of origin myths, but one is most likely.
Myth #1: Traditional beginning of the sweet potato harvest in southern Kyushu. Given that most distilleries are running at full steam in September, this seems like the least likely real reason November 1st was chosen.
Myth #2: Northern Kyushu makers of rice and barley shochu typically release that year’s products in November. This may hold some credibility given that the barley harvest is in May and rice shochu can be made year round.
However, we believe Myth #3 is most likely.
Myth #3: November 1st kicks off bonenkai season when izakaya around Japan are rammed with salarymen (and women) joining “forget the year” parties in which copious amounts of booze are used to wash down copious amounts of food.
So there you have it, folks. November 1st was chosen for cold hard capitalist reasons. It also helps that the 1st Monday in November is a national holiday so 3 day weeks are common around November 1st.
Japan Based Events
Shochu Street 2025 (October 31st & November 1st)
In Japan, the largest and most well established November 1st International Shochu Day festiaval is SHOCHU STREET in the Tenmonkan Arcade in Kagoshima City. More than 80 makes are thousands of visitors attend this multi-day festival complete with live music, food stands, and 3 glasses of shochu for just ¥1000. That’s not 3 sips, that’s proper pours for around $2.20 USD/glass. Dangerous.
Shochu Nonjourno (October 25th)
Neighboring Miyazaki Prefecture, which is the only prefecture that makes more shochu annually by volume that Kagoshima, also holds a well regarded shochu festival. This year, rather than compete head to head with Shochu Street, they have decided to host their 1 day festival the weekend before. Tickets are advance purchase and do sell out.
Fukuoka Shochu Festival (November 1st & 2nd)
Fukuoka, the regional capital of Kyusuhu, is hosting a shochu festival this year for the first time in memory. Prior years have been private events organized by the shochu makers guild.
Tokyo Area Festivals (October 31st, November 3rd)
There are no fewer than 3 shochu festivals happening in Tokyo around International Shochu Day.
Honkaku Shochu & Awamori Fair (October 31st)
Kagoshima Shochu Festival in Tokyo (October 31st)
Shocchu Shochu (November 3rd)
If you live in Japan and know of a festival in your area, please reach out to us so we can update this list.
Overseas Events
Perhaps more important for many of our regular listeners, there are a handful of International Shochu Day events happening abroad. Those we are currently aware of are all in the US, but if you know of any elsewhere in the world, please let us know.
Umami Mart Shochu Talk (October 25th, Oakland, CA)
Kayoko Akabori of Umami Mart will be hosting a shochu talk and tasting. These are always a blast if you happen to be in the Bay Area.
Shochu Rising (November 2nd & 3rd, Los Angeles, CA)
The Japan Sake & Shochu Makers Association is hosting 2 days of events in Los Angeles. The 2nd is a public event while the 3rd is for trade and media.
Shochu on the Rocks (November 13, Washington DC)
The DC premiere of The Spirit of Japan with a Q&A with direct Joseph Overbey will be followed by a walk around tasting of approximately 20 shochu hosted by DC Sake Co.
That’s what we are aware of, but we are sure there are more. Just let us know if you catch wind of something!
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