Can Japanese shochu follow in sake's footsteps?

Hong Kong’s shochu experts weigh in on why the delicately minimal spirit has potential as the next trend from Japan. Rebecca Lo reports.

In August Hong Kong’s The Mira hotel ballroom transformed into the Japanese festival of Gion Matsuri. Attended by more than 700 people who paid HK$1,260 (£120) to taste more than 800 types of sake, shochu and awarmori over two evenings, it was hosted by the Federation of Japanese Sake Industry of Hong Kong (FJSIHK). Even Hana Horikoshi, Miss Sake Japan 2025 herself, graced the festivities.

Opening speeches were made by ambassador Miura Jun, Consulate General of Japan in Hong Kong and Macao, and FJSIHK chairperson Micky Chan. The speeches emphasised the scale of the sake export industry, valued at ¥43.5 billion (£220 million) annually. Yet while sake was the star, the Shochu & Awamori Promotion Group (SAPG) was doing its best to showcase eight different honkaku (authentic) shochu and two awamori.

According to SAPG, 725m litres of shochu and awamori are consumed in Japan versus 437m litres of sake. Yet outside the country, the two spirits are completely eclipsed by sake’s popularity. Chan believed the main reason is education.

While both sake and shochu are considered koku-shu (national drinks), people outside of Japan mix up their production process, ingredients, serving traditions and methods of consumption.

“Compared to the sweeter and more umami tasting sake, honkaku shochu’s flavour is minimal,” said Chan. “Drinkers who opt for whisky or brandy may not be able to appreciate a lighter spirit with 20 to 25% ABV and a delicate style.”

Hong Kong Sake Fest 2025

Shochu consists primarily of rice, barley, sweet potato, buckwheat or sake kasu in different combinations, with the latter a solid and highly nutritious by-product from brewing sake. Honkaku shochu differs from less expensive ko-rui shochu like extra virgin olive oil from olive oil. Black or white koji, a UNESCO-recognised Intangible Cultural Heritage mould used to transform starch into sugar, activates a two-stage fermenting process before a single distillation. Much like minimal Japanese aesthetics that reference nature, the result is a clean subtle taste with gentle earthy notes.

Ko-rui shochu and Korean soju are distilled repeatedly, increasing ABV up to 36% while removing the natural taste of the base ingredients. Soju is often enhanced with fruit and other flavourings before bottling.

“Honkaku shochu is more challenging for bartenders and mixologists,” admitted Chan. “Its relatively lower alcoholic content makes it difficult to use as a base cocktail spirit compared to vodka or gin. Market penetration as a result is low.”

Opened since late 2023, Y O’clock bar and lounge in Tsim Sha Tsui’s Xi Hotel caters to a young professional crowd with a notable number of sake and wine educators and suppliers. Owner and bartender Billy Lo is experimenting with a Mojito made with a floral honkaku shochu.

Billy Lo’s rice shochu Mojito

“Priced at HK$98 (£9.31), my rice shochu Mojito uses a rice-based shochu that pairs exceptionally well with mint and lime,” Lo explained. “While not a groundbreaking concept, it is a solid first step that introduces Hong Kong drinkers to a different way of enjoying shochu.”

With shochu accounting for less than 10% of sales at Y O’clock as sake dominates his Japanese beverage selection, Lo feels that increased understanding is key: “As frontline operators, we must deepen our understanding of shochu. Selling a product becomes nearly impossible when even staff members are unfamiliar with it: a major barrier to shochu’s growth in Hong Kong bars.”

As ko-rui shochu is the least expensive alcoholic beverage available in Japan, its reputation as a cheap date drink has spread. “It is difficult for bars and restaurants to price honkaku shochu at a premium when it is lumped together with ko-rui shochu,” noted Lo. “It doesn’t help that Hong Kong has few venues with diverse or interesting selections of shochu.”

Lo has taken it upon himself to address this. He revealed: “I am developing a shochu pairing project that matches the beverage with snacks. The aim is to demonstrate that honkaku shochu is a great alternative to wine or sake for pairings, giving people more choice to enhance their dining experience.”