Matsushita Jozojo Selection

FLAGSHIP PRODUCTS

KU MA SHOCHU - WORLD -RENOW NED PREMIUM SPIRIT

Matsushita Jozojo
松下醸造所

The sweet ﬂavor and aroma
that only barrel-aging can bringAromas like a ginjo sake,made with Kumamoto ingredients

Made with Kumamoto riceat Kuma's oldest shochu distillery

KOHAKU JIHEISAKURA NO SATO BLUE

SAIKOGURA

Mellow flavors & sweet aromas fromextended aging on American oak. Aged ina temperature-regulated, repurposed kojiroom

Mizukami has over 10,000 cherry blossomtrees that bloom in the spring. Made withginjo yeast developed in Kumamoto for asake-like aroma and a fruity, clean aftertaste.
Made with Kumamoto rice, Kumamoto yeast,and Kumamoto water.

Matsushita began making shochu in
the Edo period, making it the oldest Kuma
distillery. Made with 100% Kumamoto & Kuma
rice. Clean taste and bright aromas of rice.

Ingredients: rice, rice koji
ABV: 40%Distillation method: atmospheric
Aged: 6+ years

Matsushita Jozojo
THE HISTORY OF
KUMA SHOCHU■ 2582 Iwano, Mizukami, Kuma-gun, Kumamoto Prefecture■ Tel: 0966-44-0010

Kuma Shochu: Born from the History,
Climate & Culture of Hitoyoshi-Kuma

Abundant Water & Unique Climate
The Kuma Valley is located at the southernmost tip of Kumamoto Prefecture,
deep in the mountains of Kyushu. The
cool waters of the Kuma River—famed for
its rapids—nourish the fields, while thevalley's distinctive climate and significant
temperature variations create one of theprefecture's prime rice-growing areas. The
frequent dense fog in the region allows
for fermentation and storage at relatively
low temperatures, which helps give Kuma

WHAT ISKUMA SHOCHU?

Ingredients: rice, rice koji
ABV: 25%
Distillation method: vacuum
Age: 3+ years

Ingredients: rice, rice koji
ABV: 25%
Distillation method: vacuum

Shochu its refreshing aroma. The soft
water from the Kuma River system is ideal
for shochu making and helps enhance
the gentle sweetness of the rice. The richaroma and deep flavor of Kuma Shochu
can only be produced in the HitoyoshiKuma region.

Tradition & Evolution

Rice shochu production in the Hitoyoshi-Kuma region is believed to havestarted about 500 years ago. Distillation

techniques were supposedly brought overthrough trade with southeast and continental Asia. Today, 27 distilleries preserve
the traditional techniques honed by theirpredecessors, offering a variety of flavorsthat have evolved over time.
In 1995, Kuma Shochu was designatedas a Geographical Indication by theNational Tax Agency, establishing it as aworld-class shochu brand and attracting
attention from around the globe.

■ Must be made with rice (including rice koji) grown in Japan■ Mash must be made with Hitoyoshi-Kuma water and shochu must be distilled in a pot still and bottled in Hitoyoshi-Kuma.

You must be �� or older to drink. Do not drink and drive.
Drinking alcohol during pregnancy and breastfeeding may aﬀect the development of the fetus or infant.
Drink in moderation. Please recycle.

Upper left: Matsushita uses a furnace boiler to steam
its rice, resulting in a soft-tasting shochu.
Upper right: Clay pots holding Kame Yorozuya Jihei
are stored for 3 to 5 years to ensure a smooth taste.
Left: There are still centuries-old buildings on theproperty.
Right: Since its founding, Matsushita has used clear
well water to wash and steam its rice. When rice isremoved from the steamer, the distillery is filled withamazake-like aromas.

■ MATSUSHITA JOZOJO (Mizukami) ■A historic shochu distillery
working to protect the environment■ HISTORY

Licensed by the Lord of Sagara
With Saikogura as its flagship product,
Matsushita was founded in 1804, making it
one of the oldest Kuma Shochu distilleries.
The founder Jihei Yorozuya supposedly
moved from modern-day Hitoyoshi toMizukami, the source of the Kuma River, tomake sake with the area's bountiful rice.
Matsushita later obtained a license tomake and sell shochu for the lord of theSagara domain and switched from making
sake to making shochu. Permits were ofdifferent ranks, with Matsushita receiving
the highest rank: a permanent license. Thishistorical document is still stored in thedistillery to this day. The third president ofthe company took the name "Matsushita,"
which has been the name of the distillery
ever since.
Over Matsushita's long history, it has
seen a number of drastic changes. After
World War II, the company briefly madepotato shochu due to shortages of rice.
Around that time, the 11th owner of Matsushita passed away suddenly and his wife

Nao took over the distillery and protected
the brand in his stead. Matsushita has
attempted new aging methods, including
storing the shochu in earthenware pots.
The distillery houses earthenware pots
filled with Kuma Shochu that has been
passed down through generations. Matsushita has also started cask aging some ofits shochu. Most recently, in 2020, the new
14th president of Matsushita decided todevelop new products for sale overseas.

Left: Historic permit from the Sagara lord to produce shochu. Has been passed down through generations. Center: Many items remain demonstrating the history ofthe distillery. Right: An accounting book from the early 20th century that is now an important resource that tells us things like historic shochu pricing.

■ ABOUT US

Made from 100% Kumamoto rice
Mizukami is a village at the foot of Mt.
Ichifusa, with a population of 2,000 people
and 7,000 deer. There are legends thatexiled members of the Taira clan took
refuge in this village, and some stories evensay Matsushita’s founder Jihei shelteredsisters of the Taira clan at the distillery.
However, it is undisputed that the pure andbountiful water at the Kuma River's fountainhead here and the quality rice it fosters
have supported the distillery's shochu formore than 200 years.
The 13th owner of the company married
into a family of farmers and decided to"make delicious rice, whether it is to be
used for food or drink." After his older

brother inherited the family home, thebrother supplied the distillery with different varieties of rice for shochu. Even now,
all the rice used is produced locally. Matsushita has helped breed better rice varieties,
and is also pursuing farming methods
that use fewer chemicals to help protect
the local environment. Starting 20 years
ago, the company also began converting
shochu and waste liquids into fertilizer for
use in replenishing the rice fields.
The 14th president was the first boyborn into the Matsushita family in 108years. The distillery's ultimate goal is toboth preserve and evolve the flavor ofshochu, while making old things new andintroducing new ideas and cultures into
shochu-making.

The 14th owner,
Naoki Matsushita,states, "I want
our shochu to tellfuture generations
about our local
history."

All of the wood used for everything, from thedistillery buildings to the tank lids, is sourced from
Hitoyoshi-Kuma. The shochu ferments amidst thislocal wood.