Kumamoto Prefecture

Although sake is the most famous Japanese alcoholic beverage, in Kumamoto (and, in fact, on the entire island of Kyushu), shochu is more common. Nonetheless, Kumamoto has a strong sake culture and creates a drink that is unlike what you find elsewhere in the country. To understand why that is, we need to go back to the beginning. Akazake, the Red Sake From around 1600 to near the end of the 19th century, Kumamoto was only permitted to produce akazake, which has an alcohol content of around 9% to 12% (compared to the 13% to 17% of sake). The name “akazake” literally means “red sake” — its color is due to the wood ash added as a preservative. Akazake has a quite different taste to regular sake. The extra-sweet flavor means it is usually consumed only in small amounts on special occasions, but it’s also used as an alternative to mirin in cooking. Kumamoto Starts Producing Sake The high tax on alcohol means sales are a good source of revenue for the government. In the early 20th century, with sake once again allowed in Kumamoto, the Japanese government was trying to increase sake sales by improving the quality of the…