ARAWAZA

Refined and light taste achieved through polishing distillationHonkaku shochu

International Wine & Spirit Competition

IWSC 2013

Spirits Category (Shochu)

TROPHY

IWSCInternational Wine & Spirits Competition

International Wine & Spirits Competition (IWSC) is the world's oldest dedicated alcoholic beverage competition, held in the UK. Winners are selected through blind tastings and chemical analysis conducted by renowned judges from around the globe.
The IWSC is now recognized as Europe's largest and one of the world's most prestigious competitions for wines, spirits, and liqueurs.

2023

GOLDShochu Category

ARAWAZA Sakurajima

2013

TROPHYShochu Category

ARAWAZA Sakurajima

GOLDShochu Category

ARAWAZA Sakurajima

ISCInternational Spirits Challenge

International Spirits Challenge (ISC) is a spirits competition organized by Drinks International, a UK-based drinks industry publisher.
The competition features multiple categories, including shochu, gin, vodka, and tequila, which are judged through blind tastings by renowned spirits industry experts. The ISC is recognized as one of the world's most prestigious competitions.

2025

GOLDShochu Category

ARAWAZA BARREL FINISH

GOLDShochu Category

ARAWAZA Stannum

2022

DOUBLE GOLDShochu Category

ARAWAZA Sakurajima

2021

DOUBLE GOLDShochu Category

ARAWAZA Sakurajima

2020

GOLDShochu Category

ARAWAZA Sakurajima

2016

GOLDShochu Category

ARAWAZA Sakurajima

SFWSCSan Francisco World Spirits Competition

San Francisco World Spirits Competition (SFWSC), held in the United States, is the country's largest spirits competition dedicated to alcoholic beverages.
Known as one of the world's most prestigious competitions, it selects entries through blind tastings by a panel of judges comprising U.S. hotel and restaurant professionals, distribution buyers, journalists, and others. The competition features multiple categories within each division.

2025

DOUBLE GOLDShochu Category

ARAWAZA BARREL FINISH

GOLDShochu Category

ARAWAZA Stannum

GOLDShochu Category

ARAWAZA Sakurajima

2023

GOLDShochu Category

ARAWAZA Sakurajima

2022

GOLDShochu Category

ARAWAZA Sakurajima

2021

BEST OF CLASSShochu Category

ARAWAZA Sakurajima

DOUBLE GOLDShochu Category

ARAWAZA Sakurajima

2020

GOLDShochu Category

ARAWAZA Sakurajima

2019

GOLDShochu Category

ARAWAZA Sakurajima

South Kyushu Sake & Shochu Awards

The South Kyushu Sake & Shochu Awards are held annually to advance brewing techniques, improve the quality of commercially available alcoholic beverages, and promote the liquor industry through quality assessments.
It surveys "Sake" and "Honkaku shochu" produced in the region to guide future manufacturing. The committee also recognizes exceptional achievements with awards.

2021

Awarded on behalf of KuraHonkaku shochu Category

ARAWAZA Sakurajima

Kagoshima Honkakushochu Competition

Kagoshima Honkakushochu Competition aims to improve the quality of honkaku shochu, a specialty product of Kagoshima Prefecture.
Experts, including Kumamoto Regional Taxation Bureau appraisers, conduct blind tastings to evaluate flavor, aroma, and other characteristics. Superior prizes are awarded to outstanding entries in each category: imo, kokuto, kome, and mugi shochu.

2017

President's Award (Awarded on behalf of Toji)Imo (Sweet potato)

ARAWAZA Sakurajima

TWSCTokyo Whisky & Spirits Competition

Tokyo Whisky & Spirits Competition (TWSC) is a Japanese whisky and spirits competition organized by the Whisky Culture Institute.
The competition aims to evaluate whiskies and spirits from around the world using the knowledge and passion of Japanese whisky and spirits enthusiasts. It also aims to promote high-quality whiskies and spirits domestically and internationally.

2025

GoldShochu Category

ARAWAZA Sakurajima

GoldShochu Category

ARAWAZA Stannum

2024

GoldShochu Category

ARAWAZA Sakurajima

Kura Master

Kura Master is a competition for French consumers featuring Japanese sake, shochu, awamori, and plum wine.
Judging focuses on "food and drink pairing" by professionals in the food and beverage industry, including holders of the French state's highest artisan qualification, MOF, as well as top sommeliers, bartenders, carvers, and restaurant, hotel, and culinary school representatives.

2025

GOLDCask age Category

ARAWAZA BARREL FINISH

2024

GOLDCask age Category

ARAWAZA BARREL FINISH

Adding a new technique (ARAWAZA) to the deliciousness

The Chiran Distillery is in the sweet potato and shochu production region of Minami-Satsuma. Its base shochu uses stainless and small tin worm distiller to create delicate, mellow flavor. This base shochu is the source of the flavor of the imo shochu, Sakurajima.
To enhance its flavor, we've added the patented "Migaki Distillation" technique, or "Arawaza" in Japanese. This is "Satsuma Shochu," a combination of traditional craftsmanship and innovation.

Adding a new technique (ARAWAZA) to the deliciousness

The world-renowned, patented "Migaki Distillation" technique

The patented technique circulates air evenly through the mash during distillation, creating convection to achieve stable, uniform distribution inside the still. This enhances the raw material's richness, umami, and aroma, producing a smooth, light flavor.
The result is similar to "polishing the mash" during distillation. Hence, the name "Migaki Distillation." Sakurajima is an Honkaku shochu born from an obsession with genuine ingredients and craftsmanship, combining traditional Minami Satsuma techniques with new innovations for a light, delicious flavor.

Chiran Distillery Still
Migaki Distillation Concept DiagramPatent Certificate: Migaki Distillation

Small tin worm distiller

Traditional Satsuma tin worm, crafted by artisans one by one, are now a rare commodity. Since its founding in 1973, the Chiran Distillery has operated with six small distilleries, all of which employ tin serpentine pipes.
It is said that "imo shochu cooled using a tin worm develops a mellow, delicious character." The small tin worm distiller produces a delicate, mellow flavor reminiscent of the old days.

Small tin worm distiller

    Chiran Distillery is in Minami-Satsuma, a sweet potato-producing region in Kagoshima. Minami-Satsuma has a warm climate and well-drained soil ideal for sweet potato cultivation. The area's sweet potatoes are "fresh, high-quality" and essential for shochu production.The region's "high-quality, abundant natural water" is perfect for producing Honkaku Imo shochu.

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