Inherited Distillery
The history of Satsuma remains vibrant in this inherited distillery.
Kinzangura
Fermented, stored and aged in a mine roadway.
The only Honkaku Shochu Distillery in Kagoshima Prefecture housed in a mine roadway.
Our sake brewery was made to help evolve Honaku Shochu.
Kinzangura sits in a mountain setting, a short drive away from downtown Ichikikushikino City.
Kinzangura originated in Kushikino Kinzan (gold mine). In this capacity, it supported the prosperity of Satsuma. The mine traditionally supported the prosperity of the Satsuma domain. This location inspires in us the Satsuma samurai spirit. This spirit is expressed in our Honkaku Shochu.
This 120-kilometer mine roadway dug over 350 years provides an optimum environment for the storage and aging of Shochu, because the temperature is constant throughout the year.
Female master distillers are in charge of making Shochu in the style of the pre-Meiji era (before 1868) at this distillery, where earthen jars are used for fermentation and storage.
You will see before your eyes how the fermentation is done in the mine roadway.
We have other facilities in place so that all our visitors will come to know more about Satsuma culture, the roots of Shochu and the Shochu making process.
Shochu distillery in the mine roadway
The helmet kettle distillation unit has made a comeback. During the Edo period, it was used to make Shochu.
Female master distillers are making Shochu with the Donburi method.
Each step is done by hand and with great care.
The distillery in the mine roadway has a total length of 120 kilometers. It is there that earthen jars are used for fermentation and storage.
You will see the vestiges of the glory days when the gold mine was in full swing.
See what the mine roadway looks like with Google Street View.
Map of the Shochu fermentation house and aging house in the mine roadway.
The only sake brewery in Kagoshima
This is the only sake brewery operating in Kagoshima Prefecture.
Sake is brewed from the choicest raw ingredients by the master distiller, who has won a gold prize at the National Sake Competition.
Please take a tour of the fermentation house at Kinzangura, and you will learn from our guide about the Kushikino Kinzan (gold mine) and the history of Honkaku Shochu.
See, eat, drink and have a good time at Kinzangura
where you will also expose yourself to Satsuma culture and learn about the roots of Honkaku Shochu
Free admission
*A fee is required to visit the Shochu distillery in the mine roadway (by mine trolley)
Satsuma Kinzangura Entrance
Open hour
10:00AM - 5:00PM
Fermentation house in the mine roadway and storage observation tour
Trolley Train Timetable
Depature at 11:00 AM and 2:00 PM.
Souvenir Shop Kuranonakamise
Open hour
10:00AM - 5:00PM
Access
- 10 minutes by car from JR Kushikino station.
- From JR Kushikino station, take a bus bound for Sendai and get off at Noshitaguchi.
5 minute walk from the bus stop. - Approx. 10 minutes by car on Japan National Route 3 bound for Sendai, after getting off the Minami Kyushu Expressway at the Kushikino I.C
- 30 minutes by car from Kagoshima City via expressway
- 3 hours and 20 minutes from Tokyo (via air, express bus and local bus)
Contact Us
Kinzangura
13665 Noshita, Ichikikushikino City, Kagoshima Prefecture, 896-0073
Tel: +81 996-21-2110
info@hamadasyuzou.co.jp
Tour of a warehouse
Distillery Tour Start Time
・11:00 AM
・2:00 PM
*1 Operating days: Saturdays, Sundays, national holidays*2 Duration: 1h 15m (approx.)
*3 Runs two tours a day. Advance reservations required.
*4 Tour itinerary may vary depending on the time of the year.
Max capacity
40
Tour price
A) Special Tasting Tour
Adults (ages 20+) JP¥2,500 (tax included)
A complimentary gift included to commemorate visits to the distilleryB) Standard Tour (No Tasting) Reservation-exclusive prices are reserved to bookings made by 5pm the day before
Adults (ages 13+): JP¥800 (tax included) / Same-day: JP¥900 (tax included)
Children (ages 3–12): JP¥400 (tax included) / Same-day: JP¥450 (tax included)
Children under age 3: Free
Accepted Payment Types
- Cash, credit card
Additional information
- Our staff will notify participants 5 minutes before the start. Participants may wait in the building or visit the shop until that point.
- The mine's temperature is usually around 19 °C year-round. Lap blankets are available upon request before departure.
- Participants will board a trolley that travels for about 8 minutes through the tunnel. Upon arrival at the underground station, please follow the instructions from the staff. The walking tour follows the remains of the gold mine, the shochu distillery, and the shochu storage facility. Participants will then board the same trolley back to return to the ground.
- Individuals who experience discomfort in confined or dimly lit areas should take their physical condition into consideration prior to boarding.
- The mine does not have any restrooms available. Please be sure to use one while still on the ground level.
- Special out-of-hours tours can be arranged upon request.
