About Kodama Distillery

Our distillery sits in Obi, a historic castle town in Miyazaki Prefecture known as the “Little Kyoto of Kyushu.” Here, surrounded by warm climate and lush greenery, shochu isn’t just a drink — it’s part of how people live.

Founded in 1818 under the name Fujiya, Kodama has been shaped by six generations of the Kanamaru family. In 2001, master distiller Junpei Kanamaru took the helm — carrying forward over two centuries of craft with one guiding principle: brew with singular devotion. No shortcuts. No compromise. Every bottle, handcrafted.

These three pillars define what we reach for in every batch. Fine-grained flavor. Balance that holds neat or mixed. A gentle aroma and a soft, rounded mouthfeel. We make shochu you come back to, time and time again.

Koji — the hand-cultivated mold at the heart of fermentation — is what makes Japanese brewing unlike anything else in the world. It carries centuries of technique, refined alongside Japan’s food and culture. That tradition doesn’t survive on its own. Through every batch we make, and through every koji we still cultivate by hand, we’re keeping it alive.