Kagoshima × Japanese Culture Tour

Shochu Brewery Tour in a Gold Mine – Ride the Trolley into a Historic Underground Cave in Kagoshima

Descend by trolley into the underground world of shochu. Tucked away in Ichikikushikino City, Kagoshima Prefecture, lies a brewery unlike any other in Japan: Satsuma Kinzangura. Built inside the tunnels of a former gold mine, it is a one-of-a-kind underground aging cellar where the legacy of Satsuma's gold rush meets the soul of authentic Japanese shochu. Your journey begins above ground, where you board a small trolley that slowly carries you deep into the historic mine shaft. As the daylight fades behind you, the air turns cool and still — the tunnel maintains a constant temperature year-round, creating the ideal environment for shochu maturation. When you arrive at the underground brewery, rows of shochu barrels stretch into the dim light, as if you have stepped into a completely different world. After the tour, enjoy a tasting flight of 8 different shochu and sake crafted by Hamada Shuzo — including barley, sweet potato, and rice-based varieties, plus a gold-leaf plum liqueur unique to this brewery. A professional guide will walk you through the depth and diversity of Kagoshima's world-renowned honkaku shochu culture. Whisky and wine lovers will discover a new appreciation for the artistry of Japanese shochu — a spirit with centuries of history and a flavor profile shaped by the very earth it ages in. Please note: this premium course is accompanied by a professional English-speaking interpreter guide, so guests can fully enjoy the tour and tasting even without any Japanese. The listed price is for the premium course (the 8-variety tasting experience with an interpreter guide); a tour-only course without tasting is also available on an inquiry basis. Reservations are made on an inquiry basis, and the listed price includes a service fee that differs from the on-site rate at the facility.