The rich heritage is celebrated with more than 30 schochus in the Be Spirits area of the show.

A rich variety of shochus and awamoris are on show in the Be Spirits area of Wine Paris & Vinexpo Paris 2023.
The Japan Sake and Shochu Makers Association is showcasing, among much else, Kurokiri, described as one of the most famous shochus of Japan.
This is based on the sweet potato and has an especially rich heritage, being the first shochu to have been produced by Kichisuke Enatsu, as far back as 1916.
The “Kuro” part of the name means black, and is used because the shochu is produced using black rice-koji.
It is the combination of this black rice-koji with sweet potatoes that is credited with giving Kurokiri a gentle aroma with a flavour that is described as rich and sweet. Typically Kurokiri is enjoyed on the rocks.
“We want to promote it especially in France, but also in Europe,” said Hisato Taura, from the division of international business development at Kirishima Corporation, which is based in Miyazaki, a city in Japan’s island of Kyushu.
In total, the Japan Sake and Shochu Makers Association has more than 30 shochus on display in the Be Spirits section of Wine Paris & Vinexpo Paris 2023. There are, in addition, three awamoris being showcased at this week’s event.
The association said that their products were becoming increasingly popular in France, but things are in their early stages, with plenty of scope for further growth in sales in the country.
A non-profit organisation, the association is made up of companies from across Japan, with members producing sake, honkaku, shochu, awamori and hon mirin.
The association can trace its history back to 1953 and has around 1,700 members, among them around 1,400 sake breweries, around 275 shochu distilleries and 13 mirin makers.

Hall 2.2 / Stand E-032, D-031
Hall 5.2 / Stand C-049