Honkaku Shochu to Craft Shochu (Part 1 of 3)
I must clarify from the start that this is not a proposal with any grand intention of changing national regulations, nor is it asking breweries or liquor stores to officially adopt this term or label their products as such. My only wish is for Honkaku Shochu to continue to be enjoyed and developed, and to be widely recognized and loved without being constrained by tax law terminology. This is just a rough scribble from an izakaya owner who has walked alongside Honkaku Shochu for nearly 30 years.
So, here we go.
I had a hunch that those who have carefully cultivated the field of "Honkaku" would be resistant to this term, so I conducted a survey in person and on social media. Surprisingly, even among newer drinkers and sellers, those who were positive about the "craft" label were an overwhelming minority, including those who said "it doesn't matter" or "I'm not interested."
That just makes me want to dig in, like a contrarian.
There are three reasons for pushing the term "Craft Shochu." Since it looks like it will be long, shall I write it in three parts?
1. The "Craft" label has gained citizenship
Honkaku Shochu, which hasn't quite had a breakthrough,
should ride the wave of the "craft" label,
starting with craft beer.
2. Update the "old-man vibe" that is mismatched with the times
Is the overly complex atmosphere becoming a barrier
for light users?
Courageous appreciation of the old to learn the new.
3. The spirit of craft that drifts precisely in brands that fall outside the rules
The dilemma of not being able to call it Honkaku Shochu despite being made the same way,
and the challenge to the superstar, Imo Shochu.
Kinmiya is Kinmiya.
1. The "Craft" label has gained citizenship
Craft beer
Craft whiskey
Craft sake
Craft gin
Craft cola, cider, coffee,
chocolate...No, there's no end to it.
"Craft" is an antithesis to mass production and mass consumption.
Craft beer is said to be in its third boom, but in the days when it was called "local beer," it was nothing more than a souvenir beer or something you'd see once every few years at a brewery on a trip, except for a core group of people. (To everyone involved, I mean no malice, so please stay calm.)
Back in the day, I was shocked like a Yoshimoto Shinkigeki skit that the local beer in my town of Yokosuka was actually manufactured in Iwate.
Even that local beer has made a brilliant transformation into "craft," and in this modern age of low alcohol consumption, it has finally gained citizenship. Not only has it completely changed the position of beer, but its contribution in breaking down the concept of price that major beer companies and izakaya chains had ingrained in us is immense. It goes without saying that gin and cola are following suit.
The spread of craftsmanship
Shochu breweries are also using that craftsmanship to make whiskey and gin, and some are even collaborating on craft cola.
Even with non-alcoholic products or confectionery, by calling it "craft," it naturally gains the recognition of being "something made with attention to ingredients and manufacturing methods by human hands." Of course, this doesn't mean it's made only by primitive manual labor. There are mechanized processes, but that is likely to make the parts that don't change whether done by human hands or machines more efficient.
Even without defining it, the word "craft" now brings to mind words with warmth and humidity, like "people, heart, and soul."
I want you to understand that I'm not trying to make distinctions like "this is craft" and "this is not craft."
Craft ramen, craft bread, craft cake—if that's the case, then vegetables and rice are craft, a house built by an old-fashioned carpenter is a craft house, and Sakhalin smelt processed by hand is craft Sakhalin smelt... I don't really know, but that's what I mean (what do I mean?).
It is a fact that by calling it "craft," the spotlight is on the producers, and new knowledge and demand are being created.
(I think the contribution of that person who has been organizing Craft Sake Week for many years is also great, but I don't know much about Roppongi, so I'll keep quiet.)
To get involved in this trend, wouldn't it be best for Honkaku Shochu to join the "craft" ranks and make a brilliant transformation?
Honkaku Shochu is being left behind by the trend
It seems to be said within the industry that Honkaku Shochu is trending now and is being picked up by the media, but is that really the case?
Hasn't it just become an echo chamber?
No, it's fine if it has. But is it okay for the surroundings to take the same approach as before while a newcomer called "aromatic soda" is driving the market regardless of appearances? It's fine if you don't acknowledge it, but what is the point of rejecting it? Leaving aside the influence of print media, when culture magazines outside the industry are finally picking it up, is the industry prepared to make the most of that opportunity? Isn't the fact that it's becoming an article we've seen somewhere before our problem, not the media's? Haven't we stopped thinking, stuck in the old shochu boom?
I'll talk about that in part 2 →→→
Sanken Chuya is also talking about that, so please read it if you'd like.