In today?s Japan Travel Q&A we answer a question about shochu from Annika in Sweden:
“Is shochu Japanese vodka"?
Don’t feel like watching a video" Read below for today’s answer!
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Great question, Annika!
To help give us a shochu education we?ve brought in a special guest, Yukari Sakamoto, who is, among other things, a certified shochu advisor. But before we dive in, let’s begin with some shochu basics.
Want to learn more" Check out The Shochu Handbook: An Introduction to Japan’s Indigenous Distilled Drink.
Shochu Basics
Many non-Japanese have never heard of shochu, so let?s start with the very basics.
Shochu is a distilled liquor and very popular in Japan. In fact, despite sake?s popularity outside of Japan, in Japan shochu is the more consumed beverage. There are many essential differences between shochu and sake, including:

Shochu is distilled; sake is fermented
Sake is made from rice; shochu can be made from sweet potato (imo), barley (mugi), rice (kome) and other ingredients
Shochu is typically stronger (on average, 25-30% alcohol vs. 15-18% alcohol)
They taste nothing alike, and are best enjoyed in different ways

Aside from the fact that they’re both great beverages, their only major similarity is that you should try them both when visiting Japan!
While shochu is occasionally referred to as ?Japanese vodka,? not only is this misleading, it also doesn?t do shochu justice.

For more shochu insights – and to h...