Japan Sake and Shochu Makers Association

The Japan Sake and Shochu Makers Association (JSS) mission is to introduce Japan’s most popular traditional spirits—shochu and awamori—to the world and position it in the industry as a Japanese handcrafted spirit. Originating from Japan’s southernmost island in the 14th century, Shochu is a distilled spirit commonly made from rice, barley, and sweet potatoes fermented by yeast and koji, the most revolutionary microorganism topic the spirits market today. Koji has a distinct flavor, is incredibly versatile, has one of the most unique crafting processes, and is typically smoother than most Western spirits.

The Japan Sake and Shochu Association (JSS) was established in 1953 as the largest non-profit organization in Japan and represents over 1700 producers of sake, honkaku shochu, awamori, and hon-mirin members. JSS has over 270 shochu distilleries throughout the country, which produce more than 2000 brands today.