Hello, it's Reika, the sake-loving woman. I was delighted that my review article for "Ukaze" was well-received by Hamada Shuzo, and I received a wonderful invitation saying, "Would you like to participate in Hamada Shuzo's Kinzan-gura tour?" Yay!
I went to the brewery that makes "Ukaze" and "Daiyame," so I'll be reporting on my experience!
Reika, a Fan of Hamada Shuzo's Shochu, Visits the Site to Pay Her Respects
So, I came to the site. I'm at Satsuma Kinzan-gura, which is operated by Hamada Shuzo.
This is a rare place in the world where sake is brewed inside a historical mine shaft.
While games utilizing AR and VR technology and artificial immersive experience facilities are increasing these days, Satsuma Kinzan-gura can be described as a "real immersive space" where you can deeply feel the "story," "time," and "aroma of aging" with every step you take inside the mine shaft!
It's no exaggeration to say this is a gaming brewery!
Greeting you grandly at the entrance of this gaming brewery is the very large sign of Satsuma Kinzan-gura!
It seems to be symbolically placed to convey the Edo period shochu-making methods of "jar brewing" and "jar aging" to the future. It's so impressive that two or three people could probably fit inside.
Next, I discovered an object explaining Kushikino Kinzan, the place where Satsuma Kinzan-gura was founded!
Since this is a facility we'll be visiting, let's make sure to study its history!
Kinzan-gura is a Japan Heritage site located in Kushikino, Kagoshima Prefecture. Its history spans over 350 years, dating back to the time when the mine was continuously excavated.
Kagoshima Prefecture has Hishikari, which ranks first in gold production nationwide, and Kushikino, which ranks fourth, making Kagoshima Prefecture actually the top gold-producing region in Japan. Kushikino Kinzan was excavated by Shimazu Mitsuhisa, the lord of the Shimazu domain at the time, who quickly discovered this mountain rich in gold, but it is currently closed.
You can also learn about the history of Kushikino Kinzan at the Satsuma Kinzan-gura museum, so be sure to check it out!
The First Thing That Greets You Upon Entry is This Huge Door!
...Isn't this door as huge as the ones the protagonist of Elden Ring opens before a boss battle!
Inside the building, there are objects you can touch and a vast Japanese garden with old-fashioned Japanese charm, all designed to be enjoyed while waiting for the trolley.
Saiga NAKI also found a large, golden koi, fitting for a brewery with "金 (gold)" in its name!
A Little Further, and There's a Souvenir Shop!
This is all sake! I love sake!
The combination of a gold mine and a brewery is rare in Japan, and it seems many foreign tourists visit.
And it seems that "shochu with gold leaf" is overwhelmingly popular with foreign visitors!
They also sell plum wine, sake, and original glasses exclusive to the shop, so be sure to check them out.
A Museum Where You Can Learn the History of Kushikino Kinzan
At the trolley waiting area and museum, you can see real gold hidden in ore and learn about the history of the Kushikino Kinzan mine.
It would be a huge amount to talk about, so please learn a lot at the Satsuma Kinzan-gura museum.
Inside the museum, you can see:
- The process from ore to gold
- Ore containing gold
- Photos and tools from the Kushikino Kinzan mine
- A three-dimensional mine shaft map of the Kushikino Kinzan mine
- The history of the Kushikino Kinzan mine
and more.
It's a facility where you can learn about the profound history, with photos from the time of mining and actual pickaxes used!
Let's Ride the Trolley and See the Sake Being Made at Satsuma Kinzan-gura!
So, we arrived at the trolley platform.
This time, they gave us a private tour! I'll definitely repay this kindness with the amount of sake I drink!
We're going to take this trolley to a dreamlike place where shochu is made and stored.
When the trolley started, my heart pounded like a roller coaster taking off!
I could feel the wind from the mine shaft blowing directly from the back of the tunnel, giving an incredible sense of immersion!
Also, it's said that bats occasionally appear, and those who encounter them are considered to have great luck, but none appeared to us (cries).
Rumbling along, we arrived at the entrance of the mine shaft, 700 meters past the tunnel. Then, a faint, sweet aroma of imo shochu wafted through the air. My excitement skyrocketed with this experience I would never normally smell!
The mine shaft maintains a temperature of around 66°F all year round, making it warm in winter and cool in summer.
The fact that no sunlight enters and a constant temperature is maintained throughout the year is crucial for shochu aging!
The mine shaft guide was Akira Tabuchi, a veteran brewery guide. It was like a real-life Minecraft space, so we started our exploration with pickaxes in hand!
Here, there's also a replica display of the explosives actually used for mining back then.
It is said that explosives were received here and excavation continued at that time.
Many predecessors sought gold veins using dynamite. Even a single scratch on the rock makes you feel the depth of history... so moving...
In addition, heavy machinery called a "winding machine" used to transport miners and ore is preserved, allowing visitors to learn about the work methods of that era.
Reika: "Somewhere in here... gold..."
*You cannot actually take it home.
Arrived at the Shochu Brewing Area!
Modern shochu production involves a "two-stage mashing" process, but Satsuma Kinzan-gura employs the Edo period "donburi-jikomi" method, continuing to pass down traditional shochu production.
Pressing the red button makes the diorama figures move, and Tabuchi explains the process meticulously in sync with them—a truly luxurious experience!
Kinzan-gura's shochu production involves:
- Using a special "Ougon Koji" (golden koji) that is only used at Kinzan-gura
- Using only Kagoshima-grown sweet potatoes for the potato mashing
- The "donburi-jikomi" method, where all ingredients—pre-filled water, rice koji, yeast, and steamed and crushed sweet potatoes—are placed together in a jar for mashing and fermentation
- Heating the fermented "moromi" (mash) and cooling the vapor back into liquid to produce raw shochu.
Through these processes, our beloved shochu is created.
Incidentally, sake brewing using koji was popular since the Edo period, and like soy sauce and miso production, it was said to be women's work for maintaining the household.
Just learning about the history makes you want to drink a whole glass of sake!
At Kinzan-gura, they produce shochu using a "Kabuto-gama-shiki Joryuki" (Helmet Pot Still). This revives a production method used during the Edo period.
The perfect environment for aging, the "Kushikino Kinzan" mine, which is free of UV light and maintains a constant temperature, combines with Hamada Shuzo's shochu-making expertise to produce the delicious shochu of "Satsuma Kinzan-gura"!
Not Just Shochu! The Power Spot in the Underground Mine Shaft
Satsuma Kinzan-gura has two power spots, and the entire mine shaft is overflowing with power. This would even make a mentally unstable person smile.
The first is the "Satsuma Kaiun Jinja" (Satsuma Good Luck Shrine), which enshrines Yoshihiro Shimazu, known as one of the strongest warlords of the Sengoku period.
His "good fortune" from breaking through the center of the enemy lines at the Battle of Sekigahara and returning to Satsuma, combined with the "financial luck" of the gold mine where real gold sleeps, truly makes it the strongest power spot!
We were told that the ores on both sides of the torii gate contain gold, so touching them would further increase financial luck. This made Reika extremely excited!
Reika: "So, the more I touch it, the better, right!?"
Renachin, the photographer, and I forgot ourselves and kept touching it.
There's also an omikuji (fortune slip) corner.
The result was...
Both "Daikichi" (great blessing)!!
A thought crossed both of our minds...
""Is it possible that there's only Daikichi so everyone can be happy...?""
Renachin blurted out, "Isn't it true that there's only Daikichi here?"
Reika: "...!!! (This girl said it!)"
However, Kawano from Hamada Shuzo's public relations, who was our guide this time, said,
"That's not true~ Many people get results other than Daikichi and tie their omikuji to the hanging rack!"
Then, we asked Kawano to draw one too...
Even though it's supposed to be a joyous occasion, we've never wished for a result other than Daikichi so strongly before.
""Kawano, please just get Chūkichi (middle blessing) or something!""
The result was
"Chūkichi"
"OOOOOHHHH!!!"
With this, the fairness of Kinzan-gura's omikuji was preserved! Phew...
The Second Power Spot is the "Golden Kannon Bodhisattva Statue"
This "Golden Kannon Bodhisattva Statue" was erected around 1929 (Showa 4) to pray for the safety of the workers heading to the gold mine.
As mentioned earlier, it's easy to imagine that mining was always dangerous, involving the use of dynamite and operating heavy machinery.
This Bodhisattva statue, which constantly watched over such workers and was filled with the wishes of those who sent them off—"May they return safely"—continues to watch over sake lovers visiting Satsuma Kinzan-gura across generations.
Below, underground spring water gushes out, and we are mesmerized by the fantastical inverted reflection on the water's surface.
Reika: "May I continue to drink plenty of delicious sake."
Finally, Reika gives a casual "yot-tomo" greeting. She seems to have a brighter expression than before.
Time Capsule Shochu "Jukusei to Tomoni Fuku Kitari " Gently Aged in the Mine Shaft with a Message to the Future
The sight of 1,000-liter "kame" (jars) lined up, storing the raw shochu brewed in the mine shaft, is spectacular! They are also used for the shochu placed inside "Jukusei to Tomoni Fuku Kitari ."
There are two types of "Satsuma Shochu Kinzan-gura" sold at the Kinzan-gura store. Both use golden koji and are stored in the mine shaft, offering a vibrant and mellow flavor. The green bottle of "Satsuma Shochu Kinzan-gura" has an alcohol content of 25% and is aged for 3 years, while the red bottle, "Satsuma Shochu Kinzan-gura RED," is a premium shochu with 35% alcohol content, aged for 5 years.
The commemorative bottle "Jukusei to Tomoni Fuku Kitari " is a shochu kept for safekeeping, unique to Satsuma Kinzan-gura, where natural aging is possible. The labels affixed to the bottles contain messages and drawings filled with the clients' thoughts. The initial application allows for 1 to 5 years, and it can be extended for any number of years thereafter with an additional fee. Applications can also be made through the online store Shochu.Life.
It's also fun to see many messages filled with various wishes, such as words to your future self in five years, prayers for health, or celebrations when your child turns 20, and ponder what you might write.
Commemorative bottles of "Jukusei to Tomoni Fuku Kitari " left by famous people are also displayed; recently, the comedian duo "Nishikigoi" made one as part of a TV program.
It's also fun to see the distinctive messages from other well-known figures like Chihara Junior and Teruei!
Reika's Brewery Tour Successfully Concludes!
How was it?
This tour was a wonderful opportunity to fully enjoy "Satsuma Kinzan-gura," one of Hamada Shuzo's shochu breweries, which I love because I adore "Daiyame." Learning about the history of the gold mine and shochu in a mystical atmosphere made me want another drink (gulp, gulp).
"Satsuma Kinzan-gura" is a tourist brewery that has been featured in numerous media outlets, including Fukuoka's popular program "Asadesu" and TBS's "Sekai Fushigi Hakken!" It is also a pilgrimage spot depicted in the manga "DanDoon" as "Kushikino Kinzan."
Furthermore, with Japan's "Traditional Sake Brewing" registered as a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage in 2024, shochu made from koji is gaining global attention. Amidst this, Hamada Shuzo, who continues to challenge themselves with new types of sake, is my all-time favorite.
Hamada Shuzo's sake is the best!
Satsuma Kinzan-gura accepts mine shaft tours on weekends and holidays only, and there are also tours that include a tasting after the visit (application available only for those 20 years and older). This time, I also had the chance to experience the tasting. The tasting article will be published in the latter part, so please be sure to check that out as well.
The tasting article will be published in the latter part, so please be sure to check that out.
For reservations for this Satsuma Kinzan-gura tour, please check the Satsuma Kinzan-gura Tour Reservation Form.
Also, if you're interested in Kinzan-gura's sake, you can purchase it from the Kinzan-gura Product List; it's definitely worth taking a look.
#薩摩金山蔵 に見学しに行ってきたにょ⛏️
坑洞内はいも焼酎の香りがふわっと香る酒好きにはたまらない空間🍶 pic.twitter.com/ueEdFVWJnT— れいか氏❤️🔥ぷりぎゅう (@SoprettyGyudon) December 18, 2024
