Spirits makers in Kyushu are working to attract overseas customers for their flagship product of distilled liquor called shōchū.

Shōchū, typically distilled from barley, sweet potatoes, rice, buckwheat or sugar cane, is very popular in Japan but not nearly as well-known abroad as sake, which is not distilled.

Kirishima Shuzo Co. in Miyakonojo, Miyazaki Prefecture, is one of the shōchū makers working to change that.