Your Ticket Includes:
35+ rare and limited Honkaku Shochu expressions, many seldom poured outside Japan
Styles including sweet potato, barley, rice, and brown sugar, revealing regional craft and terroir
10+ master distillers visiting from Japan, pouring and sharing their work firsthand
Thoughtfully curated food pairings and sushi highlighting shochu’s adaptability at the table
A guided blind tasting experience, inviting guests to discover flavor without preconception
A Rare Introduction to Honkaku Shochu at the Paramount Club
For centuries, Japan has kept one of its most refined spirits quietly to itself.
Shochu Rising marks a rare unveiling of Honkaku Shochu—a 500-year-old craft spirit shaped by agriculture, fermentation, and restraint. Long treasured in Japan yet rarely experienced abroad, shochu is now introduced in its proper cultural and culinary context at the Paramount Club.
Join us for an evening dedicated to discovery through taste, food pairing, and technique—an Ichigo Ichie moment: one time, one meeting.
Unlike conventional spirits, Honkaku Shochu is single-distilled, naturally sugar-free, and lower in alcohol (typically around 25%). Its purity and balance make it exceptionally food-driven—designed not to overpower, but to evolve alongside cuisine. In Japan, it is not consumed for intensity, but for harmony.
Featured Hosts & Special Guests
Ryushin Komatsuyama
Shochu specialist and owner of Kokushu Matsu, leading the seminar
Kenta Goto
Owner of Bar Goto and Bar Goto Niban, whose work has helped integrate Japanese spirits into modern dining and cocktail culture
Christin “Suzu” Suzuki Orellana
Acclaimed drink master and star of Netflix’s Drink Masters, guiding the evening with insight, clarity, and warmth
Live Performance by Masayo Ishigure
Internationally recognized koto artist, featuring Memory of Geisha, weaving sound, spirit, and season into quiet balance
