Shochu (and awamori) are still Japan’s best-kept secrets, so the brick-and-mortar bottle shops with a half-decent selection are few and far between. In fact, I have only ever visited one during my travels outside Japan, which is why the accompanying list is exclusively online shops.
Naturally, your best bet is filling a suitcase when visiting Japan, but if that’s too long of a swim, let’s consider other options. (For the record, though, Japan has myriad options. Try Amazon or Rakuten for your online alcohol orders as a starting point. You can have bottles shipped to your hotel room when visiting.)
I’ll start with decent online retailers for several countries (sorry, Canada, I couldn’t find anything worthwhile to list). As I learn of other options worldwide, I’ll update this online shopping guide accordingly.
[The online retailer list is accurate as of Feb 27, 2024.]
Here’s where to buy shochu (and awamori).
United States:
Umami Mart – Currently ships to 43 states.
DC Sake Co
Honkaku Spirits – Currently ships to 33 states. Free shipping on orders of any size.
European Union:
Ginza Berlin – Ships across the EU.
Australia:
Tokyo Mart – Ships across the country.
New Zealand:
Tokyo Liquor – Ships across the country.
United Kingdom:
Tengu Sake – Ships across the UK.
The Whisky Exchange – Free shipping on orders over £100.
Hong Kong:
Mizunara: The Shop Hong Kong – Ships across Hong Kong.
Singapore:
Mizunara: The Shop Singapore – Ships across Singapore.
If I’ve missed any good ones, then please don’t hesitate to let me know. I’d love for this list to become more comprehensive.
Kanpai!
It’s truly a great and useful piece of info. I am satisfied that you simply shared
this helpful info with us. Please keep us up to date like this.
Thank you for sharing.
You’re most welcome! I hope that I will be able to expand this list exponentially over the coming years. Kanpai!