DRINKING CULTURE IN OITA / All-Oita

Oita Prefecture has a very diverse drinking culture. Currently, there are approximately 35 sake and shochu breweries in the prefecture. While the prefecture now has a strong association with shochu, in the past Oita used to be very active in sake production. It is believed that the origins of sake brewing in Oita trace back to the Warring States period. Later, in the Showa period (1926–1989), Oita barley shochu was born using only barley koji and barley as its ingredients. Barley–based shochu is well–known throughout Kyushu, and is characterised by its savoury flavour and crisp aftertaste. It can be drunk in a variety of ways, including on the rocks or with hot water, making it a good starting point for people drinking shochu for the first time.

Wine is also popular in Oita, with Ajimu–machi in Usa City being recognised as a local wine–producing region. Grapes in this region are grown by utilising the variations in altitude and fluctuations in temperature between day and night, with the wine they produce receiving high acclaim in competitions both locally and internationally. In recent years, the craft beer scene has also gained recognition, with microbreweries emerging throughout the prefecture.

Oita offers a wide choice of places to drink alcohol, from pubs and tachinomi (standing–only) bars which you can casually drop in to during lunchtime, to restaurants specialising in highlighting locally brewed sake and shochu. The desire to enjoy a drink that reflects the land of the place you’re visiting is a common sentiment among travellers all around the world.