About 500 Brands of Authentic Shochu and Awamori from 1 Prefecture and 11 Prefectures Nationwide, Along with Local Gourmet Food Gather! "Authentic Shochu and Awamori and Delicious Food Festival 2026 ~SHOCHU Festival to Be Proud of the World~" to Be Held

The Japan Sake and Shochu Makers Association, the largest organization for Japanese alcoholic beverages with approximately 1,600 breweries (authentic shochu, awamori, and sake) affiliated, will jointly host the "Authentic Shochu and Awamori and Delicious Food Festival 2026 ~SHOCHU Festival to Be Proud of the World~" with Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks Co., Ltd. for two days on July 25 (Saturday) and 26 (Sunday), 2026, at Mizuho PayPay Dome Fukuoka in Fukuoka Prefecture.

This event is one of Japan's leading festivals for authentic shochu and awamori, bringing together breweries from 1 prefecture and 11 prefectures nationwide, including Kyushu, a major shochu production region, as well as Niigata, Shimane, Yamaguchi, and Tokyo prefectures. At the venue, you can enjoy tasting and comparing approximately 500 brands* of authentic shochu and awamori, paired with local gourmet dishes such as Saga beef fried rice from Saga Prefecture and kakuni manju (braised pork buns) from Nagasaki Prefecture, as well as snacks from popular dried food stores like 'Shinkai Shoten,' which also has a store in the city's department stores.

In addition, there will be ample content to experience the appeal of "shochu cocktails," which have been gaining attention in recent years. In addition to the "Authentic Shochu and Awamori Basic Cocktails (6 types in total)" developed by our association, award-winning cocktails created by 8 past winners of the "Authentic Shochu and Awamori Cocktail Competition," organized by our association to determine Japan's best shochu-based cocktail, will also be served. Furthermore, original cocktails will be sold exclusively at the venue. You can experience new ways to enjoy authentic shochu and awamori, born from the innovative ideas of alcohol professionals.

Additionally, special talk stages will be held by talent Manami Hashimoto, known for her love of shochu, and Kiwako Kurashima, editor-in-chief of the bar magazine "Koten Shōchu." On Manami Hashimoto's special talk stage on July 25 (Saturday), a special event will be held where she will lead a toast with the attendees.

You can enjoy a grand banquet atmosphere while savoring authentic shochu and awamori from all over the country and local gourmet food, seated on tatami mats set up on the arena floor of Mizuho PayPay Dome, an area normally off-limits. The event also features abundant festival attractions such as shooting games and super ball scooping. This will be a "special SHOCHU festival" enjoyable not only for shochu fans but for the whole family.

*(Reference information based on achievements from the 2024 event.)

Various programs to experience the charm of authentic shochu and awamori will be implemented.

Authentic Shochu and Awamori from 1 Prefecture and 11 Prefectures Nationwide, Approximately 500 Brands* and Local Gourmet Food Gather! Enjoy Exquisite Pairings You Can Only Taste Here

Approximately 500 brands* of authentic shochu and awamori from 1 prefecture and 11 prefectures nationwide, including Kyushu, will be gathered along with local gourmet food unique to each region. You can enjoy the perfect pairings of each prefecture's breweries' prideful drinks with their complementary dishes on the spot.

*(Reference information based on achievements from the 2024 event.)

Experience the Grand Banquet and Festival Atmosphere Simultaneously on the Mizuho PayPay Dome Arena, Normally Inaccessible

At the venue, you can enjoy authentic shochu and awamori and local gourmet food in the normally inaccessible arena area of Mizuho PayPay Dome. In addition, festival attractions and stage content will be offered, creating an extraordinary space like a giant summer festival.

Shochu Cocktails Created by Professionals Also Featured! Experience New Ways to Enjoy Authentic Shochu and Awamori

Creative cocktails will be sold by bartenders with outstanding skills and reputations, including winners of the Shochu Cocktail Competition.

"Japan's Largest Simultaneous Toast" to Be Held with Shochu Enthusiast Manami Hashimoto and Attendees

The powerful moment when Manami Hashimoto, known as a shochu enthusiast, and thousands of attendees raise their glasses together will be one of the symbolic highlights of this event.

Various Seminars to Learn Directly from Brewers and Experience Popular Shochu Cocktails

Seminars will be held where representative brewers from each prefecture will speak, offering opportunities to learn about the profound charm of authentic shochu through comparative tastings and explanations of drinking methods. Additionally, a "Basic Cocktail Seminar" will be held where participants can actually make and taste shochu cocktails, which have been gaining attention in recent years, offering hands-on programs enjoyable for both beginners and enthusiasts.

Guest Stage Speaker Profiles

Manami Hashimoto *Appearing only on Saturday, July 25

Born in Yamagata Prefecture, actress. She won the acting award at the 7th All Japan Beautiful Girl Contest and entered the entertainment industry at the age of 13. Her major works include the NHK Taiga drama "Sanada Maru" (16), the movie "Hikari" (17), the NHK serial TV novel "Manpuku" (18), the drama "Shun ni Nattara" (24), and the drama "Fake Mummy" (25), among many other TV dramas, stage plays, and commercials. She has a deep understanding of alcohol, including shochu, and food.

Kiwako Kurashima *Appearing on Saturday, July 25 and Sunday, July 26

Editor-in-chief of the bar magazine "Koten Shōchu."

She enjoys various alcoholic beverages and dishes at numerous bars and introduces them with her unique perspective in magazines and blogs. She is also a shochu connoisseur and can passionately talk about her love for shochu, having continuously tasted various brands from all over the country.

Event Overview

Name: Authentic Shochu and Awamori and Delicious Food Festival 2026 ~SHOCHU Festival to Be Proud of the World~

Location: Mizuho PayPay Dome Fukuoka (2-2-2 Jigyohama, Chuo-ku, Fukuoka City, Fukuoka Prefecture)

Dates: Saturday, July 25, 2026, 12:00 PM - 8:00 PM (Last Order 7:30 PM)

Sunday, July 26, 2026, 10:00 AM - 5:00 PM (Last Order 4:30 PM)

Admission Fee: Advance Ticket 500 yen / Same-day Ticket 900 yen *Children under 20 are free for up to 3 people per accompanying adult aged 20 or older.

Organizers: Japan Sake and Shochu Makers Association, Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks Co., Ltd.

Official Website: https://shochufes.jp/

To Commemorate the Event's Return After Two Years, "Shochu Month" Will Be Held at 13 Hotel Bars in Kyushu

To commemorate the return of the "Authentic Shochu and Awamori and Delicious Food Festival" after a two-year hiatus, "Shochu Month" will be held for one month at 13 hotel bars affiliated with the Kyushu branch of the Japan Hotel Bar Mens Association. Bartenders at each hotel will offer original cocktails and special menus that bring out the new charm of authentic shochu and awamori, enhancing the excitement for the "Authentic Shochu and Awamori and Delicious Food Festival."

Event Outline

Period: Wednesday, July 1, 2026 - Friday, July 31, 2026

Location: 13 Hotel Bars of the Kyushu Branch of the Japan Hotel Bar Mens Association

<Participating Stores List> *In no particular order

1 BAR Sakamoto (KEG0124 Terrace 6F, 1-1-24 Kego, Chuo-ku, Fukuoka City, Fukuoka Prefecture)

2 CoBar (Murakami Bldg. 1F, 1-8-5 Shimotori, Chuo-ku, Kumamoto City, Kumamoto Prefecture)

3 BAR BluePoint (KAI Bldg. 1F, 13-2 Ekimae-machi, Beppu City, Oita Prefecture)

4 Main Bar "Yakan Hikou" (2-18-25 Hakataekimae, Hakata-ku, Fukuoka City, Fukuoka Prefecture)

5 Hotel New Otani Hakata Bar Castilian Room (1-1-2 Watanabe-dori, Chuo-ku, Fukuoka City, Fukuoka Prefecture)

6 SALON&BAR R (Sapphire Koki 4F, 5-2-5 Nakasu, Hakata-ku, Fukuoka City, Fukuoka Prefecture)

7 BAR SHO : GO (Sakada Bldg. 3F, 3-3-18 Tachibana-dori Nishi, Miyazaki City, Miyazaki Prefecture)

8 BAR P's PLACE (ARTK'S Daimyo 4F, 1-8-34 Daimyo, Chuo-ku, Fukuoka City, Fukuoka Prefecture)

9 Sheraton Kagoshima Vivarium (43-15 Komae-cho, Kagoshima City, Kagoshima Prefecture)

10 RIHGA Royal Hotel Kokura Cellar Bar (2-14-2 Asano, Kokurakita-ku, Kitakyushu City, Fukuoka Prefecture)

11 Hilton Nagasaki Lounge & Bar Seven Seas (4-2 Onoe-machi, Nagasaki City, Nagasaki Prefecture)

12 Hotel Okura Fukuoka Lounge & Bar Hakatagawa (3-2 Shimokawabata-machi, Hakata-ku, Fukuoka City, Fukuoka Prefecture)

13 Nagasaki Marriott Hotel The Azurite (1-1 Onoe-machi, Nagasaki City, Nagasaki Prefecture)

Organizer/Supporter Overview

Japan Sake and Shochu Makers Association

The Japan Sake and Shochu Makers Association is the largest organization for Japanese alcoholic beverages, including authentic shochu, awamori, and sake, which are the national liquors of Japan. The association promotes the development of authentic shochu, awamori, and sake not only in Japan but also in overseas markets. Established in 1953 based on the "Law on the Preservation of Liquor Tax and Liquor Retailers' Associations, etc.," the association has approximately 1,600 member producers of authentic shochu, awamori, sake, and hon mirin. Among these, approximately 600 single-distillation shochu manufacturers produce over 2,000 brands.

Official Website (https://www.japansake.or.jp/)

Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks Co., Ltd.

Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks is a company that delivers excitement to people through baseball and entertainment, with the slogan "Aim for World Championship!". In addition to operating the professional baseball team "Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks," it manages its home stadium, Mizuho PayPay Dome, and the complex entertainment facility "BOSS E・ZO FUKUOKA." As a company rooted in the region, it actively engages in activities to invigorate Fukuoka and Kyushu. In addition to contributing to regional revitalization through projects like "Takasai SUMMER BOOST" to liven up the entire city of Fukuoka and "Fight! Kyushu" to energize Kyushu, it develops diverse entertainment businesses such as planning and operating concerts and various events in addition to baseball.

Company Website (https://www.softbankhawks.co.jp/company/company_profile.html)

TV Nishinippon Corporation (Supporter)

TV Nishinippon (TNC) is a Fuji TV network television station primarily serving Fukuoka Prefecture, which began broadcasting in 1958. Under the slogan "Pitatto. TNC," it provides information that is rooted in the region and close to the lives of its viewers. Through reliable news and programs like "Momochi Beach Store," which is in its 29th year of broadcast, it delivers programs that condense the charm of the region. Furthermore, it is also focusing on event businesses that go beyond the scope of television, including this event.