Using high quality rice and fresh, clear water from Hitoyoshi Kuma region, the skilled craftsmen at Takahashi Shuzo create an authentic shochu, which has many fans, not only in Kumamoto Prefecture, but also throughout Japan. Their shochu produced by vacuum distillation has a rich flavor that is distinctive to rice. Takahashi Shuzo, founded in 1900, is also known for operating the "Kuma Shochu Museum Hakutake Densetsu Kura" in Hitoyoshi City, where visitors can learn more about the 500-year history of Kuma Shochu.