NEKKA

ねっか

Rice farmers make the spirit from the same landscape that grows the rice. NEKKA carries that field-to-distillery line through a very low-temperature vacuum distillation, preserving a clear, aromatic shape rather than a heavy one.

Honkaku rice shochu · 25%

StyleHonkaku rice shochu

RiceTadami-grown · JGAP certified

KojiRice koji

DistillationVacuum · below 30°C

Alcohol25%

From field to still

A farmer-led distillery

NEKKA was established in 2017 in Tadami, Fukushima by rice farmers and a brewing specialist. The distillery uses JGAP-certified rice grown by its own team and in the town, making the material and the landscape part of the same continuous story rather than separate stages of a supply chain.

A low-temperature line

Keeping the aromatic side of rice in view

The mash is fermented for an extended period with a dedicated ginjo yeast developed with the Fukushima High-Tech Plaza, then vacuum-distilled below 30°C. This low-temperature approach is used to keep the expression clear and aromatic; the documented profile turns toward melon and green apple, carried by a gentle rice sweetness.

Food affinities

Where a clear aroma meets the dish

The pairings below are not a combination presented officially by the brewery, but a reading drawn from the aroma and sweetness characteristics recorded on this page.

A direction that follows the fresh, sweet melon aromaMelon wrapped with ham in the Western style, a Japanese vinegared dish with melon or white gourd, and a Thai fruit yam with pineapple or pomelo. The melon aroma recorded here is layered with actual fruit.

A direction that follows the clear green-apple aromaA Western salad with apple and a light dressing, Japanese carpaccio finished with a citrus accent, and larb with a generous squeeze of lime. The clear green-apple aroma runs in the same direction as dishes with a citrus edge.

A direction that follows the soft sweetness of riceA Western risotto or rice pudding, sticky rice (khao niao) prepared in the Thai style, and a Japanese meal built around plain rice or onigiri. The soft sweetness carried from the rice sits on the same base as the sweetness of rice-based dishes.

A direction that follows the light clarity from vacuum distillationA Western carpaccio of white fish, a Thai glass noodle salad (yum woon sen), and delicate Japanese sashimi or kombu-cured white fish. The light clarity that comes from low-temperature distillation sits alongside the texture of delicate dishes.

This pairing rationale draws on the following reference books: The Science of Food Pairing describes how fruit-family aromas tend to connect with the freshness of seafood and vegetables through shared sensory cues. Read through that framework, the melon and green-apple direction recorded in Nekka tends to sit easily alongside dishes or fruit carrying the same fresh character. Sushi and Washoku Pairing Rules also notes that distilled spirits carry almost no iron and are unlikely to bring out fishy notes in seafood, which is one more consideration when pairing with white fish.

Pairing guide — Shochu & Selected Spirits

Award record

2020

TWSC · Gold — NEKKA 25%

The award record shown is specific to this product; it does not guarantee individual preference or quality.

The producer

Tadami, Fukushima — Okuaizu Distillery

Okuaizu Distillery stands in the snow region of Tadami, Fukushima. Its work begins with rice cultivation and follows the material through fermentation and distillation, while rice lees are returned to a circular use within the wider project.

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