In the rural town of Kanegasaki, Iwate Prefecture, there is a small distillery that has quietly drawn attention from craft liqueur enthusiasts across Japan. Its name is Kanegasaki Herb Liquor Brewery. The herb liqueurs created here are more than just drinks—they are a one-of-a-kind experience that speaks to all five senses, through their aroma, color, and the stories behind them.
How do you usually enjoy your drinks? Perhaps a glass as a reward at the end of a long day, a moment shared with close friends, a toast on a special occasion, or paired with a meal. But what if your drink offered not just “flavor,” but also “aroma,” “color,” and even a “story”? Surely, that would lead to new discoveries.
The founder of Kanegasaki Herb Liquor Brewery is Kazuma Oikawa, a former bartender who gained experience in Tokyo and Canada. After experiencing the world’s authentic cocktail cultures, he became passionate about creating the perfect drink using only natural ingredients. When the pandemic struck, Oikawa returned to his hometown and made his dream come true—growing his own herbs and expressing their appeal through liqueur. As the company name “K.S.P. (Kanegasaki Sustainable Project)” suggests, he is committed to both sustainable agriculture and distilling, and is passionate about sharing the blessings of Japan’s nature with the world in a new way.
The distillery’s greatest passion is cultivating all the herbs and botanicals for their liqueurs from scratch in their own farm. In the fields of Kanegasaki, more than 50 varieties of Japanese herbs, fruits, and flowers—like mugwort, shiso, and kuromoji—are carefully grown. Their “farm-to-bottle” approach ensures full traceability and quality control from field to bottle, delivering the delicate and deep flavors of the raw ingredients without relying on artificial flavors or colorings.
Among their creations, the “Waka” series stands out, themed around the four seasons of Japan. Spring is captured with the refreshing notes of hinoki cypress and yuzu, summer with the freshness of plum and shiso, autumn with the roasted notes of hojicha tea and raspberry, and winter with the crisp spiciness of sansho pepper and chili. Every time you open a bottle, the aroma fills the air with the scenery of that season. With a lower alcohol content, you can enjoy these liqueurs straight, on the rocks, mixed with soda, or as a cocktail base. The handy 200ml bottles allow you to enjoy “just a little,” perfectly fitting modern, diverse lifestyles.
Another highlight is the “AKA-ONI ROSSO Japanese Sweet Vermouth,” which fuses traditional Japanese sake culture with Western techniques. This sweet vermouth is based on mirin from Iwate and local shochu, and luxuriously blends unique Japanese botanicals such as kuromoji, tamushiba, rose, ginger, vanilla, shiso, sansho, wormwood, and kihada (Amur cork tree). Rather than being a medicinal drink, it features a sophisticated balance of complex sweetness and pleasant bitterness from herbs, spices, and fruits. You can enjoy it straight, as a cocktail base, or even as a topping for ice cream, fruit, or dessert sauces. This is a uniquely Japanese craft liqueur, offering an experience distinct from Western vermouth.
But the enjoyment of Kanegasaki’s liqueurs isn’t limited to just a glass. They are highly praised for their use in desserts such as ice cream, chocolate, and baked goods. For example, adding “Waka – Ki” to cheesecake brings a fresh forest aroma; “Waka – Ka” with hojicha and raspberry elevates chocolate truffles; and drizzling the spicy “Waka – Moto” with sansho and chili over vanilla ice cream creates the perfect adult dessert. Even professional patissiers and bartenders give them high praise.
Kanegasaki Herb Liquor Brewery’s craft liqueurs, born from the land of Iwate and expert craftsmanship, are sure to bring new surprises and color to your everyday life. Why not begin a new herb liqueur experience with a glass that captures the very essence of Japan’s nature and culture? (Mr.Bacchus)
Thai, English dialog only TH_00:00:00, EN_05：27：13