일본소주, 사실 조선에서 건너간 술이었다?┃이키섬 보리소주 이야기

일본소주, 사실 조선에서 건너간 술이었다?┃이키섬 보리소주 이야기

Everyone, when it comes to Japanese shochu history, would you believe it if I told you it started with a gift from a Joseon king? In the 1400s, King Sejo of Joseon personally presented shochu to the lord ruling Tsushima Island. This is even recorded in the Annals of the Joseon Dynasty. The Japanese National Tax Agency also officially states that Iki Shochu originated from distillation technology brought over from the Korean Peninsula. Shochu was such a precious luxury that dozens of kilograms of rice were needed to make just one bottle. But what happened to the shochu once it reached Tsushima? Though they tried to produce it on Tsushima Island, the rugged mountainous terrain made rice farming impossible. So naturally, the shochu found its way across to a small flat island, Iki Island. Iki Shochu was made there using rice, barley, and clean, abundant underground water. Today on Honsuljun’s Japanese Drinks, we explore the story of Iki Island in Nagasaki, the birthplace of Japanese barley shochu with 500 years of history. It was the year 1419, the first year of King Sejong’s reign. Joseon was suffering from continuous raids by Japanese pirates. Eventually, King Sejong launched a military expedition against Tsushima, the pirates’ stronghold. The campaign was successful, and Tsushima came under Joseon’s influence. From then on, Joseon used both hardline and conciliatory policies toward Tsushima. Tsushima, or Daemado, received official titles from Joseon and served as a diplomatic and trade intermediary. As part of this diplomacy, Joseon presented shochu, one of its greatest luxury goods, to the lord of Tsushima. Thus, Joseon’s shochu made its way to Tsushima. But in the end, it’s the land, not people, that chooses alcohol. Shochu failed to take root on Tsushima. The reason was simple: most of Tsushima Island is rugged mountains, making rice farming and grain cultivation nearly impossible. As a result, shochu remained something only imported from Joseon, and people sought land where they could brew it themselves. Finally, they found such land, and Joseon’s shochu crossed the sea and reached Iki Island. Though small, Iki Island had flat fields perfect for rice farming, where both barley and rice grew well, and most importantly, it had abundant, pure underground water. And so, on this island, It was reborn under a new name: Iki Shochu. With the catchphrase “The birthplace of barley shochu,” Iki Shochu represents not just barley shochu, but the very identity of Iki Island itself. Thus, Japan’s National Tax Agency officially recognized Iki Island’s barley shochu as a regional asset, not just an alcoholic beverage. This recognition is through the “Geographical Indication” (GI) system. Simply put, GI certification means it is officially guaranteed that “this product is authentic only if made here.” Just like Scotch for whisky or Cognac for brandy, the region’s name itself becomes a mark of quality. Iki Shochu received GI certification on July 1, 1995, and July 1 was designated as “Iki Shochu Day.” To be registered under GI, there is only one condition: “All processes must be carried out directly within the designated region.” For Iki Shochu, this means all production must happen entirely on Iki Island. They use rice grown with Iki’s groundwater to make koji, mix it with barley grown on Iki in a 2:1 ratio, and ferment and distill it to produce Iki Shochu. This method has been passed down for centuries, resulting in the unique flavor of Iki Shochu, where the rich aroma of barley and the gentle sweetness of rice coexist. The water, land, and wind of this island — Iki Shochu, crafted from them, is itself the history and identity of Iki Island. Iki Island, with its rich history and tradition of barley shochu, still preserves this legacy today with seven barley shochu distilleries. These distilleries are the foundation of life for the islanders and the core of Iki Island’s economy. The city of Iki actively promotes Iki Shochu and even local schools offer classes on barley and koji. This small island once relied solely on agriculture and fishing, but now it has become a sacred place for lovers of Japanese barley shochu. A single bottle of alcohol brought from Joseon 500 years ago created a culture for the region and protected the future of the island. Iki Island continues to prove that even today. And even now, the seven distilleries on this small island continue to produce Iki Shochu. So, what philosophies and flavors do each of these seven distilleries on Iki Island hold? In the next video, I’ll introduce each of Iki Island’s seven distilleries and their unique shochu. Iki Shochu — it tastes even better when you know its story. See you in the next glass. Kanpai 🍶

“조선왕이 하사한 술 한 병이 일본소주의 시작이었다?”

지금 일본에서 국민소주처럼 마시는 보리소주(麦焼酎).
그 시작이 조선에서 건너간 한 병의 소주에서 비롯되었다면 믿으시겠습니까?

오늘의 혼술준 일본술이야기는 바로 일본 보리소주의 발상지,
나가사키현 이키섬(壱岐島)의 숨겨진 소주 역사를 이야기 합니다🍶

00:00 인트로
01:04 조선에서 이키섬으로 건너간 소주
02:25 “보리소주 발상의 땅” 이키섬
04:07 이키섬과 7개의 양조장
04:40 마치며

📍 세조가 대마도주에게 소주를 하사한 조선왕조실록의 기록
📍 산악지형인 쓰시마를 넘어 평야가 펼쳐진 이키섬으로
📍 쌀누룩 1 : 보리 2 황금비율로 빚어낸 이키만의 보리소주 탄생
📍 GI인증으로 일본 국세청도 인정한 조선 유래의 소주문화
📍 지금도 500년 전통을 지키는 이키섬 7개 양조장의 이야기

“한 병의 술이 한 지역의 문화를 만들고, 한 섬의 미래를 지켜냈다.”

지금은 가볍게 마시는 그 한 잔 속에도
시대를 넘어 이어진 조선과 일본의 술문화 교류가 담겨 있습니다.

이키소주 ,그 한 잔에 담긴 이야기를 알고 마시면 더 맛있을 겁니다 🌾🍶

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