02
Terroir
Tanegashima is an island located approximately 1,200 km southwest of Tokyo and approximately 50 km north to south, belonging to Kagoshima Prefecture. The climate is warm and bordering on subtropical. The climate is warm and bordering on subtropical, making it the boundary between the northern and southern limits of a diverse range of flora and fauna. It is also in the path of typhoons, and the nature is harsh, with snow occasionally falling in winter.
There is also diversity in culture. Starting with the introduction of guns by Portuguese ships (that's why we named this rum ARCABUZ), people from the mainland and remote islands who suffered from famine or disaster immigrated to Tanegashima in search of its riches. , has a history of incorporating and integrating cultures from outside the island.
Dialects from Kyoto, Osaka, Hakata, Satsuma, and Ryukyu are still used today, and traditional performing arts that are no longer danced in Ryukyu remain. The people living on Tanegashima have an easy-going and open-minded personality, which is due to their acceptance of this diverse culture. Although it is a scenic island, it is not a tourist destination and has a peaceful time.
Tanegashima has a diverse ecosystem and culture
Tanegashima is made up of one city and two towns, and Nakatane Town, where the distillery is located, is an area that is particularly covered in black soil. It has high water retention, is rich in humus, and is fertile. The distillery is located close to the sea, and our sugarcane fields spread out above it.
The sugarcane fields are located on a small hill about 80 meters above sea level, so they are less susceptible to salt damage even when typhoons pass by, making them ideal for growing sugarcane. The cultivation area is about 7 hectares. We are also proud of the beautiful sunsets that can be viewed from the sugarcane fields on the hill.
The distillery is located in Nakatane Town, which has fertile soil.
.jpg)
.jpg)
The varieties we grow in this field are Kurokaido and Norin 22, which were developed in Tanegashima. Kurokaido in particular has a quick rise in sucrose content, making it ideal for making rum. We tried tasting the juice of various varieties and were drawn to their good flavor. Thus, we carefully select the varieties of sugarcane we grow because we believe that the flavor of ARCABUZ is determined by the raw material.
We plant from mid-February to mid-March, and harvest from December through to early spring, when the sucrose content has increased.