Hong Kong, by virtue of its no-tax-for-alcohol-under-30% ABV, robust drinking culture, and its bountiful supply of whiskey/gin-lovers, should be a haven for shochu sellers and drinkers. Further, HK people, as do many Asian countries, love and trust all things Japanese, from medicine to skin-care to most obviously food. Taking all that into consideration, HK is pretty far below expectation in terms of exposure and appreciation of shochu.
Apart from the incomparable shochu bar Nobushi and a few izakayas around town, Shochu is mostly a buy-from-Aeon-and-drink-at-home kind of thing here. Sadly, it’s not really changing either – Nobushi, HK’s only real shochu bar, has been open for years, but it hasn’t made much of an impact on shochu acceptance. About half the people who go there drink Tantakatan or fruit alcohols… it’s not a dig against the bar, but they don’t sell shochu – neither the story of each bottle/distillery, nor their unique flavor characteristics. At this point in shochu’s development, it really requires more education and more marketing.
That said, I have overdone it myself with all the stories of koji and fermentation and mashes, only to serve something that no one likes. The ease of drinking and the story has to work in parallel, though I still think if you can tell a HK person something is authentically Japanese and that it’s the most consumed liquor in Japan, you’re halfway there already. In any case, more work to be done.
Here are my favorite shochu spots in HK:
Genki Ippai (TST Mira Place 1); they actually offer FREE imo shochu – no conditions, no limit; as much as you want (夢嬉 which I can’t find anywhere online…). It’s truly bizarre and wonderful. Their other shochus are also extremely reasonably priced, including a crazy $180 for Unkai (the soba one), the cheapest I’ve seen in HK. Food isn’t half bad either, but you are going for the shochu. They now have Genki-ya, which is a tiny shop next to the restaurant that specialises in Miyazaki products, including a few decent shochus. https://bit.ly/2XlFeTd
Nobushi: Tucked into the end of Observatory Road in TST, there’s nothing like it in HK. You can try at least 50 shochus for 80$ a glass and some for more. Charging 80$ a glass for Rento is a bit crazy, but I get why they have to. Respect for a legendary bar. https://bit.ly/2XjUU9z
Gyu Sou Ichuya: Basically unparalled in CWB as an izakaya for shochu – 4 packed pages of shochu, though with no commentary and very little help from the restaurant staff. They, unlike most places in HK, have tons of aromatic/non-standard honkaku shochus including Milk, Pumpkin and Pepper! The food, which is beef focused, is also above average. It’d be my go-to if it wasn’t SO packed – just crammed all the time, and very loud. If you can get a table it’s definitely worth a visit. https://bit.ly/3942Eio
Sake Central: Doesn’t need an introduction, but it’s retail (-ish) priced shochu with some great bar snacks (if a bit pricey). The tatami “tables” are kinda uncomfortable, but the selection and ambience are tops. Just grab a bottle off the shelf and ask to drink it there. Can’t beat it. https://sake-central.com/
Hidden: This place doesn’t need any more press, but for my money (and you’ll need quite a bit of it by the end of the night) is the best kushiage/kushikatsu restaurant in HK. Wonderful execution and some pretty outstanding house specialties. It also happens to have a monster shochu selection by the glass, and at quite decent prices. That said, it’s frustrating to get a seat there (it’s pretty tiny), and it doesn’t really fit large groups anyway. Worth a visit but not a regular spot. https://hiddencwb.com/