If you think of representative Japanese alcohol, Sake is very likely the first drink that comes to mind. But have you heard of Awamori, the traditional rice spirit in Okinawa, Japan’s southernmost tropical province? This post is about Awamori in Okinawa: its history and production methods, and where and how to drink it.
While Sake is also made from rice, it is not distilled but merely fermented. Therefore, it is a brewing product like beer. On the other hand, Awamori is a distilled spirit made from fermented rice on the Japanese islands of Okinawa. And Awamori is much stronger than Sake.
In that sense, Awamori is to Sake what Whisky is to Beer. And indeed, Awamori varieties from Okinawa are nowadays competing with famous whisky brands.
Japan also produces quite outstanding whisky – and some of the distilleries are open to visitors, too!
What is Awamori?
Awamori is a strong alcoholic beverage unique to Okinawa. It is a clear spirit with a strong, musty taste and aroma. Mainstream Awamori has an alcoholic strength of 30–43%, but the bottle traditionally indicates the strength in degrees (i.e., 30°). Unlike all other rice-based alcohol in Japan, Awamori is made from imported rice! Considering that Japan does not import rice for food as a rule, this is quite unusual. This rare exception has to do with Awamori’s long history – it is the oldest spirit in Japan. And even this is a simplification, for Okinawa did not even belong to Japan when Awamori had its first appearance on the drinking scene.
The historic roots of Awamori
Awamori has its roots in the trading history of the islands of Ryukyu, today the Japanese prefecture of Okinawa. From the 14th century, the islands had a lively diplomatic and trading exchange, with Okinawan sailors travelling abroad regularly. Back then the independent subtropical kingdom Ryukyu traded with mainland Japan, but particularly with China, and also with Southeast Asia. Among their trading partners was the Kingdom of Siam – today Thailand.
Methods of brewing and distillation were long in practice in Siam – they had arrived from Mesopotamia via China and Cambodia. But it was from Siam that the technology moved on to the Ryukyu Islands, i.e., to Okinawa. Accordingly, the people on Okinawa used long-grain rice from Thailand to make their own spirits. And this tradition has remained valid to produce Awamori in Okinawa.
How Awamori developed
From Okinawa, the distillation technology then travelled further to Japan via trade and tribute gifts to the Shogun in Edo/Tokyo. At least from around 1500, Okinawan Awamori became very popular in Japan – not only as a drink but also as a disinfectant for sword wounds! And of course, people in Japan also tried their hand in distilling alcohol from then on, but they used their own rice, barley, or sweet potatoes. This Japanese spirit is called Shochu today.
From the 18th century onwards, distillation of Awamori in Okinawa was controlled by the king. The Kings of Ryukyu then limited its production to some areas near Shuri Castle. This is also when the term “Awamori” appeared in documents for the first time: “a heap of foam”. Apparently, there was a method of quality control involving the pouring of Awamori into a bowl. The more and longer lasting the bubbles, the better the Awamori, they thought. That said, Awamori is not at all a bubbly liquid.
Awamori culture after WWII
In the fighting of World War II, many distilleries got destroyed, and some very old koji moulds and production recipes were lost forever. Afterwards, both the US-American occupation and later the postwar Japanese considered Awamori an inferior drink. Therefore until 1983 it was labelled as a “second class Shochu”.
Since then, some of the old Awamori producers have rebuilt their product lines and are producing authentic Awamori again. And today not only Okinawans love the unique, intense flavour of their Awamori. Akin to whisky with its fierce and pungent bouquet, Awamori is not easy to drink. But once acquainted, fans will go a long way for their favourite Awamori. Enthusiasts collect the bottles or labels to get one from each distillery. And you can order a Sanshin (a local string instrument) with the design of your favourite Awamori label! Today the Okinawan Awamori producers also try to get a foothold in the overseas markets.
Where to try Awamori
You can try Awamori in Okinawan restaurants all over Japan and increasingly also in Japanese restaurants abroad. But the best place to get a taste of this strong spirit is its birthplace: The islands of Okinawa. There are still almost 50 Awamori distilleries all over the Okinawan island chain. You will find them on Okinawa Mainland, on Miyakojima and on Ishigaki, and even on Hateruma, Japan’s southernmost island. Some of the distilleries offer tours for visitors, and you will get a good selection of different Awamoris in every Okinawan pub.
Start your journey of Awamori in Okinawa with jelly!
The shop in the tourist centre of Ishigaki Town is selling very special sweets: small plastic cups from which a few patrons are spooning jelly. But it says Awamori on the shop sign? The owner grins broadly: “Try Kabira or Yaima. These are a bit sweet and thus mild – it’s awesome Awamori for beginners. We even have Umeshu jelly (plum wine). But if you really do like Awamori, try Shirayuri, that’s a very bold one!”
We did try the Shirayuri jelly and found it quite impressive from a culinary point of view. At the next opportunity we also went for the real Shirayuri Awamori: a smashing rollercoaster for the taste buds.
Visiting the Yaesen Awamori Factory on Ishigaki Island
There are several Awamori distilleries on Okinawa that you can visit. However, the explanation might be only available in Japanese. But relax, you do not need any language skills for the tasting. During our numerous visits to the islands, we have checked out several of these Awamori distilleries. One of them that is quite easy to reach and has some tourist infrastructure is the Yaesen Awamori factory on Ishigaki Island.
There’s a tour bus waiting at the parking space. From the Yaesen factory we hear loud, good-humoured voices. A group of elderly Japanese men in baseball caps are chuckling and clutching bags with several bottles each. They just finished a brief factory tour and a tasting, it seems. In the shop and visitor centre, we can watch a simple anime film explaining how Awamori is made. And afterwards we get some tasting samples. The Yaesen Awamori is light and easy to drink, it is the most popular brand on the island of Ishigaki.
Another distillery on Ishikgaki with a small exhibition is the Takamine distillery near Kabira Bay.
How is Awamori made?
Thai long-grain rice is soaked in water. You will then have to sprinkle the rice mash with a black mould. This fungus is related to the koji used in Sake production on Japan’s main islands, but Awamori producers use aspergillus luchuensis, a koji specific to the Ryukyu Islands. It is more appropriate for brewing in subtropical climates as it is more resistant to humidity and high temperatures than other koji moulds.
After 17 hours, the brewers add yeast and water. And after two or three days, the yeast starts to break down the sugar into alcohol. Within two weeks, the alcohol content reaches 18 %. After a single distillation process, the distilled spirit will have an alcohol content of up to 60% (in the first portion). However, on average the final product has a strength of about 40–50%.
Unlike whisky, the Awamori in Okinawa does not get wooden barrels to age in. Instead, the traditional container for aging Awamori is made from clay! Today many Awamori factories store their spirit in metal tanks, but the huge traditional clay pots will improve its flavour and mellowness.
Different from other Japanese spirits, Awamori can be stored long-term. In some cases, the makers recommend storing even bottled Awamori that you have already brought home. Even in a bottle or a small vessel, Okinawan Awamori still gets better (and more expensive). An Awamori that has aged for 3 years or more is called kusu (aged). They are generally not blended but from the same tank of that year. Only aged editions such as “25 years” are from several different years.
Super dense clay at Chuko Awamori factory on Okinawa Mainland
The most convenient Awamori distillery to visit in Okinawa is the Chuko factory. It is not so far from Naha on Okinawa Mainland and has a huge visitor centre.
We are just in time to catch the guided tour in the Chuko Awamori Factory. The tour starts in the pottery. While most Awamori distilleries nowadays use steel tanks and glass bottles for their Awamori, Chuko is making their own ceramic Awamori jars. The clay for these must be very dense to keep the alcohol from evaporating. That’s why the pot shrinks by 45% by the time it is fired.
Chuko sells Awamori in bottles, too. But their bestseller has become the large ceramic jar, which you can leave to age for several years more. Many buyers opt to leave the jar in the distillery’s cellar for ageing. That’s similar to buying an expensive magnum bottle of wine or champagne for a child, planning to open it for their coming-of-age party.
The guide at Chuko Awamori explains an even more ingenious birthday gift: Take the Awamori jar home, unopened. After five years or so, you should drink about 10 % of it and top it off with some newly bought Awamori. If you repeat this every few years, you will produce your own mellow aged Awamori blend. Warning: This requires a strong will.
How to drink Awamori in Okinawa and elsewhere
In Izakayas on the Islands of Okinawa, Awamori is normally served with a pitcher of water and a bucket of ice. Many locals drink their Awamori as cha-wari, that is, mixed with cold tea. This is typically green tea. The tea softens the somewhat musty flavour of the Awamori. It is also acceptable, if you like, to drink Awamori straight – like Isa does.
So, did you try Awamori? Or would you plan a visit to an Awamori distillery during your visit to the islands of Okinawa?
Information regarding the Awamori Distilleries mentioned
Yaesen Awamori Distillery on Ishigaki: open Monday to Friday 9 am to 4 pm.
Takamine Awamori Distillery on Ishigaki (near Kabira Bay): open Monday to Friday 9 am to 5 pm.
Chuko Awamori Distillery on Okinawa Mainland: shop open Monday to Friday 9 am to 5.30 pm, tours (in Japanese) at 10 am and 2 pm.
Opening hours may change, so check their respective website before heading out.
Are you planning a trip to Okinawa soon? The new edition of our Loose guidebook (in German) with a comprehensive Okinawa chapter will be out in the book stores in March 2024.
Stefan Loose Reiseführer Japan. Neuauflage März 2024
The Okinawa chapter covers Okinawa Mainland, the Kerama Islands, Miyakojima Islands and the Yaeyama Islands (Iriomote, Ishigaki, Hateruma and Taketomi). Best beaches, hotels, restaurants and sightseeing spots.
Okinawa and the Ryukyu Islands (2022)
For English readers, the Okinawa guide published by Tuttle is one of the most reliable and up-to-date guidebooks on the market.
*We visited all the places mentioned above in person. This is not a sponsored post and all expenses were paid by ourselves.*
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What a wonderful comprehensive article on this subject. The Shisa lion photo is so expressive, it made me laugh, saved it too.
Still great work from you both – thanks.
Dear Dennis, so happy to hear from you! All the best from Berlin!
We made sure we tried different sake s when we were in Japan. But we did not find out about Awamori on our travels. Interesting to read about the different processes to make the two liquors. And indeed very unusual to read it is made with imported rice! Great to know it has lost its reputation as a second class drink. And is being produced in quality again. I am not sure I would want to mix it with green tea though.
What an interesting read! I have never heard of awamori but so far it seems so similar to our Romanian tuica/ palinca. The process seems similar (even though I have never done it but I know from friends who have those big cauldrons and make it). Not sure if I would feel comfortable with those snakes inside of the liquid, but let’s not think about it.
Dear Iuliana, Awamori is a distilled spirit – that makes it similar to all sorts of schnaps, palinca, vodka, whisky – you name it. As far as I know palinca is distilled from fruits? Meaning the sugar is directly converted into alcohol.
Tasting the range of Awamori strengths and flavors at the shops in Ishigaki Town seems like a great way to become familiar with this intense spirit. I love learning about the tradition of aging Awamori in dense clay pots rather than wooden barrels like with some beers. Since Awamori is distilled and much higher in alcohol content than Sake, which is more like beer, I can see how it would be easy to get intoxicated drinking it. Tasting the various Awamori styles to experience the nuances in flavor sounds intriguing, though drinking in moderation is probably best considering its high alcohol content.
I haven’t heard of Awamori until now, thought I do remember tasting rice distilled alcohol over my trips in South East Asia. I was not a fan as I don’t usually drink spirits. I find them too strong to taste anything but the burn. It’s interesting that there are over 50 distilleries around Okinawa island chain. That’s really impressive! Whilst I wouldn’t touch the bottles with the snake in them, I do like the ceramic containers that some of the traditional Awamori is sold in. It makes for a nice souvenier once the alcohol is drunk.
Dear Joanna, I would say it really depends on the spirit. I tried these cheap South East Asian spirits too – and did not like them. To be honest, I am not a great fan of Awamori either – but I can acknowledge the taste difference between the varieties.
I have had Sake many times in India, but I didn’t know about Awamori. I hope that I get a taste of it in India. We have some good Japanese restaurants here. But nothing like experiencing the distilleries in Okinawa, the birthplace. And to think, it was also used to treat sword wounds! Certainly, a new drink in my bucket list.
Dear Ambica, yes try Awamori – by all means. For most people it is an aquired taste, but you might like it. Next thing on my drink bucket list is an aviation cocktail…..
Fascinating insight into Okinawa’s Awamori! Your exploration of its history, from trade routes to its role in World War II, adds depth. The narrative seamlessly intertwines tradition and modernity, highlighting Awamori’s resurgence post-WWII. I appreciate the recommendations for distillery visits and the unique aging process using clay jars. The personalized Awamori blend idea is a gem! The inclusion of practical details, such as where to try it and serving suggestions, makes this a must-read for anyone curious about Japanese spirits. Your engaging storytelling and informative content create a compelling guide to Awamori, enticing readers to savor its rich flavors.
Ah this is an interesting read. I don’t know much about Okinawa so it was very nice to read about the Awamori which I had not heard of before either. Was an aha-moment to read that Okinawa was not part of Japan and that the trade with Siam brought about the production of this drink.
Dear Adele Gee, yes, Okinawa is a different Japan, for sure. It has white beaches, blue ocean and a generally very relaxed vibe.
You’re right! Sake is the one that comes to mind. In fact, this is my first time to hear about Awamori and it is interesting to know how it has been developed. Will make sure to try this during our next trip to Japan and hopefully, will be able to visit the distilleries.
Dear Clarice, you can try Awamori in Okinawan restaurants all over Japan. But for the distillery tours you will have to fly to Okinawa in the south of Japan.
This post piqued my interest about Awamori. It’s educational and inspiring. The unique history, production process, and flavor profile all made me curious about it. If ever I visit Okinawa, I’ll surely try Awamori and experience a taste of Okinawan culture and history.
Dear Maria, Awamori is indeed fascinating with its history and flavors. If you ever make it to Okinawa, trying Awamori is a must for a taste of Okinawan culture and history. Cheers to new experiences!”