Okinawa｜Visit Zuisen Sake Brewery to learn about the history of Awamori in Okinawa and try out new products

When you go to Okinawa, you will definitely see Awamori everywhere. This kind of wine is made of white rice like sake, but it uses black yeast. It is not brewed, but distilled, so the flavor and concentration are completely different from sake. The alcohol concentration is 25% to 30%, and you will get drunk if you are not careful. It is said that Awamori was introduced to Ryukyu from the Ayutthaya Dynasty in Thailand in the 15th century. At that time, Ryukyu was an important transshipment center for maritime transportation, which also explains why Thai rice is still used to make Awamori. In Shuri, the brewery that can make Awamori is limited to Shuri Sanka, and the Zuisen Brewery we visited is here. Because it is located near Zuisenmon, there is a dragon head spring there, and the spring water is particularly good, so Zuisen is used as a signboard. Since the Meiji period, this brewery has been deeply loved by Okinawans and has won many awards. In addition to documentaries introducing history and brewing methods, the first and second floors have a collection of many products produced by the brewery over the past hundred years. From ceramic jars, ceramic bottles, to glass bottles and portable bottles, it can be seen that Awamori is constantly changing its form as the times evolve. Finally, at the exhibition area on the first floor, there are four types of Awamori for tourists to try. When chatting with the staff, I learned that the distillation technology was introduced from Ryukyu to Kyushu, which led to the later shochu brewed from sweet potatoes in Kyushu. 📍Address: 〒903-0814 Shuri Sakiyama-cho 1-chome 35, Naha City, Okinawa Prefecture 🚗12 minutes walk from Shuri Station on the monorail #5月好去地方2025