Subtropical Islands in Japan - The Former Ryukyu Kingdom Timeless Fine Liquor and Cuisine
Japan, which hosts the 2025 World Exposition (Osaka-Kansai Expo, from April 13th to October 13th), is a long archipelago stretching from north to south. Its charm lies in the diverse climates, landscapes, and deep-rooted cultures unique to each region, shaped through a long history. Okinawa Prefecture, located at the southwestern tip of Japan, is characterized by its subtropical climate and beautiful nature, including World Natural Heritage forests, white sandy beaches, and emerald green seas. Spanning approximately 1000km east to west and 400km north to south, this maritime area consists of the main island of Okinawa and 38 inhabited remote islands, in which the independent Ryukyu Kingdom once thrived for 450 years between China and Japan.
During the Ryukyu Kingdom era (1429-1879), a unique food culture developed to entertain envoys from China and Japan - countries with which the kingdom maintained tributary relationships - and to enrich the lives of royalty and nobility. The most representative examples of this are Awamori and Ryukyu cuisine.
In Okinawa, ground battles between Japanese and American forces took place at the end of World War II, resulting in the loss of storage jars in distilleries containing long-aged Awamori, some of which had been maturing for over 100 years. Nevertheless, after the war, traditions were revived by people who valued the culture, and currently, 46 distilleries are dedicated to Awamori production. In 2024, “traditional knowledge and skills of Sake-making with Koji mold in Japan (*)” including those used in Awamori production along with Japanese Sake and other beverages, were inscribed on the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage list.
“Awamori production was introduced from other countries around the 15th century, and it is believed to have evolved uniquely under the environment of Okinawa into what it is today. Its main characteristic is the use of the black Koji mold which enabled year-round production of Awamori even in the warm climate of Okinawa,” explains Akira Nakazato of Mizuho Shuzo, the oldest distillery (established in 1848) in Shuri, the ancient capital and birthplace of Awamori.
Awamori, made using only black Koji mold, yeast and water, undergoes a change in flavour and aroma through long-term aging, resulting in a mellow and sweet aged Awamori. Mizuho Shuzo’s “Royal Mizuho 5 Years Old” won awards at the IWSC, a world-class competition that has been running for over 50 years.
* Refers to Sake brewing techniques developed by master brewers and brewery workers based on experience, using traditional Koji molds, originating from the era before modern science was established and widely adopted.
In recent years, Nakazato has also started producing rum. Okinawa is one of Japan’s leading sugarcane-producing regions, and brown sugar made by boiling down the pressed juice is a specialty of eight remote islands. He has developed eight unique rums, each capturing the terroir of eight remote islands, as well as THE OKINAWA ISLANDS RUM, made with a blend of eight different types of brown sugar. He has also created liqueurs made from brown sugar and Awamori, and craft rum infused with Okinawan citrus and herbs.
Okinawa’s climate supports not only sugarcane but also a variety of unique island vegetables such as taro, bitter melon, loofah, winter melon, bitter lettuce, and island scallions, as well as fish and seaweed from nearby waters, and pork, of which every part is said to be edible - “everything but the oink” as the saying goes.
Ryukyu cuisine was born from these diverse ingredients. The royal chefs of the Ryukyu Kingdom fused Chinese and Japanese culinary traditions to create numerous unique dishes, which eventually spread to the general public. It is characterised by the wisdom of skillfully combining local ingredients and the cooking techniques that bring out their full potential. This is based on the ancient concept of “Nuchigusui (meaning food as medicine).”
Naturally, it pairs excellently with Awamori. Fresh Sashimi goes well with Awamori diluted with water to bring out the rice flavor. Sweet and savory Rafute (Okinawan braised pork belly) goes well with the complexity of aged Awamori. The pairing possibilities are endless.
“Mineral-rich but bitter medicinal herbs become delicious when eaten with Sashimi after being soaked in water to remove their bitterness. Pork is boiled for about six hours to remove excess fat, making it so tender it can be cut with chopsticks.” says Kazuko Shimoji, a Ryukyu Culinary Instructor at Kuninda Naha, which serves traditional Ryukyu cuisine.
The diverse soil and water of the subtropical islands, the blazing sun, and the minerals carried by the sea breeze create Okinawa’s terroir. Combined with a rich culture that has continued since the Ryukyu Kingdom, Okinawa offers the pleasure of tasting dishes and drinks that encapsulate the essence of the land.
Bottom image: traditional Ryukyu cuisine.
