Sake International Association – Best Sake Breweries, Top Sake Breweries
    Facebook Twitter Instagram
    Sake International Association – Best Sake Breweries, Top Sake Breweries
    Banner
    • Home
    • Breweries
      • Sake Breweries by Prefectures
      • Best Japanese Breweries
    • People
      • Sake Samurai
    • Awards
    • Others
      • Sake Learning
      • Events
      • Sake & Food
    Sake International Association – Best Sake Breweries, Top Sake Breweries
    Home»Top Sake Breweries in Japan»Okinawa Sake Breweries – Top 11 Sake Breweries
    Top Sake Breweries in Japan

    Okinawa Sake Breweries – Top 11 Sake Breweries

    Okinawa Sake Breweries

    Okinawa Prefecture is located on the Ryukyu Islands. In the Okinawan dialect, Awamori is called “Saki”. For the locals, sake was Awamori. Japan’s oldest spirits, Awamori is said to have a history of 600 years. It uses Thai rice (Indica rice) to make koji (mold), ferment it by adding water and yeast, and then distilled it by using pot stills. It is said that this manufacturing method hasn’t changed much from 600 years ago. Awamori that has been aged for three years or more is called “Kusu”. The greatest feature of awamori is as time passes, the ingredients inside of awamori continue to mature and the flavor changes, so after bottling, it still grows to become much more tasteful kusu. In Okinawa, pouring the alcohol in a clay pot or a bottle for aging is often expressed as “let it sleep”, the longer you let it sleep the more it becomes sweeter and creates mellow texture in your mouth. The richness of its flavor is equaled to the world’s most renowned whiskeys and brandies.


    Chuko Awamori Sake Brewery

    The company was originally named Tomigusuku Distillery and founded by Chuko Oshiro in Tomigusuku city located next to Naha city in 1949. Later in 1980, they changed the name to Chuko Distillery. With a basic concept of “Succession and Creation of Awamori Culture”, we have worked hard and pursued a new possibility of Awamori. Our mottoes are “Learn, Listen, Create, and Challenge”. We are going to expand our targeted area in and out of Okinawa and spread Awamori culture until you hear and know “Ryukyu Awamori”, hoping we can contribute to not only our community but also to the whole of Japan, and to the world.

    Brewery Info

    Representative: Tsutomu Oshiro
    Address: 132 Nakachi, Tomigusuku City, Okinawa
    TEL: +81-98-850-1257
    FAX: +81-98-850-1204
    Foundation (year) 1949
    Visit Chuko Awamori Sake Brewery Website


    Helios Sake Brewery

    Helios Sake Brewery was founded in 1961. The brewery is a comprehensive liquor manufacturer headquartered in Kyoda, Nago City, Okinawa Prefecture which has six types of manufacturing licenses: Awamori, Spirits, Whiskey, Spirit, Beer, and Happoshu. Taking advantage of Okinawa’s unique history and abundant local resources that have benefited from nature, the brewery is sticking to raw material and valuing traditional manufacturing methods. As part of the sustainable sake brewing that will lead to 100 years from now, the brewery is actively working on sake brewing that takes the natural environment into consideration. In addition to efforts to reuse, recycle resources and reduce water supply, they are working to reduce CO2 by introducing solar power generation. 

    Brewery Info

    Representative: Ryo Matsuda
    Address: 405 Kyoda, Nago, Okinawa
    TEL: +81-980-52-3372
    FAX: +81-980-52-0878
    Foundation (year) 1961
    Visit Helios Sake Brewery Website


    Kumesen of Kumejima Sake Brewery

    Ryukyu Awamori has been loved by people since the time of the glorious Ryukyu dynasty in the Middle Ages and has been spinning its history as a crystal of traditional culture to this day. Since its founding in 1949, the company “Kumejima’s Kumesen” has been nurtured by the blessed nature of Kumejima and a rich climate, and while valuing the “stickiness” of its predecessor, making awamori loved by everyone. Through the taste of their sake, you will experience the commitment to making awamori and the charm of the famous sake Ryukyu Awamori.

    Brewery Info

    Representative: Masaya Shimabukuro
    Address: Uegusuku 2157, Shimajiri-gun, Kumejima-cho, Okinawa
    TEL: +81-98-985-2276
    FAX: +81-98-985-0011
    Foundation (year) 1949
    Visit Kumesen of Kumejima Sake Brewery Website


    Mizuho Shuzo Sake Brewery

    Mizuho Shuzo is a brewery that was born in the ancient city of Shuri in 1848 AD in the first year of Kaei. In the year of the throne of King Sho Tai of the Ryukyu Kingdom, its history has been nurtured and cherished along with the tradition of the royal family. Ryukyu Awamori made by Mizuho Shuzo is a historical and traditional awamori. Awamori was managed as a precious sake and was made only in the three towns of Shuri Castle (Shuri Sanka). Mizuho Shuzo is the oldest existing brewery in Shuri, which was founded in Toribori-cho, one of the three Shuri-sanka.

    Brewery Info

    Representative: Misako Tamanaha
    Address: Shurisueyoshi-cho 4-5-16, Naha City, Okinawa
    TEL: +81-98-885-0121
    FAX: +81-98-885-0202
    Foundation (year) 1848
    Visit Mizuho Shuzo Sake Brewery Website


    Nakijin Shuzo Sake Brewery

    There are many theories as to the origin of the name, but one theory is that the name comes from a newcomer (Imaki) who moved to the Motobu Peninsula from the north and settled there, and another is that Nakizumi is an old pronunciation of “Nakizumi”, which means “fish”. The name “Nakizumi” is said to have been changed to “Nakijin” as we know it today in the 17th century. The rich nature, water and air of Nakijin, with the skill and love of the Toji, who sincerely cherishes Awamori, are all factors in brewing and maturing the Awamori of Nakijin Shuzo. At the foot of the World Heritage Site of Nakijin Castle, located in the scenic Nakijin area where the history of the three mountains of Ryukyu is preserved, the 24 large storage tanks are the symbol of Nakijin Brewery.

    Brewery Info

    Representative: Yosuke Oshiro
    Address: 500 Nakasone, Nakijin-village, Kunigami-gun, Okinawa
    TEL: +81-980-56-2611
    FAX: +81-980-56-4598
    Foundation (year) 1948
    Visit Nakijin Shuzo Sake Brewery Website


    Okinawa Prefecture Sake Brewery Cooperative

    Awamori produced by union members is procured, and high-quality awamori is stably exported outside the prefecture as “old sake” by long-term storage, and raw rice and other materials are jointly purchased to stabilize the industry and improve its economic status. The union was established in September 1976 with the participation of all 46 awamori manufacturers in the prefecture for the purpose of planning, and the business started in November of the same year. When collecting undiluted sake for storage, they commission a liquor expert such as a university professor to a liquor quality examination committee every year to strictly check the liquor quality and strive to secure and supply high-quality awamori.

    Brewery Info

    Representative: President Tsutomo Oshiro
    Address: 2-8-9 Minatomachi, Naha City, Okinawa
    TEL: +81-98-868-1470
    FAX: +81-98-862-7032
    Foundation (year) 1976
    Visit Okinawa Prefecture Sake Brewery Cooperative Website


    Yamakawa Shuzo Sake Brewery

    The northern region of Okinawa Island has long been referred to as Yanbaru, a name that is not seen on maps. Yamakawa Shuzo is situated at the bank of Manna River, where the water flows through the rich nature of Yaedake in Motobu Town. The Awamori is distilled using this clear, pure water that flows in abundance from the mountains which gives Awamori a deep and mellow taste and a sweet aroma, and is referred to as “Awamori, the Art of Sake.”

    Brewery Info

    Representative: Munekatsu Yamakawa
    Address: Namisato 58, Kanigamigun Motobu, Okinawa
    TEL: +81-980-47-2136
    FAX: +81-980-47-6622
    Foundation (year) 1946
    Visit Yamakawa Shuzo Sake Brewery Website


    Zuisen Sake Brewery

    Zuisen sake brewery was founded on May 1st, 1887. In the old days, in order to maintain the high quality of Awamori, the government of Ryukyu Kingdom allowed brewing Awamori in 3 castle towns – Sakiyama, Akata and Torihori, these 3 towns were called Sanka. Sanka was in strict control over Awamori and kept its traditional taste. Shuri’s high-quality Awamori, “Ryukyu Awamori Zuisen” was named by Kouei Kyan, the founder of Zuisen sake brewery. There was a gushing fountain in the middle of stone steps that head to the 2nd gate of Shuri Castle. The official name of the fountain is “Zuisen.” However, water came out of a hole that was designed as a head of the dragon, so it is also known as “Ryuhi”.

    Brewery Info

    Representative: Gaku Sakumoto
    Address: 1-35 Shuri Sakiyama-cho, Naha City, Okinawa
    TEL: +81-98-884-1968
    FAX: +81-98-886-5969
    Foundation (year) 1887
    Visit Zuisen Sake Brewery Website


    Masahiro Sake Brewery (formerly known as  Higa Shuzo)

    Brewery Info

    Representative: Masakuni Higa
    Address: 5-8-7 Nishizaki-cho, Itoman-City, Okinawa
    TEL: +81-98-994-8080
    FAX: +81-98-995-0800
    Foundation (year) 1883
    Visit Masahiro Sake Brewery Website


    Tsukayama Sake Brewery

    Tsukayama Sake Brewery was founded around 1918 in Nago-cho, Kunigami-gun, a land of famous water located in the northern part of the main island of Okinawa Prefecture. The current brewery was built between 1945 and 1945, it is one of the largest existing wooden buildings with a red-tiled roof. Most of the buildings in Nago Town were destroyed in the Pacific War, but the facility was ingested as a bread factory of the US military after the war, and the remnants of that time remain in the building. The “Tsukazan Liquor Store Preservation Society” was established on January 29, 2005, and the facility is open to the public for the purpose of preserving its historical value and various uses as a base for sightseeing in the town. In addition, it was designated as a tangible registered cultural property by the Agency for Cultural Affairs on March 23, 2006. The brewery continues to carefully make only Okinawan sake – Awamori “Kokka”.

    Brewery Info

    Representative: Minoru Zukemura
    Address: 1-14-6 Oonaka, Nago city, Okinawa
    TEL: +81-980-52-2070
    FAX: +81-980-52-2070
    Foundation (year) 1924
    Visit Tsukayama Sake Brewery Website


    Uehara Sake Brewery

    It has been more than 60 years since we had a brewery in Zaha, Itoman City, Okinawa Prefecture. We are working on making delicious sake that is kind to the body by applying electronic techniques (negative ions). Innovative technologies such as carbon burial and electronic charging have made it possible to activate raw materials and produce deep-flavored awamori without using old sake. Introducing this technique has earned it a high reputation, including receiving the prefectural governor’s award from the Awamori Appreciation Society in a row.

    Brewery Info

    Representative: Tyouei Uehara
    Address: Aza Zaha 1061, Itoman City, Okinawa
    TEL: +81-98-994-6320
    FAX: +81-98-995-2823
    Foundation (year) 1947
    Visit Uehara Sake Brewery Website

    Chuko Awamori Sake Brewery Helios Sake Brewery Kumesen of Kumejima Sake Brewery Masahiro Sake Brewery (formerly known as  Higa Shuzo) Mizuho Shuzo Sake Brewery Nakijin shuzo Sake Brewery Okinawa Prefecture Sake Brewery Cooperative Okinawa Sake Breweries Tsukayama Sake Brewery Uehara Sake Brewery Yamakawa Shuzo Sake Brewery Zuisen Sake Brewery
    Share. Facebook Twitter Pinterest LinkedIn Tumblr Email
    Previous ArticleEgg Sake – The Cold Remedies from Japan
    Next Article Irish People Taste Japanese Alcohol
    SIA

    Related Posts

    Niigata Sake Breweries – Top 27 Sake Breweries

    Wakayama Sake Breweries – Top 1 Sake Breweries

    Osaka Sake Breweries – Top 2 Sake Breweries

    Leave A Reply

    You must be logged in to post a comment.

    Recent Posts

    Marie Cheong-Thong

    Minami Taiheiyo Sake Brewery

    Chiyonokame Sake Brewery – Best Sake Breweries in Japan

    Sake Videos

    Kishu no Umeshu Sake Brewery

    About
    About

    Sake International Association

    At the Sake International Association, it is ultimately our shared enjoyment of Japanese Sake & Shochu and unique experiences that brings people together.

    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    Popular Posts

    Marie Cheong-Thong

    Minami Taiheiyo Sake Brewery

    Chiyonokame Sake Brewery – Best Sake Breweries in Japan

    • Home
    • Breweries
      • Sake Breweries by Prefectures
      • Best Japanese Breweries
    • People
      • Sake Samurai
    • Awards
    • Others
      • Sake Learning
      • Events
      • Sake & Food

    Gunma Izumi Sake Brewery

    Gunma Izumi Brewery Since 1863 we have brewed Sake with local rice in a traditional…

    Explore Japan’s Hidden World – Sake Brewery Tour Tokyo

    The Birth of Sake – an award winning movie

    Gassan Sake Brewery

    About

     

    At the Sake International Association, it is ultimately our shared enjoyment of Japanese Sake & Shochu and unique experiences that brings people together.

    Sake Articles

    Pairing Sushi and Sake with Timothy Sullivan and Chef Nakajima

    Iwate Sake Breweries – Top 9 Sake Breweries

    Marie Cheong-Thong

    Instagram

    Copyright © 2021. The Sake International Association.

    Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.

    en English
    en Englishes Españolfr Françaisit Italianoja 日本語ar العربيةde Deutschru Русскийpt Portuguêszh-CN 简体中文