{"title":"Sakimoto Awamori Distillery","description":"\u003ch3\u003eSAKIMOTO AWAMORI DISTILLERY\u003cbr\u003eAwamori-Making Since 1902 in Shuri, Okinawa\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSakimoto Awamori Distillery was founded in 1902 in Shuri, Okinawa, the former royal capital of the Ryukyu Kingdom.\u003cbr\u003eAwamori is Okinawa’s distinctive distilled spirit, made from rice and black koji. With a history said to span more than 600 years, it has been passed down through generations, intertwined with Okinawa’s climate, cuisine, culture and everyday life.\u003cbr\u003eFor more than 120 years, Sakimoto Awamori Distillery has preserved this tradition and the craftsmanship behind it.\u003cbr\u003eYet its history has not always been an easy one.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBlack Koji That Survived the Flames\u003cbr\u003eA Single Orange Jasmine Tree and a Miraculous Revival\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn 1945, Shuri was devastated during the Battle of Okinawa, and Sakimoto Awamori Distillery was destroyed by fire.\u003cbr\u003eAlong with the equipment and tools needed to make Awamori, the black koji culture essential to production was believed to have been lost.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAfter the war, Seiryou Sakumoto, the second-generation owner, returned to the distillery ruins.\u003cbr\u003eThere, one clue remained: a single orange jasmine tree that had miraculously survived the fire.\u003cbr\u003eUsing the tree as a landmark, Seiryou searched for the site where the distillery had once stood. Among the ruins, he found fragments of a nikubuku, a woven rice-straw mat traditionally used in the koji-making process.\u003cbr\u003eThinking the black koji might still have survived, he placed pieces of nikubuku over steamed rice and left them overnight.\u003cbr\u003eThe following morning, black koji had begun to grow on the rice.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe culture that had survived the devastation of war had come back to life.\u003cbr\u003eIt is said that Seiryou was moved to tears at the sight.\u003cbr\u003eThe revival of this black koji not only marked a new beginning for Sakimoto Awamori Distillery but also breathed new life into Awamori production across Okinawa, which had suffered immense destruction during the war.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFor us, black koji is far more than an ingredient in Awamori production. It is a symbol of Okinawa’s resilience and of an Awamori culture that survived the devastation of war and continues to be passed down today.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cimg src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1094\/8454\/0242\/files\/C3A1499.jpg?v=1790212971\" style=\"aspect-ratio: auto !important;\" alt=\"\"\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAwamori Crafted Without Compromise\u003cbr\u003eHine-koji, Low-Temperature Fermentation and Minimal Filtration\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSince its founding, Sakimoto Awamori Distillery has followed one fundamental principle: never rush the process.\u003cbr\u003eOne example is the traditional practice of hine-koji, in which the black koji is cultivated for longer than usual. Allowing the koji to develop fully helps create greater depth and richness in the finished spirit.\u003cbr\u003eThe moromi mash is then fermented slowly at low temperatures for around 20 days.\u003cbr\u003eRather than prioritising speed or volume, we focus on achieving the right balance of aroma, umami and flavour.\u003cbr\u003eFiltration is also kept to a minimum in order to preserve the natural aroma and flavour compounds that give Awamori its distinctive character.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOur focus is not simply on whether the spirit tastes good today.\u003cbr\u003eWe also ask what kind of spirit it will become in five or ten years’ time.\u003cbr\u003eOkinawa has a long tradition of ageing Awamori to create kusu. It is a culture built on allowing a spirit to develop and mature with time.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAt Sakimoto Awamori Distillery, we make Awamori with that future potential in mind.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cimg src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1094\/8454\/0242\/files\/C3A1476.jpg?v=1790213061\" style=\"aspect-ratio: auto !important;\" alt=\"\"\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eTAKOYAMA\u003cbr\u003eNamed After a Real Mountain\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTAKOYAMA is not a name created simply for the brand.\u003cbr\u003eIt is the name of the mountain that rises directly in front of Sakimoto Awamori Distillery today.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn 2020, after nearly 120 years of making Awamori in Shuri, the distillery relocated to Onna Village on the west coast of Okinawa’s main island.\u003cbr\u003eIn this new home, we continue to preserve the traditions passed down from Shuri while taking on the challenge of creating Awamori for a new generation.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTo symbolise this new chapter, we chose the name of the mountain before us: TAKOYAMA.\u003cbr\u003eThe kanji characters 多幸山 may suggest the idea of a “Happy Mountain” in English. But this is not a name coined after the fact.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTakoyama is a real mountain.\u003cbr\u003eStep outside the distillery and you can see it for yourself.\u003cbr\u003eAt its foot, we continue to make Awamori today.\u003cbr\u003eSharing tradition with the world in new ways.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAt the heart of TAKOYAMA lies more than 120 years of Awamori-making tradition passed down through Sakimoto Awamori Distillery.\u003cbr\u003eBut to us, preserving tradition does not mean preserving only the ways Awamori has been enjoyed in the past.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eEnjoy it straight.\u003cbr\u003eOn the rocks.\u003cbr\u003eWith soda water as an AWAMORI HIGHBALL.\u003cbr\u003eOr in a cocktail that showcases a bartender’s creativity.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe want people around the world—including those discovering Awamori for the first time—to enjoy it freely, in whatever style suits them.\u003cbr\u003eThis is not about changing tradition. It is about sharing the value of that tradition with the world through contemporary ways of enjoying Awamori.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThat is what TAKOYAMA stands for.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cimg src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1094\/8454\/0242\/files\/IMG_8121_44_17199e4e-a29e-472a-b72a-8242862cdbfd.jpg?v=1790213190\" style=\"aspect-ratio: auto !important;\" alt=\"\"\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA Distillery at the Heart of Okinawan Culture\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eToday, Sakimoto Awamori Distillery is located within RyukyuMura, a cultural attraction in Onna Village, Okinawa.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTraditional Okinawan houses, music, performing arts, food and crafts all come together here, creating a place where visitors can experience many aspects of Okinawan culture.\u003cbr\u003eIt is within this setting that we make our Awamori—an unusual distilling environment even by international standards.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe do not want to introduce Awamori to the world simply as an alcoholic spirit.\u003cbr\u003eWe want each glass to become a gateway to Okinawa: an opportunity to discover its nature, its history and its culture.\u003cbr\u003eThrough a single glass of Awamori, we hope to share the story of the island behind it.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cimg src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1094\/8454\/0242\/files\/6eeaeda8ad5e730ef1b48fc32a3b3f47.jpg?v=1790213240\" style=\"aspect-ratio: auto !important;\" alt=\"\"\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFROM SHURI TO TAKOYAMA\u003cbr\u003eFROM OKINAWA TO THE WORLD\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSakimoto Awamori Distillery was founded in Shuri in 1902.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAlthough everything was lost in the devastation of war, a single orange jasmine tree that had survived became the clue that led to the ruins of the distillery. There, black koji that had miraculously survived the war was discovered, and with it, Awamori-making began once again.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eToday, at the foot of Takoyama in Onna Village, we carry that legacy forward while taking on new challenges in Awamori-making.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBlack koji that survived the devastation of war.\u003cbr\u003eCraftsmanship passed down for more than 120 years.\u003cbr\u003eAnd a new home at the foot of Takoyama.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFrom Shuri to Takoyama.\u003cbr\u003eFrom Okinawa to the world.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTAKOYAMA by SAKIMOTO AWAMORI DISTILLERY\u003cbr\u003eA Spirit of Okinawa, Since 1902.\u003c\/p\u003e","products":[{"product_id":"takoyama-happy-mountain-r44","title":"TAKOYAMA HAPPY MOUNTAIN R44%","description":"\u003cp\u003e“R” stands for Rich, Regular and Relic—representing richness and full flavour, the brand’s signature roots, and the history and tradition passed down through generations.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Sakimoto Awamori Distillery","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":54600738799954,"sku":null,"price":53.5,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1094\/8454\/0242\/files\/IMG_8121_44.jpg?v=1788868769"},{"product_id":"takoyama-happy-mountain-r24","title":"TAKOYAMA HAPPY MOUNTAIN R24%","description":"\u003cp\u003e“P” stands for Party, Paradise and Passion—reflecting Okinawa’s paradise-like sense of openness, time shared with friends, and a passion for creating new expressions of Awamori.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Sakimoto Awamori Distillery","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":54600744337746,"sku":null,"price":39.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1094\/8454\/0242\/files\/17578367858329-1_P.jpg?v=1789713354"},{"product_id":"awamori-highball-takoyama","title":"Awamori Highball Takoyama","description":"","brand":"Sakimoto Awamori Distillery","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":54600969191762,"sku":null,"price":0.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1094\/8454\/0242\/files\/0822101310_6a88f7a68f1e2.jpg?v=1789713333"}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1094\/8454\/0242\/collections\/distilleries_sakimoto_image_main.jpg?v=1788773176","url":"https:\/\/www.awamori-trade-hub-uk.jp\/collections\/sakimoto-awamori-distillery.oembed","provider":"Awamori Trade Hub UK","version":"1.0","type":"link"}