The Ryukyu Dynasty flourished in the Middle Ages thanks to trade with East Asia. Awamori, a distilled spirit made by traditional methods, was a precious distilled liquor that was handed down as a treasure of the dynasty. Protecting this great distilled liquor called "awamori" and serving as a shield to protect the Ryukyu Dynasty was the world's most powerful martial arts, karate. The origin of karate is said to be Okinawan karate. Let's embark on a journey to visit the distilled liquor protected by the inherited techniques of the "samurai" of the Ryukyu Dynasty.
The relationship between AWAMORI and KARATE
When traveling in Okinawa, awamori is something that must be understood to further understand Okinawan culture. Let's look at awamori that plays a role in various scenes of local life.
Depending on how it is consumed, awamori has different tastes and can be enjoyed as cocktails. Here are some awamori cocktails to experience a new way of enjoying awamori.
There are about 50 awamori distilleries in Okinawa. At these distilleries, visitors can enjoy the atmosphere unique to distilleries in Okinawa and sample "KUSU" aged in earthenware pots and bottles. Let's look at the secrets of awamori distilleries.*"KUSU" (aged 3 to 10 years)
Awamori is an alcoholic drink that can be enjoyed in various ways. Here, we will introduce the recommended ways to drink awamori, from the standard way of drinking in Okinawa to the casual ways of enjoying awamori. *In the main section, "KUSU" is used to drink awamori straight. Unaged awamori is used for drinking on the rocks and with water. *"KUSU" (aged 3 to 10 years), unaged (stored for less than 3 years)
Karate is known all over the world, but its origin is deeply rooted in Okinawa. Explore historical monuments and related facilities of Okinawan karate.
Around Okinawa, there are traditional karate dojos (training halls) that attract foreign visitors. Accepting beginners to the experts, they offer programs that teach karate and provide healthy workouts.
A healthy lifestyle centered on daily diet and exercise exists in Okinawa. There are new exercises that are based on the "KATA", movements, and breathing techniques of karate. These provide health benefits for both the body and mind.
As the birthplace of Karate, Okinawa is home to three of its original forms — Naha-te, Shuri/Tomari-te and Uechi-ryu — which evolved into Okinawa's modern-day karate schools. Visit the mecca of Karate to discover Okinawa's treasured martial art.