New awamori takes aim at setting goals

Chiiki, a company based in Urasoe City aiming at developing unique Okinawa souvenirs with novelty added value, has started selling awamori labeled “Okinawa Awamori for 2020.”

To make the awamori, the company tied up with liquor wholesale distributor Kyan Shoten and awamori distillery Sakimoto Shuzo. The company calls the joint project as the first step of its “NEXT Okinawan Souvenir Development Project.”

The focus is to attract local people to take awamori as gifts on business trips outside Okinawa.

The bottle has a blank label on the back of the bottle where the recipient of the gift can write goals they want to achieve by 2020, and after three years, when the awamori has matured and become kusu (aged awamori), the person can drink it after achieving the stated goals.

Makoto Morimoto, the president of the company, explains the awamori would make a good communication piece when given to someone. “We are trying to improve the visibility of awamori, and at the same time to raising the image of the whole awamori business to a higher level.”

The Okinawa Awamori for 2020 sells for ¥4,320 per bottle, and is available at the liquor wholesale distributor Kyan Shoten in Maejima, Naha City, and on the basement floor of Ryubo department store in Palette Kumoji in Naha.