If you think of alcohol and Japan, then the first thing that springs to mind is sake – but there are other alcoholic drinks too, one of which comes from the island of Okinawa! Awamori is an alcoholic drink which is also known as shimazakae, or island sake.
Okinawan brown sugar, made from sugarcane grown in fields blessed with strong southern-island sunlight and minerals delivered by the ocean spray, is very rich in flavor.
Much like the holiday season in the States, December is the most cheerful time in Japan thanks to endless year-end parties, called bonenkai (literally, forget-the-year party).
During the holiday season in Japan, you will see KFCs filled on Christmas Day, while on New Year’s Eve, you will hear bells from temples heralding the arrival of the new year.
If you have traveled to Okinawa, you may have stumbled across a dish fit for kings. It’s true, rafute, or braised pork belly, was served as a staple to Okinawan royalty.