Yaesen Shuzo

Established in 1955 on a hilltop overlooking the Yaeyama islands, this awamori distillery still uses traditional direct-flame pot-still distillation while pairing it with long-term aging in western oak barrels, a combination it pioneered locally. Alongside its core awamori it now also makes habu-snake liqueur, fruit wine and vinegar, and runs distillery tours and tastings from its Ishigaki City plant.