Food and Drinks

Thirty-five years ago German businessman Wolfram Opitz was sent to Tokyo for two months to help train a partner company in Japan. “What an interesting city and country,” he thought to himself. Today, he and his wife Yuka are the proud owners of Okinawa’s only German-style microbrewery at the steps of the island prefecture’s most famous landmark, Shuri Castle.

Travelers to Japan undoubtedly view sake as the traditional liquor of Japan. Histori-cally they wouldn’t be wrong, since Sudō Honke, the world’s oldest sake brewery (and one of the oldest companies in the world), was founded in 1141 in Ibaraki Prefecture, just north of Tokyo. However Southern Japan is home to another authentic Japanese spirit—shochu, which was first produced about 500 years ago, its roots firmly planted in Japan’s warmer southern climes.

Nozawa Onsen Distillery, situated in a refurbished canning factory, is the latest addition to the village's culinary and craft beverage scene, crafting elegant gin and whisky with local ingredients.

The Kuma River is the heart of the Kuma Valley with Hitoyoshi, a historic castle town, serving as the valley’s main hub. The vast...

Overfishing, ocean pollution and sea bed crawling, which destroys ocean floors, are just a few of the threats the ocean is facing...

Japan is famous for its super fast bullet trains, where cities and the countryside blur into one—the final destination, hundreds ...

Welcome to the Suruga region where unforgettable adventure and vibrant coastal charms await. This jewel of natural wonders in...

In nearly every brewery taproom you’ll find T-shirts, caps and other merchandise. The beer comes first, but the branded merch...