Life is a series of questionable choices, like scrolling through TikTok for three hours or inviting your mother-in-law over for the weekend. 🙄 If you’re looking for a way to escape the “advice” about your lawn or your parenting skills, I’ve found a much more productive way to spend your time: drinking fermented rice juice in the north.
The 7th Nakijin Shuzo Distillery Festival 🍶
The folks at Nakijin Shuzo have been at this since 1948, so they clearly know more about aging gracefully than most of us. They’re throwing a party because apparently, selling alcohol isn’t enough; they want to see us try to navigate a “Hyper Local Sake Gacha.” 🎰 It’s like a gambling addiction but with a delicious, liquid payoff.
Model: @erina.in.japan
Special Perks for the Thirsty
There are distillery tours led by actual humans who know how the magic happens—fermentation, distillation, and aging. It’s educational, which is what you tell people when they ask why you’re at a distillery at 10:00 AM. 🎓
Speaking of questionable morning decisions, they’ve got Awamori Soft Serve Ice Cream. They claim it’s “different” this year, which is marketing speak for “we finally figured out the right ratio of booze to dairy.” 🍦
Entertainment for the Restless
If the alcohol hasn’t numbed your senses enough, they have a stage featuring Kitayamatei Menso-re, a local rakugo storyteller. There are also “performers,” which is a broad term that could mean anything from juggling to someone trying to fold a fitted sheet. 🎭 Plus, there are food trucks and stalls from local shops, because eating is generally recommended when you’re sampling high-proof spirits. 🚚
Don’t Miss This Seasonal Event in Okinawa Now
Where and When
The festivities take place at the Nakijin Shuzo Distillery located at 500 Nakasone, Nakijin Village, Kunigami District, Okinawa. 📍
The party kicks off Saturday, March 14, from 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM. 🕙
It continues Sunday, March 15, from 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM. 🕓
Admission is free, which is the best price for anything involving a distillery. There is parking, but it’s limited—much like your patience after an hour with the in-laws. 🚗
If you want to keep your liver busy or find something else to do besides staring at your phone, add this to your calendar or check out the website for more local events happening this week. 📅
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Disclaimer
⚠️Disclaimer: Our passion for supporting local businesses drives us to share information about events in the Okinawa area. Please note that Oki Social is not responsible for hosting this event. It’s important to be aware that the event’s host reserves the right to make changes or even cancel the event without prior notice. Some photos and videos may come from various sources on the internet, whether official or unofficial. It is possible that some photos and videos may have been taken from the same event in previous occurrences.
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