Why a Japanese spirit has been made with Thai rice for nearly 600 years

When speaking about rice wines, one usually thinks of sake, either warmed up or drunk cold to pair with some sushi or some izakaya fare. A drink brewed from polished rice, water, yeast, and koji mould, it is one of Japan’s largest alcohol exports. However, there is another rice wine that not only has centuries of history in Japan, but also has been made with rice from Thailand almost since its inception. Awamori, a spirit unique to Okinawa, Japan, has a rich history intertwined with Thailand. Its origins are in the 15th century during Japan’s Ryukyu Kingdom (AD1429 – 1879), a period marked by vibrant maritime trade. The kingdom established strong commercial and cultural ties with Southeast Asia, particularly Thailand, then known as Siam. The spirit’s origins go back to the Thai drink lao khao, with distillation techniques arriving in Okinawa from Thailand during the 15th century. At the time, Okinawa served as a trading hub linking Southeast Asia, China and Japan. Using Thai indica rice as the base of their wine, Okinawans refined the production process to suit their environment, integrating influences from neighbouring regions while incorporating their unique black koji mould. This adaptation gave awamori its distinctive smoothness and robust character. Awamori quickly gained cultural significance in Okinawa, becoming a drink for special occasions, rituals and as a gesture of hospitality. From the 15th to the 19th century, it was served as a tribute to Okinawa’s powerful neighbours, including China and Japan, symbolising both diplomacy and the kingdom’s maritime prominence. Awamori’s Thai roots are evident today; the long-grain indica rice imported from Thailand is still the most popular for its production. According to the World Integrated Trade Solution site, Thailand is the second largest global exporter of rice, representing 21 per cent of the global rice supply; in 2023, its global exports were valued at over US$4 billion. At the Thai Rice Networking Forum 2024, it was revealed that in 2023, 176,575 metric tons of rice worth over a billion Thai baht (US$29.3 million) were exported to Japan alone. Shingo Gokan, bartender and founder of SG Group, the parent company of Gokan bar in Hong Kong’s Central district, explains the characteristics of awamori. “[It] is made from long-grain rice and has a higher alcohol content, which can go up to 40 per cent,” he says. “Awamori is made by fermenting rice with koji and yeast to create a mash, which is then distilled to separate the alcohol from the solids. This can be done in one or multiple stages, and the spirit is often aged in clay pots, influencing its flavour. “Distillation enhances the flavour and aroma, resulting in a more intense spirit compared to sake,” he adds. “The higher alcohol content also changes the mouth feel and overall drinking experience.” There has been a small movement in Thailand to take rice wine production into the realm of Japanese sake. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Sei-i beverage (@seii_beverage) Chef Phanuphol Bulsuwan, affectionately known as Chef Black, owns modern Thai restaurant Blackitch in Chiang Mai. He started a drinks brand called Seii in 2019. Formerly a civil engineer who decided to pursue his passion for cooking, Black came up with the idea to create a sake using Thai rice, and by combining techniques from both cultures. “In Thailand we have a rice wine called sato, but it is a bit difficult to drink because we have high temperatures in Thailand and the wine can become over-fermented, making the spirit more sour and stinky,” says Black. “I blended the two methods. Sato uses glutinous sticky rice and the mould is usually derived from spice, but I used Japanese koji that is derived from rice only. “We can’t polish rice in our sake because Thai sticky rice is long grain and will crack, but glutinous rice compensates by having more starch, which means sugar, and it balances out the lack of polishing,” Black says. Seii brand’s Namasake has an alcohol content of 14 per cent, and Black describes it as having a balance of freshness and texture. The drink has an acidity reminiscent of stone and tropical fruits, and ends on a lingering sweet note. This experimentation with rice and techniques is also happening in Japan. Asked if there are distillers who use rice other than from Thailand for awamori, Gokan believes that the needle for awamori is also moving in Japan. “Most awamori uses Thai rice for its availability, but some producers use Japanese rice. Japanese rice can create a smoother, sweeter taste, while Thai rice may impart a more earthy flavour,” he says. “Awamori can be enjoyed chilled, on the rocks, or in a highball. For cocktails, it goes well with tropical fruits and citrus. It also pairs well with traditional Okinawan dishes.” Over at Blackitch, Seii’s hybrid of sato and sake is paired with Asian spices. “We usually serve our sake with our first course, which is something tangy and spicy. It pairs very well with this season’s starter of fermented tea leaves with sashimi using fish from the south of Thailand,” Black says.

Why a Japanese spirit has been made with Thai rice for nearly 600 years

Unlike sake, Okinawan spirit awamori is distilled, making it much more potent. To this day it is made with unpolished Thai long-grain rice