Masahiro Distillery and Gallery
まさひろ酒造・泡盛まさひろギャラリー26°09′ N 127°39′ EDistilleryFounded in 1883
Masahiro Distillery's gallery in Itoman, about 15 minutes south of Naha Airport, lets you view the plant, see a collection of 50-year-old vintage awamori and taste distillery-only kusu, all for free. It opens daily from 9:00 to 17:00 and closes only for the New Year.
Photo Blue Lotus from Okinawa · Wikimedia Commons · CC BY 2.0
Masahiro was founded in 1883, in the Meiji era, and is a long-established awamori house. Its gallery in Nishizaki, Itoman, tells the history of awamori and how it is made. Upstairs you can look into the plant and see a collection of vintage awamori up to 50 years old.
Downstairs is the tasting counter for kusu sold only at the distillery, and the shop. Its labels include a five-year kusu named for the Shuri Castle Seiden.
Visiting with care
The gallery is run by the distillery beside its plant, so visitors see production from the gallery route.
- Entry, the factory viewing and tastings are free
- The free car park holds five cars
- Keep hands off the jars and tanks
- Ask before photographing inside the plant
- Japan's drink-driving ban covers bicycles; arrange a lift or a walk if you plan to taste
Worth knowing
- It is open every day apart from the New Year, which makes it a reliable rainy-day stop in the south.
- Japan's drink-driving ban covers bicycles, so plan tastings for a day you are not riding, or let someone else do the pedalling.
FAQ
Quick answers about Masahiro Distillery and Galleryよくある質問
Is the Masahiro awamori gallery free?
Yes. Entry, factory viewing and tastings at the Masahiro gallery in Itoman are free. It opens 9:00–17:00 every day except 30 December to 3 January.
Can you visit Masahiro Distillery and Gallery?
Open to visitors. Entry, the factory viewing and tastings are free. The free car park holds five cars.
What are the hours and entry fee at Masahiro Distillery and Gallery?
Masahiro Distillery and Gallery is open 9:00–17:00 (last entry 16:30) and entry is free.
How should you behave at Masahiro Distillery and Gallery?
At Masahiro Distillery and Gallery: Keep hands off the jars and tanks. Ask before photographing inside the plant. Japan's drink-driving ban covers bicycles; arrange a lift or a walk if you plan to taste.
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