Brewers of Okinawa's specialty "awamori" distilled liquor are trying to raise the profile of aged varieties to weather a recent drop in demand.
Faced with falling shipments, the Okinawa Awamori Distillers Association took action in the spring to make the island prefecture "home to 'kusu' " (aged awamori).
Although kusu is immensely popular with tourists and overall annual sales were on the upswing beginning in 1992, demand has receded the last two years.