Okinawa

Okinawa sits closer to Taiwan than to Tokyo, and its drinking culture has always run on its own terms. For most visitors that means Orion, the island lager brewed in Nago since 1957 and poured in every izakaya from Naha to the northern beaches. But over the past decade a small independent craft scene has grown up alongside it, with microbreweries making use of island ingredients such as Kudaka Island barley, local citrus and heirloom rice. Naha is the natural starting point. The prefectural capital's main drag, Kokusai Street, is flanked by covered market arcades and back lanes where some of the island's most interesting bars hide on upper floors. Ukishima-dori, a short street of vintage shops and cafes just off Kokusai Street near the Makishi Public Market, is home to one of Okinawa's own brewery taprooms, pouring beer made a few metres from the bar. Beyond the capital, the resort strip at Chatan and the northern town of Nago, home of Helios and Orion, give beer travellers reasons to head up the coast. Whether you are winding down after a day on the beach or exploring the markets of Naha after dark, Okinawa's craft beer is well worth seeking out.