NEWSLatestnews

Vessel Hotel (Head office: 4-27, Minami-Honjo 3-chome, Fukuyama City, Hiroshima Prefecture; President: Yoshiro Seo; hereinafter Vessel Hotels), which operates hotels nationwide under the vision of "We love you, your family, and this city.," will begin offering a new service for overnight guests at VESSEL HOTEL ISHIGAKI ISLAND (Location: Ishigaki City, Okinawa Prefecture; Manager: Kohei Hanashiro) from June 6, 2025. (Location: Ishigaki City, Okinawa; Manager: Kohei Hanashiro) will begin offering a welcome alcohol counter "Meguru Shima Sake" in the lobby as a new service for hotel guests on June 6, 2025, where they can enjoy Ryukyu Awamori (Okinawa Awamori) for free.
This service allows guests to taste signature awamori from six breweries on the island without leaving the lobby. The service is intended to provide visitors to Ishigaki Island with not only tourist information, but also an opportunity to deepen their knowledge of the traditional culture passed down on the island, and to encounter the taste of the island in the lobby, the first step of their hotel stay. The new "meeting place" will be in operation on a permanent basis from June 2025.

Touring "Awamori," a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage
In December 2024, "Traditional Japanese Sake Brewing" was registered as an Intangible Cultural Heritage by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). Among these, awamori, Japan's oldest distilled spirit, strongly reflects Ryukyu culture and has continued to preserve its unique traditions. With a history spanning over 600 years, awamori is rooted in the unique climate and culture of the Ryukyu Islands and remains an integral part of island life. VESSEL HOTEL ISHIGAKI ISLAND has recently installed a welcome alcohol counter in the lobby called "Meguru Island Sake" as a new initiative that combines Ishigaki Island's cultural experiences with local contributions. Guests can sample awamori from six unique breweries, from long-established breweries that continue to adhere to traditional methods to brewers offering innovative flavors. With instruction on how to drink and videos introducing the breweries, even those unfamiliar with awamori can enjoy the experience of touring the island's breweries with a cup in hand, and discover the rich local culture at the start of their stay.
The journey begins with this cup
Although the six awamori breweries that are rooted in Ishigaki Island are all on the same island, each has its own unique character and a wide variety of aromas and flavors.The island liquors, each with their own unique charm, quietly begin to tell the island's story, and your journey through awamori culture begins in the lobby.

・Awamori tasting experience comparing awamori from six breweries
As if touring the island, we offer six different types of Awamori, each with its own unique character, cultivated using traditional methods.
You can enjoy the unique taste.
Ikehara Sake Brewery... "Shirayuri" - A unique, handcrafted drink
Seifuku Sake Brewery... "Seifuku" - an island staple and an ever-evolving local sake
Takamine Sake Brewery... "Omoto" - Handcrafted flavors nurtured by the nature of Kabira Bay
Tamanaha Sake Brewery... "Tama no Tsuyu" - A traditional taste preserved by the oldest brewery in Yaeyama
Nakama Sake Brewery... "Miyanotsuru" - A family-run sake loved by the locals
Yaesen Sake Brewery... "Yaesen" - A refreshing taste in harmony with nature

・Experience the "shimanchu" way of drinking awamori
Another attraction is the opportunity to encounter awamori in everyday life, something you won't find on the go. In addition to on the rocks and with water, information boards introduce popular local drinking styles. Mixing awamori with dark roasted coffee is a classic for quiet evenings, while mixing it with fresh shikuwasa (citrus fruit) juice makes for a refreshing drink perfect for a summer afternoon. Enjoy a taste adventure unique to this region.

・Experience the world of Awamori through posters and introductory videos
With information cards, an "Awamori Map," and videos of each brewery, the hotel elevates the experience from "drinking" to "feeling and learning about" Awamori, offering a hotel stay itself as a cultural activity.

Integrating local culture with tourism experiences
This initiative was initiated with the registration of Awamori as a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage, and aims to promote Awamori as a "regional culture" rather than simply a beverage.
This is an attempt to redefine the concept of "culture." For our customers, it will be a new experience of "encountering culture at the beginning of a journey."
In order to make this a sustainable project where tradition and economy coexist for the region, we are working to incorporate the framework of tourism.
We aim to create a place that transcends the boundaries of local culture and encourages people to share their drinking habits.

Service Overview
・Name: Meguru Island Sake Counter
・Provision start date: June 6, 2025 (Friday) - Permanent
・Serving hours: 14:00-21:00 every day
・Venue: VESSEL HOTEL ISHIGAKI ISLAND lobby special counter
・Available only to overnight guests (free, self-service)
・Awamori provided: Ikehara Brewery, Seifuku Brewery, Takamine Brewery, Tamanaha Brewery, Nakama Brewery, Yaezumi Brewery (in alphabetical order)

Vessel Hotels [Official YouTube]
https://www.youtube.com/@vesselhotels.official
VESSEL HOTEL ISHIGAKI ISLAND Official Website
https://www.vessel-hotel.jp/hotel/ishigaki/