A slice of Americanawa pie

Story and photos by Keith T. Graff

One thing that most newcomers to Japan notice is that locals don’t do many of the same things Americans do. No celebration of Thanksgiving, Easter, Labor Day or other U.S. standard holidays. They have adopted Christmas and St. Valentine’s Day. However, neither day carries the religious significance that Americans may attach to it. Aside from seeing homes and businesses being illuminated, gift giving and Santa Claus for the kids, it isn’t quite the same. Okinawans have adopted a bit more of the Christmas spirit than the rest of Japan. Even when it’s only for the commercial aspect and business, it helps to make us feel more at home.

For those who have recently frequented the haunts around the Mihama American Village, you probably noticed that during October, the place was awash with Halloween decorations. Here on Okinawa, due to the American influence, Halloween has taken root, Decorations for Christmas are just as festive.

Sometimes it is the little things that help take down the fences in the hearts and minds between folks. If the local communities show themselves friendly to our presence, we open our hearts and homes in return. Friendship is a two way street. I can think of no place on island that is friendlier to the American presence than the American village in Chatan town.

Look around and find symbols of America everywhere. From the flag to pop culture to food and American Idol, it’s out in the open and on display. If you are feeling homesick, make the short trip to Mihama American Village for a little slice of American pie.

culture corner: Nipponese Christmas

Mochi roasting on a charcoal fire. Oden (hot pot soup) bubbling on an open stove. Artificial trees, no Christmas movie reruns, and sake instead of eggnog. While Christmas is probably one of the most important holiday of the American calendar, in Japan it’s far more commercial. With the Christian population in Japan a meager two percent, most Japanese remain completely ignorant of the religious origins behind Christmas. Nearly every store has a major sale. Jewelry stores cater to couples. Bakeries bake batch after batch of white Christmas cake. Home depot stores reveal their stock of Christmas lights (which tend to be much more expensive), and even grocery stores sell little boots stuffed with candy for the kids. In fact, unless Christmas falls on a Sunday, the holiday remains a regular work/school day. Even the familiar jolly old Saint Nick is not as significant as in Western culture. While some households put up lights, most of the decorating is left to enterprising businesses and stores. And though Christmas gifts are exchanged in Japan, the practice of giving oseibo (end-of- the-year gifts of appreciation) containing jellies, fruit, ham, dried fish, candy, beer, etc. is more popular.

Christmas was introduced to Japan during the 16th century by European missionaries, with the first recorded Christmas celebration held during 1552 in Yamaguchi Prefecture. In 1612, however, the Imperial government of Japan banned Christianity and its practices, forcing missionaries and their followers to celebrate Christmas in secrecy for nearly 250 years until the beginning of the Meiji era. Christmas was completely disregarded by the Japanese during World War II, when the practice of American customs was highly frowned upon.

Despite Christmas’ miniscule part in Japan’s history, the Japanese have adopted it into their culture and have even invented their own small Christmas quirks. Gift exchanging has grown popular, particularly with couples and families. Most households with children often decorate and display an artificial Christmas tree. Some families even partake in a special Christmas dinner, which often takes the form of a Kentucky Fried Chicken Christmas bucket. Seventy- three percent of the Japanese celebrate Christmas with cake. However, rather than the traditional Western brick of fruitcake, the Japanese Christmas cake is a creamy confection of white shortcake often topped with edible Christmas decorations and strawberries. Christmas is especially popular with young couples. It’s seen as a time for young lovers to spend time with each other and exchange gifts. Some go for a nighttime stroll to admire the Christmas lights together. Others go to the movies. Many, however, celebrate by spending a romantic candlelit dinner at a fancy restaurant or hotel. So, reservations must be made at least a month in advance.

—Mina Furusho

hey, mike: Sake vs Awamori

Are there any differences between Japanese sake and Okinawan awamori?And, is awamori originally Japanese?

—Lisa McDermott

Many people in Japan use the word “sake” as a generic term referring to all alcoholic beverages. However, the term actually applies to a specific group of liquids— mainly rice wines produced in mainland Japan. Sake, like awamori, is created from rice. But while sake uses white yeast and primarily locally grown rice in the fermentation process, the production of awamori requires black yeast and rice from Thailand.

During the 14th to 16th centuries, the Ryukyu Kingdom was an established trading hub between Asian countries— mostly due to the island’s geographic location. Also, many traditional Okinawan items, such as the sanshin (a musical instrument derived from China), and kasuri (a style of dyed fabric from India and Southeast Asia), were integrated into Okinawa from a countless number of cultures.

Chinese records state that awamori was first believed to have been distilled in the Ryukyu Kingdom after being introduced by local seafarers who brought a brew called lao-lon back from Siam (now known as Thailand) about 500 years ago.

Throughout history awamori has played an important role in Ryukyuan diplomacy. During the days of the Ryukyu Kingdom, Imperial representatives visiting from China were served aged awamori of the finest quality—called kusu—during visits to Shuri Castle. During the occupation of the Ryukyu Kingdom by the samurai of Mainland Japan, tribute delegations from Okinawa were sent to Edo (now Tokyo) with a myriad of valuable offerings, including awamori.

While there have been technological advances over the years, the process of creating awamori has pretty much stayed the same. It begins with the washing and soaking of long or short grain Thai rice. The rice is steamed for approximately an hour, blended with black yeast, and then fed into a mash processor. After ingredients such as mineral water are added, the mash is fermented into unrefined awamori. This liquid is then distilled, refined, and then stored; the longer the better—aging is what produces the finest quality kusu awamori. Only awamori that has been aged at least three years or more after distillation can be called kusu. The average age for a reasonably good bottle of kusu is at least 10 to 15 years old.

Since ancient times, a process called shitsugi has been used to mature awamori into kusu. Shitsugi is the practice of periodically decanting and transferring awamori through a sequence of clay urns, beginning from the oldest to the newest, over a period of 15 to 20 years. Descendents of former Ryukyu kings kept two to three hundred year old bottles of kusu stored in caves before World War II. Served only to honored guests once every few years, these spirits were precious treasures to their owners. Most of the old kusu did not survive the mass destruction of the war.

Fortunately, the awamori trade did survive. Today there are over 40 distillers producing over 800 brands with prices ranging from around 1,000 yen to 100,000 yen. And, while there are varieties of awamori and kusu (some well over the age of 30) that cater to every palate, the palates themselves should be at least 21 years old before imbibing.

—Mike Daley

Got questions for Mike? E-mail editor@okinawa.usmc-mccs.org.