Okinawan Snake Sake

FOOD: Okinawan Snake Sake

Unique to Okinawa, ‘Okinawan snake wine’ or habushu is an awamori-based liqueur brewed with a whole venomous snake inside the bottle.

Using crushed rice and koji mould to create the alcoholic awamori (itself a process practiced only in Okinawa), distillers then add herbs and honey to give the liquid its distinctive yellow colour, before adding a whole poisonous habu viper. It is traditional to age habushu for a long period of time, and once ready to consume, the one-of-a-kind sake is thought to give the drinker strength and libido.

Image: Alex Rebbeck for ANA