Right now, he uses imported beans from Ghana, Cuba, Vietnam and Colombia, but his goal is to combine locally grown sugar cane with locally grown cacao. ‘We’ve started a cacao farm in Ishigaki [one of the southernmost islands in Japan], and in about two to three years, the cacao will be ready for harvest. Just like awamori, this is a product that will represent Okinawa.’

As a chain of islands stretching over 1,000 kilometres, the ocean is a constant theme in Okinawa’s cuisine, especially through curious sea plants such as sea grapes and mozuku, a type of seaweed. However, interestingly, seafood doesn’t feature heavily in local cuisine. Daisuke Nakamura, a native Okinawan, is changing that by using all-local seafood. ‘Since I was born in Okinawa, Okinawan food is fundamental in my cuisine. I love the local, old school eateries,’ he says. But he wants to show that local ingredients can shine in a multitude of ways.