A paradise of life
Where you forget everyday life
Kikai Island, floating alone in the clear sea, is small enough to be circled by bicycle. However, the nature that thrives there is astonishingly vivid. Coral swaying in the sea, tropical fish playing in the waves, banyan trees and cycads towering on the coast, and the endless sugarcane fields where the protected butterfly, the Great Orange Tip, can be seen. These are the blessings of Kikai Island that produce Asahi Shuzo's brown sugar shochu. Experience the scenery that makes you forget everyday life for yourself.
Uplifted Coral Reefs
Experiencing the Dynamism of the Earth
Imagine this.
Around 130,000 years ago, during the era when mammoths roamed, a coral reef emerged from the sea. This is the oldest coral reef that forms Kikai Island. Coral reefs, which are living beings like us, have over a long, long time become the land of this island. Moreover, the coral reef continues to rise even now, growing the island by about 2 mm per year.
The ancient life breathes in the land you step on and in the scenery before your eyes. You may find yourself wanting to touch the ground that you usually take for granted. It is a moment to experience the dynamism of the Earth.
Take a deep breath,
Enticed by the "Southern Lady"
Symbolizing the warm climate of Kikai Island throughout the year is the Great Orange Tip butterfly, also known as the "Southern Lady." Watching its beautiful wings flutter as it dances is like seeing a scene from paradise.
One of the charms of Kikai Island is the opportunity to witness various creatures: coral spawning in early summer, tropical fish like clownfish in the shallows, and sea turtles and whales offshore.
Seeing these creatures living naturally makes you forget everyday life. The sound of the waves, the wind touching your cheeks, the blue of the sky and sea. Your senses become sharpened, and you feel one with nature, taking a deep breath of fresh air. This is the calm and luxurious time unique to Kikai Island.
A Drop Reflecting the Blessings of Heaven and Earth
A sea so clear it astonishes visitors. Over 100 species of coral still thrive in the waters of Kikai Island. These corals nurture not only the beautiful sea and the fish and shrimp living in the shallows but also Asahi Shuzo's brown sugar shochu. The sugarcane, essential for brown sugar shochu, grows lush and green in the coral-rich soil, abundant in minerals and calcium.
The first morning sun, the clear sea, the land born from coral, and the rain, a blessing from heaven. The sugarcane, nurtured by the nature of Kikai Island, is eventually transformed into brown sugar and then into brown sugar shochu by human hands, becoming a drop that embodies the entirety of nature, people, and Kikai Island.
