{"id":175851,"date":"2026-05-26T15:07:37","date_gmt":"2026-05-26T06:07:37","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.allway-japan.com\/?post_type=specialpost&p=175851"},"modified":"2026-05-26T16:43:50","modified_gmt":"2026-05-26T07:43:50","slug":"%e4%b8%96%e7%95%8c%e4%b8%80%e7%be%8e%e5%91%b3%e3%81%97%e3%81%84%e6%97%a5%e6%9c%ac%e9%85%92%e3%82%92%e9%81%b8%e3%81%b6%e3%80%8csake-competition%e3%80%8d%e5%af%a9%e6%9f%bb%e4%bc%9a%e3%81%8c%e5%ae%9f","status":"publish","type":"specialpost","link":"https:\/\/www.allway-japan.com\/en\/specialpost\/175851\/","title":{"rendered":"Judging Session Held for \u201cSAKE COMPETITION,\u201d the Contest to Select the World\u2019s Finest Sake"},"content":{"rendered":"

\u25a0 Some Hidden-Gem Breweries Have Achieved Sudden Success After Receiving Awards<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The \u201cSAKE COMPETITION,\u201d one of the world's largest competitions driving trends in Japanese sake, was held again this year. The judging took place over three days, from May 12 to May 14, 2026.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u25bc SAKE COMPETITION Official Site:https:\/\/sakecompetition.com\/<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The purpose of the SAKE COMPETITION is to introduce as many people as possible to truly high-quality sake available on the market. While some competitions feature special sake brewed specifically for the event to showcase technical skills, the SAKE COMPETITION requires that all entries be sake that can be purchased in stores.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The judging process employs a blind tasting method, in which the specific brands are not disclosed. This ensures that evaluations are based solely on taste, free from any preconceptions. As a result, every brewery has an equal chance of winning, and the top-ranked brands often sell out immediately. It is quite common for previously unknown breweries to skyrocket to stardom as a result of this competition.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In addition to the five categories for the 2026 competition\u2014\u201cJunmai,\u201d \u201cJunmai Ginjo,\u201d \u201cJunmai Daiginjo,\u201d \u201cSUPER PREMIUM,\u201d and \u201cModern Natural\u201d\u2014a special \u201cAwamori\u201d category has been added to commemorate the planned reconstruction of the Main Hall of Shuri Castle in the fall of 2026.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u25a0 Japan\u2019s Only Sake Competition That Evaluates Its Judges as Well<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The judges for the SAKE COMPETITION are all \u201celite members of the sake industry,\u201d including technical advisors and brewery owners. This year, more than 1,000 sake entries from 367 breweries around the world were tasted.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The judging for this competition is exceptionally rigorous. The process consists of preliminary and final rounds, but if judges give differing evaluations of the same sake, they themselves face penalty points, and it is not uncommon for them to be removed from the judging panel the following year or later. With their own tasting abilities on the line, the judges\u2019 expressions were utterly serious. The venue was filled with a tension reminiscent of a sacred ritual. Consequently, the level of trust in this competition is unparalleled, and it is also known as the only event where the legendary \u201cJuyondai\u201d is entered.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Under this strict system, one of the long-serving judges, Mr. Iwao Niizawa, Representative Director of Niizawa Sake Brewery, spoke with us after the judging.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Niizawa Sake Brewery (Miyagi Prefecture) Aims to Craft \u201cThe Ultimate Sake to Accompany Meals\u201d\u3000https:\/\/niizawa-brewery.co.jp\/<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

\u201cOverall, the quality and standard of the entries have improved this year, with many showcasing a lively effervescence. While there are still technical challenges to address\u2014such as carbonation and fermentation control\u2014I believe this trial and error is a sign of new initiatives. As for the judging panel, I hope to see more young people and women joining in the future.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u25a0 The Awards Ceremony and Celebration Party Are Open to the Public<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The announcement of the final results and the awards ceremony for the \u201cSAKE COMPETITION 2026\u201d are scheduled for June 10, 2026, at TAKANAWA GATEWAY CITY (Minato Ward, Tokyo). The event is open not only to sake brewers and the media but also to the general public. Last year, approximately 300 people attended, and the venue was filled with a unique sense of anticipation and excitement.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Following the awards ceremony, it\u2019s time for the party. Selections from the top 20% of sake entries across all categories will be served, along with dishes specially created to pair with the sake by the head chef of \u201cHappo-en\u201d (Minato-ku, Tokyo), a renowned long-established restaurant and wedding venue.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u25bc Awards Ceremony & Celebration Party Ticket Sales Site:https:\/\/peatix.com\/event\/4764559<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

This is an extremely rare opportunity to witness the moment when the \u201cfinest sake\u201d is announced, as selected by judges with advanced sensory evaluation skills. It is a must-see event for sake enthusiasts, offering the chance to savor exquisite pairings between top-tier sake\u2014which has passed rigorous judging\u2014and premium cuisine.<\/p>\n\n\n\n


* This article is machine translated from Japanese to other foreign languages<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Characterized by its rigorous, impartial judging process, this competition can serve as a launching pad for up-and\u2011coming brands, propelling them to instant stardom.<\/p>","protected":false},"author":69,"featured_media":175846,"menu_order":0,"template":"","categories":[78,618],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-175851","specialpost","type-specialpost","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-article","category-special-features"],"blocksy_meta":[],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.allway-japan.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/specialpost\/175851","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.allway-japan.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/specialpost"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.allway-japan.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/specialpost"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.allway-japan.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/69"}],"version-history":[{"count":16,"href":"https:\/\/www.allway-japan.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/specialpost\/175851\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":175869,"href":"https:\/\/www.allway-japan.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/specialpost\/175851\/revisions\/175869"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.allway-japan.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/175846"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.allway-japan.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=175851"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.allway-japan.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=175851"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.allway-japan.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=175851"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}