"I choose truly delicious sake, not based on brand name."

Based on this philosophy, the SAKE COMPETITION, which started in 2012, is Japan's largest sake competition, where only the quality of the sake is evaluated through blind tasting with the brand and brewery names concealed. Only commercially available sake that can actually be purchased is eligible for entry. As a place to purely choose "delicious sake to drink," it has earned a high level of trust from liquor stores, restaurants, and sake fans alike.

This year, a total of 1,190 entries were submitted from 367 breweries around the world: 1,139 sake and 51 awamori. In addition to the five judging categories of "Junmai Sake," "Junmai Ginjo," "Junmai Daiginjo," "SUPER PREMIUM," and "Modern Natural," a new "Awamori Category" was added as a special entry to commemorate the planned restoration of Shuri Castle's main hall in the fall of 2026. The competition continues to evolve, shedding light not only on sake but also on Japan's traditional drinking culture as a whole.

The sake that best symbolizes this year's results is "Mimuro Sugi" from Imanishi Brewery in Nara Prefecture.

In the Junmai-shu (pure rice sake) category, "Mimuro Sugi Roman Series Dio Abita" took first place. Furthermore, in the Junmai Ginjo (premium sake) category, "Mimuro Sugi Roman Series Junmai Ginjo Yamada Nishiki" also won first place, achieving a double victory. In addition, it ranked 6th in the Junmai-shu category and 3rd in the Junmai Ginjo category, demonstrating the consistently high quality of its sake.

In recognition of their achievements, Imanishi Brewery received the "TAKANAWA GATEWAY CITY Grand Opening Commemorative Best Brewery Award," truly becoming a representative brewery of the 2026 competition.

Now, let's look at the rankings.

Junmaishu Category

As mentioned earlier, the number one spot goes to "Mimuro Sugi Roman Series Dio Abita," brewed by Imanishi Sake Brewery, founded in 1660 in Sakurai City, Nara Prefecture.

Imanishi Brewery is dedicated to sake brewing at the foot of Omiwa Shrine, Japan's oldest shrine, which has been worshipped as the god of sake since ancient times. According to the 14th generation owner, Masayuki Imanishi, they are pursuing the creation of "light and delicious sake," and this particular brand represents the origin of that philosophy.

He said that last year was a busy one, as he opened a new sake brewery on the approach to Omiwa Shrine, but he was relieved that he and his brewers were able to work together and achieve results. The sake is characterized by its juicy, fruity flavor, rich sweetness, and ginjo aroma reminiscent of lemonade.

2nd Place: Sasamasamune Special Junmai / Sasamasamune Sake Brewery Co., Ltd. (Fukushima Prefecture)
3rd place: Asamayama Natsujun / Asama Shuzo Co., Ltd. (Gunma Prefecture)
4th place: Gakki Masamune Junjo / Oki Daikichi Honten Co., Ltd. (Fukushima Prefecture)
5th Place: Matsunotsukasa Kimoto Junmai Sake / Matsuse Sake Brewery Co., Ltd. (Shiga Prefecture)
6th Place: Mimuro Sugi Roman Series Special Junmai Dry Tsuyobakaze / Imanishi Sake Brewery Co., Ltd. (Nara Prefecture)
7th Place: Seikou Maikaze Junmai Sake / Machida Sake Brewery Co., Ltd. (Gunma Prefecture)
8th place: Atago no Matsu Special Junmai / Shinzawa Brewing Co., Ltd. (Miyagi Prefecture)
9th place: Ugo no Tsuki Junmai Sake Kure Mikimai Hattan Nishiki / Aihara Sake Brewery Co., Ltd. (Hiroshima Prefecture)
10th place: Jinya Special Junmai / Ariga Brewing Co., Ltd. (Fukushima Prefecture)

Junmai Ginjo category

Following its win in the Junmai Sake category, the top prize went to "Mimuro Sugi Roman Series Junmai Ginjo Yamada Nishiki" from Imanishi Brewery (Nara Prefecture). This marks the first time since 2014 that a sake has achieved two awards.

Mr. Imanishi inherited the brewery at the age of 28 after the death of his father, the previous owner. At the time, the brewery was aging, and he was worried about the future. However, in 2014, he learned that Miyazumi Meijo (Aizuwakamatsu City, Fukushima Prefecture) had won two awards at the SAKE COMPETITION, and he and his brewers worked hard with the hope that "someday we could do the same." He expressed deep emotion at the realization of that dream.

2nd Place: Katsuyama KIRAKIRA / Sendai Izawa-ya Katsuyama Sake Brewery Co., Ltd. (Miyagi Prefecture)
3rd Place: Mimorosugi Junmai Ginjo / Imanishi Sake Brewery Co., Ltd. (Nara Prefecture)
4th Place: Gakki Masamune Aizan Nakadori / Oki Daikichi Honten Co., Ltd. (Fukushima Prefecture)
5th place: Tenpu Junmai Ginjo / Nishi Shuzo Co., Ltd. (Kagoshima Prefecture)
6th place: Aizu Musume Junmai Ginjo "Minoru" Matsubara 8 / Takahashi Shosaku Sake Brewery Co., Ltd. (Fukushima Prefecture)
7th place: Gakki Masamune Omachi Nakadori / Oki Daikichi Honten Co., Ltd. (Fukushima Prefecture)
8th place: Kido Junmai Ginjo / Heiwa Shuzo Co., Ltd. (Wakayama Prefecture)
9th place: Matsunotsukasa Junmai Ginjo Raku / Matsuse Shuzo Co., Ltd. (Shiga Prefecture)
10th place: Tenbi Junmai Ginjo Hotaru Ten / Choshu Shuzo Co., Ltd. (Yamaguchi Prefecture)

Junmai Daiginjo category

The top prize went to "Ugo no Tsuki Junmai Daiginjo" brewed by Aihara Shuzo in Hiroshima City, Hiroshima Prefecture. The award was given not only for its gorgeous aroma, but also for its high level of perfection, possessing transparency and balance. Representative Shogo Aihara explained that it is a classic sake that forms the foundation of their techniques, and he was delighted with the award, saying it is a great opportunity for people all over the country to learn about it.

Furthermore, Toji (master brewer) Shogo Aihara also received the "Diners Club Young Brewer Encouragement Award," which is given to young brewers under the age of 40. He is attracting considerable attention as a brewer who will lead the next generation.

2nd Place: Yamawa Junmai Daiginjo / Yamawa Sake Brewery Co., Ltd. (Miyagi Prefecture)
3rd Place: Taiheizan Junmai Daiginjo Tenko / Kodama Brewing Co., Ltd. (Akita Prefecture)
4th Place: Aiyu Junmai Daiginjo Bizen Omachi / Aiyu Sake Brewery Co., Ltd. (Ibaraki Prefecture)
5th Place: 50 Black / Yoshinotomo Sake Brewery Co., Ltd. (Toyama Prefecture)
6th place: Benibana-ya Juubei Yukimegami / Furusawa Sake Brewery Co., Ltd. (Yamagata Prefecture)
7th place: Toyo Bijin Ichiban Matoi / Sumikawa Sake Brewery Co., Ltd. (Yamaguchi Prefecture)
8th place: Matsunotsukasa Junmai Daiginjo Kuro / Matsuse Shuzo Co., Ltd. (Shiga Prefecture)
9th place: Tenko Organic Junmai Daiginjo Fune-shibori Genshu / Tenko Sake Brewery Co., Ltd. (Tochigi Prefecture)
10th Place: Raifuku Junmai Daiginjo Aiyama / Raifuku Sake Brewery Co., Ltd. (Ibaraki Prefecture)

SUPER PREMIUM category

This category includes not only sake designated as a specific type of sake, but also any sake with a retail price of 10,000 yen (excluding tax) or more for a 720ml bottle, or 15,000 yen (excluding tax) or more for a 1,800ml bottle.

1st Place: Jikon Tokuto Omachi / Kiyamasa Sake Brewery Co., Ltd. (Mie Prefecture)
2nd place: Toyo Bijin Shiso / Sumikawa Sake Brewery Co., Ltd. (Yamaguchi Prefecture)
3rd Place: Kudoki Jozu Inochi Tobinkakoi Daiginjo / Kame no I Sake Brewery Co., Ltd. (Yamagata Prefecture)

Modern Natural Category

The competition is open to junmai sake made using the "kimoto, yamahai, or bodaimoto" methods, with no restrictions on the rice polishing ratio. Only commercially available sake brewed between July 1, 2025 and June 30, 2026 is eligible for submission.

1st Place: Tachibanaya Junmai Ginjo / Kawakei Shoten Co., Ltd. (Miyagi Prefecture)
2nd Place: Hagiwara Yamahai Junmai / Hagiwara Sake Brewery Co., Ltd. (Tokushima Prefecture)
3rd Place: Experimental Brew 2025 Type-Kimoto / Joyo Shuzo Co., Ltd. (Kyoto Prefecture)
4th Place: Shinkai Junmai Genshu Mizumoto / Fujimoto Sake Brewery Co., Ltd. (Shiga Prefecture)
5th place: Kubiki Kazukimizu Kimoto / Kubiki Shuzo Co., Ltd. (Niigata Prefecture)

Special prize

Diners Club Young Professional Award

This award was established to support the next generation of brewers. Recipients are selected from among the young head brewers or master brewers under the age of 40 from breweries that have received GOLD awards in each category.

Award-winning sake
"Ugo no Tsuki Junmai Daiginjo"
Aihara Sake Brewery Co., Ltd. (Hiroshima Prefecture)
Master Brewer: Shogo Aihara

JALFlying SAKE Award

We selected sake that is only available in limited quantities domestically and that we want people overseas to know about.

Award-winning sake
"Tachibanaya Junmai Ginjo"
Kawakei Shoten Limited Partnership (Miyagi Prefecture)

TAKANAWA GATEWAY CITY Grand Opening Commemorative Award for Best Brewery

Imanishi Sake Brewery Co., Ltd. (Nara Prefecture)
Representative brand: Mimuro cedar

Executive Committee Chairman's Award

This award is given to the sake that Koichi Hasegawa, Chairman of the SAKE COMPETITION Executive Committee, rates most highly during the judging process.

Award-winning sake
"Yoshida Kura u Hyakumangoku no Shiro"
Yoshida Sake Brewery Co., Ltd. (Ishikawa Prefecture)

Awamori section

This special category was newly established to commemorate the reconstruction of the Shuri Castle main hall. It covers regular sake, aged sake, and future awamori (spirits and liqueurs made primarily from awamori).

What emerges from this year's results is a trend towards valuing not only flashy individuality, but also a balanced approach that allows it to be enjoyed with food.

The top rankings included established breweries that have been leading the Japanese sake scene in recent years, such as "Mimuro Sugi," "Ugo no Tsuki," "Matsunotsukasa," and "Gakki Masamune," while the strong performances of small and medium-sized breweries from regional areas were also noteworthy.

Award-winning sakes tend to sell out quickly, so if you have the chance to get your hands on one, I highly recommend trying it.

Text by Yuko Taniguchi