And the prizes go to

The National Research Institute of Brewing (NRIB) have released the English version of their outline of the 2025 Annual Japan Sake Awards (全国新酒鑑評会, sometimes translated as National New Sake Appraisal or similar). 

There were 809 entries this year, judged in a first round on 22–24 April 2025 and a second round to decide gold award winners on 8–9 May 2025. About half (410) were granted a prize, and half of that again (202) a gold prize – a list of winners is available here.

The competition is co-administered by the Japan Sake and Shochu Makers Association (JSS) who presented the 410 prize winners at a tasting event open to the public in Sunshine City, Ikebukuro, Tokyo on 12 July 2025.

Director Hitoshi Utsunomiya of the JSS (right) explaining characteristics of sake at the event celebrating the Annual Japan Sake Awards 2025.
(Photo courtesy of JSS)

Priced at JPY 5,000 for the general public and JPY 2,000 for students aged 20–25, tickets sold out with over 1,200 people choosing to come and sample the sake in one of two 3-hour windows.

There were also a series of lectures held to celebrate the recent listing of brewing using koji as an Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, and an area with posters explaining sake production and recent research results staffed by NRIB members.

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Source: NRIB mailing list, JSS press release

The JSS press release also commented that there were more people in their 20s and 30s than at previous Annual Japan Sake Awards events, and more visitors from overseas.