Outline of the Annual Japan Sake Awards 2024
May 22, 2024
National Research Institute of Brewing
Japan Sake and Shochu Makers Association
The Annual Japan Sake Awards 2024 were held under the joint auspices of the National Research Instituteof Brewing (NRIB) and the Japan Sake and Shochu Makers Association (JSS). This year marks the 112th
Annual Japan Sake Awards, which were first held in 1911.
For this contest, a nationwide investigation of manufactured sake was conducted with the aim ofclarifying the current manufacturing technology and trends in order to contribute to the improvement ofsake quality and to enhance public awareness of sake. This is the only one national contest of sake, and webelieve that these awards contribute to improvements in manufacturing technology and quality of sake.
1. Application process(1) Applicant requirement
Manufacturers who hold a sake brewing license.
(2) Standard for entry
Sake applied to this contest must be undiluted Ginjo-shu brewed at the manufacturer’s own licensed
production sites during the brewing year 2023 (from July 2023 until the application deadline of thecontest), as stipulated in the “labeling standard for the manufacturing process and quality of sake” of theNational Tax Agency. Applied sake must have a degree of acidity* higher than 0.8 and contain no added
aroma compounds.
(3) Number of entries
Limited to one entry per manufacturer.
(4) Entry fee (including consumption tax)
Members of JSS: 15,400 yen per item
Others: 23,100 yen per item
*Degree of acidity is volume (mL) of 0.1 N NaOH solution to neutralize 10 mL of sake to pH 7.2.
Acidity 1.0 is equal to 0.090 g of lactic acid /100 mL or 0.075 g of tartaric acid/100 mL.
2. Overview of the awards(1) Number of entries, 828(2) Schedule of blind tasting
Preliminary judging: 3 days, from April 23 to 25, 2024
Final judging: 2 days, May 9 and 10, 2024
(3) Judging panels
Experts on sensory evaluation of sake and appointed by the president of the NRIB from:
Sake manufacturers
Prefectural research centers
National Tax Agency
NRIB(4) Methods of blind tastinga) During the preliminary judging, a sensory profile of each sake was created by characterizing “aroma”
and “taste” and evaluating “total quality” (5-point scale). In the final judging, an overall sensory
evaluation was given (3-point scale). For both the preliminary and final judging, entries were groupedbased on the concentration of aroma compounds and sorted in ascending order of glucose concentration,
which was analyzed in advance.
b) Results of the sensory profile and overall evaluation will be sent to the applicants in the hope that theresults might be used to improve Ginjo-shu manufacturing technology and storage management in thefuture.
(5) Results
Prize winners, 392 entries
Gold prize winners (those recognized as the very best among the prize winners), 195 entriesTestimonials are presented to the manufacturers jointly by the presidents of the NRIB and the JSS.
The list of gold prize winning sake is shown on a separate sheet.
(6) Tasting event for sake manufacturers etc.
Time; Wed. May 29, 2024, 10:00 – 15:00
Thu. May 30, 2024, 10:00 – 15:00
Place; HigashiHiroshima Sports Park, Gymnasium
67-1, Taguchi, Saijo-cho, Higashi hiroshima, Hiroshima(7) Public Tasting will be held by the JSS.
https://www.japansake.or.jp/