Sake from Fukushima Wins Most Gold Prizes in Annual Competition for Fourth Straight Year

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On May 18, the National Research Institute of Brewing (NRIB) announced the winners of the Annual Japan Sake Awards 2016, a competition among Japanese brewers. Eighteen brands produced in Fukushima Prefecture received gold prizes, the highest number captured by any prefecture for the fourth consecutive year.

According to NRIB, Japanese sake produced in and after July 2015 was eligible, and was evaluated by brewers (toji) and appraisers from the National Tax Administration Agency (NTA) for taste and aroma. Some 854 brands from 45 prefectures (excluding Kagoshima or Okinawa) were entered, with 227 chosen as gold-prize winners. Fukushima exhibited 41 brands. Coming in second place were the 17 gold-prize winners (each) from Yamagata and Hyogo Prefectures.

The Annual Japan Sake Awards have been given since 1911, with the aim of improving the quality of Japanese sake and associated manufacturing technology. This year marked the 104th anniversary of its founding.