Overview
- The Kanto‑Shinetsu regional appraisal held on Thursday, Oct. 29 awarded top prizes to '霧筑波' (Urari Shuzo) in the ginjo category, '五岳' (Imai Shuzo) in the junmai ginjo category, and '越乃雪椿' (Yukitsubaki Shuzo) in the junmai category.
- The 97th edition drew 162 breweries from six prefectures and 332 entries, with judges assessing aroma, balance and flavor across established sake categories.
- Urari Shuzo's '霧筑波' won the ginjo top prize for a second year in a row, while Imai Shuzo and Yukitsubaki Shuzo took their first top awards in their respective categories.
- Officials and brewers said unstable temperatures during the peak brewing season made production technically harder, and winners highlighted careful temperature control and use of local rice and yeast as key to their results.
- Separately, the Osaka National Tax Bureau released Kinki‑region results on Oct. 30, naming 58 excellence awards from 77 producers and 153 entries, underscoring wider regional quality efforts across Japan.