SAKE blog

ikki deliver news from Japan regarding Sake and trading business monthly.

Please find the monthly ikki news of January 2020 as below;

Fukushima local Sake rice “FUKUNOKA” 福乃香

On 23rd December 2019, Fukushima prefecture announced that they named the new local Sake rice “Fukunoka”(福乃香).

Fukushima has been studying to develop new Sake rice for breweries in Fukushima, and found “Fukushima No.50”. With the support from 11 breweries in Fukushima prefecture for 2 years, the prefectural government decided to encourage this rice and named Fukunoka.

Fukushima had local Sake rice called “Yumenoka”(夢の香), but Fukunoka has stronger so easier to grow, and Shinpaku(心白) inner core of rice which has less protein, leading to noise in taste, so it is preferable by brewers.

(Ref. Fukushima prefecture)

Miss Sake 2020

                                                                                                   (Miss Sake Hyogo 2020 Selection)

In December 2019, there was a selection of Miss Sake Hyogo in Kobe city, Hyogo. The photo above is the scene in the selection and Miss Ikumi Takayama standing center is Miss Sake Hyogo 2020.

In 13th of January, there was a showcase of Miss Sake 2020 Finalist from 20 prefectures. They are going to the final selection in 25th March 2020 to be Miss Sake Japan 2020.

In addition to the Miss Sake Japan, there will be Miss Sake International will be selected in oversea countries.

National Tax agency budgeted for Japanese Sake export 10 times more 2020

National Tax Agency in Japan will budget 10times more in 2020. It is aimed to find new route to export Sake . They will set Export promotion office to negotiate with foreign countries for custom and duties.

The export amount of Sake is growing every year and in the period of Jan-Nov 2019, total export amount approximately 211 billion JPY which is record high.

They will support local brewery association for GI and also deregulate the license of alcohol production to increae the competitiveness in the world market.

(Ref. National tax Agency) 

Author: Yutaro Kobayashi

President & CEO, Kobayashi Junzo Shoten Co., Ltd.

Based in Osaka, I lead Kobayashi Junzo Shoten, a sake wholesaler founded in 1890. Through the cultural richness of Japanese sake, my mission is to connect people and bring smiles to dining tables around the world.

While technology continues to make the world feel smaller, the stories and traditions behind sake brewing can easily fade into the background. I see my role as a bridge—sharing the passion of brewers, opening doors for new audiences, and delivering sake in a way that feels more approachable and relatable.

I enjoy visiting sake breweries, learning about new rice varieties and brewing techniques, and spending time with toji (master brewers) and kurabito (brewery workers) to experience the spirit of sake-making firsthand. On this blog, I’ll share those encounters, my personal insights, and tips to help you enjoy sake even more.

Thank you for reading, and I look forward to connecting with you.