Hanaya's 8% Polished Omachi Wins IWC Nama Trophy

Hanaya Diamond Omachi 8% Unfiltered Nama Genshu, from Fumikiku Shuzo (brand name: Hanaya) in Toyama Prefecture, in central Honshu on the Sea of Japan coast, has won the Nama Trophy, awarded to unpasteurised sake, at the International Wine Challenge (IWC) 2026 held in London. The sake took gold medals at the IWC in both 2025 and 2026, and this trophy is chosen by judging the gold medal winners again.

What It Means to Polish Omachi to 8%

Omachi is a sake rice variety that has been used in Japan since long ago. It is tall and prone to falling over, which makes it notoriously difficult to grow. According to Fumikiku Shuzo, for this sake the brewery spaced the plants wider apart, accepting a smaller harvest, so that the rice would grow sturdy.

The seimai-buai, or rice polishing ratio, indicates the proportion of the grain that remains after the brown rice has been milled. Under Japan’s system, a junmai sake polished to 50% or less qualifies as the top grade, junmai daiginjo. A figure of 8% means 92% of each grain has been ground away, an especially rare figure for Omachi, which is fragile to begin with. “Muroka nama genshu” refers to sake bottled without charcoal filtration, without any heat pasteurisation (hiire) and without added water. Nama sake generally tastes fresh and lively, and being genshu, it tends to have a richer flavour.

A Fifth Trophy Out of 1,738 Entries

At the IWC, judges from various countries assess the entries blind. In 2026, 1,738 products were entered in the Sake category, and this is Hanaya’s fifth trophy. The brewery describes the sake’s character as a light, transparent umami with the generous finish typical of Omachi, and a deep, layered quality within its delicacy.

Founded in 1916, Fumikiku Shuzo switched in 2012 to shikijozo, brewing throughout the year, and has built its reputation as a brewery that can always deliver freshly made sake. The brewery’s policy is to make every sake with the same care as a daiginjo, and it sees this award as the result of that accumulated effort.

Because nama sake is not pasteurised, if you are buying it in Europe it is important to check that it has been shipped and stored under refrigeration. Once opened, keep it chilled and sip it slowly from a wine glass that lets the aroma open up, and you can enjoy the changes in its transparent umami and Omachi’s long finish. The list of trophy winners published by the IWC is also a useful guide to the kinds of sake the London judges are rewarding right now.