The 10% junmai daiginjo backed by a public research institute

Sake normally has an alcohol content of around 15%, higher than wine. In recent years, lower-strength sake has been attracting attention in Japan. On 23 April 2026, Akita Hakko Kogyo (headquartered in Yuzawa, Akita Prefecture), a subsidiary of the Oenon Group, launched a 10% junmai daiginjo, Kobore Zakura Senobi Junmai Daiginjo, nationwide in limited quantities. It was planned by women employees in their first to fourth years with the company, with technical support from a public research institution.

A young team and a public research institute working together

The project was planned by “A-ribbon”, an in-house team formed by the company’s female employees after a chat over lunch. This is the third product in the Kobore Zakura series, which began in 2020, and the company’s first low-alcohol junmai daiginjo. During development, Satomi Uehara, a senior researcher at the Brewing Test Station of the Akita Prefectural General Food Research Center, and colleagues provided technical support. Many Japanese prefectures have public brewing research institutions like this one, which help local breweries with yeast development and quality improvement. The product’s concept is “a slightly ambitious first step into sake”, and it was designed for people trying sake for the first time.

Junmai daiginjo brewing, even at lower strength

The only rice used is Akita Sake Komachi, a sake rice grown in Akita Prefecture. The polishing ratio is 50%: half of the outside of each grain is milled away, and the sake is brewed only from the clean-tasting core. At this level of polishing, a sake brewed without added distilled alcohol is called “junmai daiginjo”, one of the top grades of sake. After pressing, it is left unfiltered (muroka) and pasteurised only once (ikkai hiire) rather than the usual twice, preserving freshness and the rice’s umami. The sake meter value is -23.5 and the acidity is 0.9. The more negative the sake meter value, the sweeter the sake. The result is smooth, lightly sweet and carries an apple-like aroma.

How to enjoy it in Europe

For now, this brand is a limited product for the Japanese market. However, lower-strength sake is slowly beginning to appear on the shelves of imported sake in Europe as well. On the label or in the product description, look at two figures: the alcohol content and the sake meter value. A sake of 10–13% with a strongly negative sake meter value is often a sweet, light style. Served well chilled in a wine glass, its aroma is easier to appreciate. It can be enjoyed as an aperitif or paired with fresh cheese or fruit desserts. For anyone who likes a light white wine such as Riesling, it is an easy sake to try as a first step.