21 new products for GI Nagano: sake and shochu from nine producers
In its August sensory evaluation, Nagano Prefecture certified 20 sake under the GI Nagano geographical indication and one shochu under its own prefectural scheme, giving nine producers a guarantee of
21 products pass the tasting panel in Matsumoto
On 28 August 2026, Nagano Prefecture held a sensory evaluation session in Matsumoto, a city in the centre of the prefecture. According to an announcement made on 31 August, the session newly certified 20 sake and one shochu. A sensory evaluation is a method in which specialist assessors actually check the aroma and flavour to judge quality. Nagano lies north-west of Tokyo and is an inland prefecture surrounded by the Japanese Alps.
Of the 20 sake, six were in the daiginjo and junmai daiginjo category, ten in the ginjo and junmai ginjo category, and four in the other category. Ginjo sake is made by polishing the rice from the outside until 60% or less of its original weight remains. Daiginjo is polished down to 50% or less. This remaining proportion after polishing is called the seimai buai (rice polishing ratio). “Junmai” means that no brewer’s alcohol has been added.
Nine breweries in the prefecture received certification. The most was Toshimaya in Okaya, with five products. Yukawa Shuzoten in Kiso and Maruei Shuzojo in Shiojiri each had three, while Kurosawa Shuzo in Sakuho, Toda Shuzo in Chino and Sasai Shuzo in Matsumoto each had two. Miyasaka Jozo in Suwa, Kikusui Shuzo in Iida and EH Shuzo in Azumino each had one. Kurosawa Shuzo also received certification for one shochu.
What “GI Nagano” guarantees
GI (Geographical Indication) is a system that protects products whose quality and character are tied to their place of origin, including the name itself. The idea is close to that of the EU’s PDO and PGI. “GI Nagano” was designated on 30 June 2021 by the National Tax Agency, which oversees alcohol administration in Japan. For a sake to use the name, three conditions apply. The ingredients must come only from within the prefecture, production, storage and bottling must all take place in the prefecture, and the sake must pass a sensory evaluation. Following the rules of origin is not enough: the taste of the finished sake is checked as well, making this a two-stage process.
The foundation of the system is the Nagano Appellation Control system (NAC), which Nagano Prefecture launched in fiscal 2002, the first of its kind in Japan. The prefecture certifies agricultural products and processed goods produced and made within it that are of particularly outstanding taste and quality. GI Nagano carries this approach forward. The shochu in this round was certified under the NAC framework. Shochu is a Japanese distilled spirit made from ingredients such as rice and barley.
How to find and enjoy them in Europe
When choosing Nagano sake in Europe, check whether the back label or the importer’s product description carries the “GI Nagano” mark. If it does, you can be sure that the sake has passed both the rules of origin and the taste evaluation. Nagano Prefecture publishes a list of certified products. This round’s certifications are mainly ginjo-style sake. Ginjo styles generally prize a showy, fragrant aroma, so serving them slightly chilled in a white wine glass helps the aroma open up. Another idea is to compare GI Nagano sake from several breweries side by side. Even under the same rules, you may notice differences in each brewer’s individual character.
Sources
This article was written by The Sake Wire editorial team, summarising the public sources listed above. Images are our own.
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