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October 2026
81- 28 OctAsakura Distillery wins rum's top honour at ISC 2026Awards
- 26 OctA Premium Sparkling Sake, 'Shinsei', Pours on a Busan Film Festival NightExport
- 23 OctGI Harima Heads to France, Land of Wine, Bearing the King of Sake RiceExport
- 21 OctFukuchiyama, Kyoto brewery wins gold and silver at international beer competitionAwards
- 20 OctMasumi president Miyasaka explains why exports mean 'learning from the world'Export
- 19 OctMead, the "world's oldest alcoholic drink", sees breweries multiply in KansaiBreweries
- 19 OctTwo lagers brewed with Akitakomachi brown rice launch in JapanNew release
- 15 OctBallpark brewery wins gold again at IBC2026Awards
- 15 OctGifu sake meets overseas buyers at a trade meeting in TakayamaExport
- 15 OctNara Brewing wins double gold at the World Beer CupAwards
- 14 OctThe Sweet Potato Shochu Recommended in Ho Chi Minh City: "Daiyame"Export
- 12 OctA plum researcher's self-taught path to whisky in KochiBreweries
- 12 OctSake brewed from high schoolers' rice, "Enmusubi", wins Jury Award in ViennaAwards
- 10 OctRed-fleshed apple rosé cider wins gold at a British competitionAwards
- 09 OctLocal rice, global reach: Emishiki Shuzo exports 30% of its output to 23 countriesExport
- 09 OctWhisky experiment in space: University of Glasgow and Kyushu Institute of TechnologyResearch
- 09 OctNiigata's Midorikawa Shuzo releases its first kijoshu, "Kagutsuchi"New release
- 09 OctSoy milk fermented with sake yeast: Umenoyado's new liqueurResearch
- 09 OctThe Accountant-Turned 14th-Generation Head Charting Tamanohikari's Global StrategyBreweries
- 08 OctBrewed first, dealcoholised after: non-alcoholic sake "Hayashi" arrivesNew release
- 08 OctHokkaido's Kaminokuni Winery Exports to Kazakhstan for the First TimeExport
- 08 OctKochi sake heads to a trade fair in southern IndiaExport
- 07 OctFukushima's haccoba swaps koji with a Thai sato breweryBreweries
- 07 OctIchinokura names new president for first time in 12 years as Shuhei Asami is promotedBreweries
- 07 OctAkita dog label on a winter nigori sake: Itteki Senryo 'Shun' seriesNew release
- 07 OctCartel Suspicions Hang Over Japan's Four Big Brewers as Fair Trade Commission Launches RaidsStories
- 07 OctSado's new sake Rokushiki: 29-year-old brewery head turns the master brewer's instinct into dataBreweries
- 06 OctDaishichi Sake Brewery releases limited kimoto junmai made with rice from revived terracesSake rice
- 06 OctHokkaido farming co-operative launches limited-edition tomato craft ginNew release
- 06 OctIsland maturation and Mizunara casks: Nagahama Distillery's new blendNew release
- 05 OctNew sake brewed with Koshi no Shizuku, a rice that stood up to the scorching summerSake rice
- 05 OctJapan Kokushu Society Launched to Study the Future of Japan's National Drinks Across Industry, Government and AcademiaResearch
- 05 OctKikumasamune releases its first gold-medal sake, limited to 500 bottlesNew release
- 05 OctJapanese 'bourbon' from Mishima: two young new releasesNew release
- 05 OctGovernment backs plan to boost Miyazaki honkaku shochu exports fivefoldExport
- 05 OctNiigata beer with freshly grated 'oi-wasabi'New release
- 05 OctShimanami Brewery launches 'Kaze to Shimanami', a lager made entirely from Japanese ingredientsNew release
- 05 OctChiyomusubi's yuzu liqueur wins top prize at Kura MasterAwards
- 05 OctHakutsuru Nishiki, a sake rice bred by a major brewer, now shared by 13 breweries across JapanSake rice
- 05 OctSix Months in a Power Station Tunnel: 240 Bottles of Hyogo Junmai Sake Mature UndergroundBreweries
- 05 OctKobayashi Shuzo, maker of Hoo Biden sake, opens a whisky distillery in NikkoBreweries
- 05 OctKuromatsunai, Hokkaido: a craft gin scented with beech forestNew release
- 05 OctJapan's first RO-certified sake brewery, Niida Honke, asks what makes workers happyBreweries
- 05 OctPrice Is the Sum of Value: SAKE HUNDRED's Luxury StrategyStories
- 05 OctSatsuma Shiranami, a Sweet Potato Shochu Staple, Revives Its 1970s TasteNew release
- 04 OctThe Distillery Behind Sudachi Shochu Takes On Shikoku's First WhiskyBreweries
- 04 OctSORRY, the export-only beer, gets a new release with mikan and kabosuExport
- 04 OctFormer yokozuna Hakuho harvests rice for a master brewer's sakeSake rice
- 03 OctIWC judges visit the Born brewery in Sabae, FukuiAwards
- 03 OctSuntory Launches White Wine Sour "<Shiro no> Akadama Punch"New release
- 03 OctThe Aroma of Whisky and Water Depends on the Water: LIXIL Puts It to the TestResearch
- 03 OctYo-Ho Brewing opens its first Kansai brewery across the bay from Kansai AirportBreweries
- 02 OctFive Ishikawa sake brewers' associations merge, creating a new structure to support Noto's breweriesBreweries
- 02 OctKumamoto's Yamaga Distillery doubles its maturation capacity, adding depth to Kyushu whiskyBreweries
- 02 OctSecond blended malt layers Okinawa and Shiga whiskiesNew release
- 02 OctAmakusa's only shochu distillery makes sweet potato shochu from its own fieldsBreweries
- 02 OctGekkeikan's experimental sake 'no.8' uses yeast to transform spice aromasNew release
- 02 OctA Gifu craft beer brewed with wild yeast from grapesNew release
- 02 OctRed wine aged to Godzilla's music, from Tokachi in HokkaidoNew release
- 02 OctGoto craft gin distilled from winery pomaceNew release
- 02 OctIchinokura releases a summer-aged, extra-dry hiyaoroshi for members onlyNew release
- 02 OctKikumasamune's bottled barrel sake turns 60 with a limited-edition designNew release
- 02 OctOff-spec curry becomes beer: Nichirei and a Yamagata breweryNew release
- 02 Oct9% Polishing Ratio: Niizawa Brewery's Limited-Edition Sake Made with a Video GameNew release
- 02 OctKuro Label Gets an Autumn Newcomer: "EXTRA DEEP"New release
- 02 OctRice from rice-cooker tastings becomes craft beer: Zojirushi's "Zo no Mai"New release
- 01 OctKura Master 2026: Sparkling Sake Wins Top PrizeAwards
- 01 OctAkita Bank-backed fund invests in vacuum-storage sake serverStories
- 01 OctNew Brewery Amano-sato Takes Over the Sake Licence of a 134-Year-Old KuraBreweries
- 01 OctHachishika Shuzo in Kokonoe, Oita, begins this season's brewingBreweries
- 01 OctA new beer brewed with the groundwater of the ancient capital, NaraBreweries
- 01 OctNihonsakari releases four-time consecutive gold-medal daiginjo genshu in limited numbersAwards
- 01 OctEdo-Era Beer from a Novel Brought to Life: A Wild Ale Made with Rice and KojiNew release
- 01 OctRamen chain AFURI teams up with a Chigasaki brewery on a new IPANew release
- 01 OctNiigata's Echigo Beer launches a new fruit beer series with no added flavouringsNew release
- 01 OctHakutsuru distils its own black tea and lavender ginNew release
- 01 OctJapan cuts beer tax as major brewers refresh their flagship beersPolicy
- 01 OctHops grown on a university campus: students release two beersNew release
- 01 OctMondé Shuzo in Japan develops sparkling wine that forms its bubbles inside the canResearch
- 01 OctSuisen Shuzo, rebuilt after the earthquake, ships its new sake on Sake DayBreweries
- 01 OctLimited-edition stout from a golf course: “O.B. Stout”New release
September 2026
162- 30 SeptJapanese sake exports to the US: FDA registration handled on a success-fee basisExport
- 30 SeptMinakuchi Shuzo of Dogo moves to a new management team with an eye on overseas marketsBreweries
- 30 SeptSweet potato shochu 'Akanekaze 43' wins top prize in MilanAwards
- 30 Sept18 Tohoku breweries showcase Iwate-grown hops, with brewing now under way in Akita tooBreweries
- 30 SeptRui Yoshida and Fukumitsuya: a junmai sake designed with a taste sensorNew release
- 30 SeptSake aged for six months inside a dam in Ibigawa, GifuNew release
- 30 SeptHachijo Island backs “a second drink of island shochu” with a local ordinancePolicy
- 30 SeptJapan's Liquor Tax Reform: Big New Brands Launch for RTDs Hit by the Tax RisePolicy
- 30 SeptChocolate's discarded husks become beer: a Kawasaki wheat beerNew release
- 30 SeptTwo kimoto sake designed to pair with tuna sushiResearch
- 30 SeptKomagatake gets a limited-edition single malt: peat meets sherryNew release
- 30 SeptOzeki's One Cup gets a limited-edition Rose of Versailles labelNew release
- 30 SeptLimited Shiba Inu-label junmai: Yamagata rice, slowly aged coldNew release
- 29 SeptShin-chan-branded local sake wins award for Taiwan exportsAwards
- 29 SeptAkita Shuzo, maker of Suirakuten, comes under Tokyo's Kyoritsu HoldingsBreweries
- 29 SeptIchinokura holds koshiki-okoshi ritual, starting this season's brewing with new riceBreweries
- 29 SeptFukuoka standing bar with attached brewery to start making craft sakeBreweries
- 29 SeptNiseko Distillery marks fifth anniversary with commemorative ohoro GIN labelNew release
- 29 SeptFrom bankruptcy to revival: Wakasa Beer, Fukui's first craft beerBreweries
- 29 SeptSmall Akita brewery's hiyaoroshi wins grand prize at Tokyo trade showAwards
- 29 SeptYeast and lactic acid bacteria both from Hokkaido: Fukutsukasa Shuzo's "ToyTou"New release
- 29 SeptYokosuka brewery marks its third anniversary with a 10% Hazy Triple IPANew release
- 29 SeptKanosuke Distillery's peated 'Gogo', made for bars onlyNew release
- 28 SeptShiga brewery that stopped making sake returns with new Ko no HomareBreweries
- 28 SeptShochu Cocktails Head for the World Stage as Seven Japan Finalists NamedStories
- 28 SeptMitsukoshi Isetan invests in IWA, the sake made by former Dom Perignon chef de caveBreweries
- 28 SeptJapanese independent bottler releases two casks: tunnel-aged malt and roasted-barley grainNew release
- 28 SeptKikumasamune launches 'Mare', a new series made with its own proprietary yeastResearch
- 28 SeptSnow Peak and Nagahama Distillery: two whiskies that paint the campfireNew release
- 28 SeptSydney Sake Festival visitor survey sheds light on Australia's sake sceneExport
- 28 SeptUmenoyado Names the Origin of Its Omachi Sake: "SOL" and "ARS"Sake rice
- 28 SeptEdo-era 'cocktail' Yanagikage revived with shochu and mirinNew release
- 28 SeptA chef and a brewery team up on blended sake: "Tsumugi"Breweries
- 27 SeptHanaya's 8% Polished Omachi Wins IWC Nama TrophyAwards
- 21 SeptJapan's beer-category taxes merge into one in October, with happoshu risingPolicy
- 21 SeptThird-year apprentice brews low-alcohol dry sake "Ryok"New release
- 21 SeptKinmugi Becomes a Beer: Suntory Changes Its Brewing MethodStories
- 20 SeptFormer teacher takes over brewery with no master brewer, guided by neighbouring rivalBreweries
- 20 SeptShizuoka Distillery marks 10th anniversary by selling whole casks of aged whiskyNew release
- 19 SeptIbaraki barrel-aged stout wins top international prize at German beer competitionAwards
- 19 SeptNara Brewing's amaro-inspired beer "MACGUFFIN"New release
- 19 SeptSeven Shiojiri Wines Win Gold, the Most of Any Municipality in JapanAwards
- 19 SeptA Bottle That Survived the Flames: Sasamasamune Vows to Rebuild on the Same SiteBreweries
- 19 SeptHakutsuru's 37 m² micro-brewery makes its first light, dry sake with its 21st releaseNew release
- 19 SeptAutumn Pressing Begins in Earnest for White Wine in Kaminoyama, Yamagata, with Acidity Shaped by Temperature SwingsStories
- 18 SeptFuji's First 12-Year-Old Whisky to Launch in the UK and France in OctoberExport
- 18 Sept183 Women Judges Choose 116 Gold Medal Sakes at the Bishu CompetitionAwards
- 18 SeptMiyazaki sweet potato shochu 'Aizome' wins gold at ISC 2026, its second gold medalAwards
- 18 SeptYamamoto Honke of Fushimi sponsors Kanze school Noh troupe's European tourExport
- 18 SeptAkita Sake Applies for Geographical Indication (GI) Status as a Regional BrandPolicy
- 18 SeptGin aged 18 months in whisky casks: a Yamanashi–Niigata collaborationNew release
- 18 SeptGold leaf swirls in Takara Shuzo's sparkling sake Mio GOLD, launching as a year-end limited editionNew release
- 18 SeptChichibu Forest Beer, Brewed with Yeast from Mizuki FlowersResearch
- 18 SeptTakara Shuzo releases limited-edition pure gold leaf junmai 'Omiki' small bottleNew release
- 18 SeptClear Asahi becomes a beer: major brewer changes category after liquor tax reformStories
- 18 SeptJapan's Spirits Festival Puts Sake Brewery Gin and Rice Whisky in the SpotlightEvents
- 18 SeptIse Udon in a Glass: Setouchi x Isekadoya's Hazy IPANew release
- 17 SeptBo: adds a new kimoto junmai made with Akita Sake Komachi, bottled pasteurisedNew release
- 17 SeptIki shochu 'Iki no Shima' relaunched, with 6- and 13-year-aged bottlingsNew release
- 17 SeptA Japanese Peach Ale Made from 500 kg of Imperfect PeachesNew release
- 17 SeptThinned-apple gin, made to sit beside Japanese foodNew release
- 17 SeptAbunai Deka at 40: 11 Yokohama breweries release a series of beersNew release
- 17 SeptGold-medal gin "Yuki no Mado" now in a 120ml tasting sizeNew release
- 17 SeptTaketsuru 25 Tops the Ninth "Whisky Lottery"Stories
- 16 SeptIWC 2026 Award-Winning Sake Bring the London Ceremony to Nihonbashi, TokyoEvents
- 16 SeptYamaguchi's Tenbi Takes IWC Top Prize as Young Brewery Reaches World SummitAwards
- 16 Sept28-year-aged koshu turned into a canned highballNew release
- 16 SeptA German-Style Sour Ale Brewed with Fresh Mount Fuji HopsNew release
- 16 Sept100 Years of Nittoh Kocha: CHA-GASUMI, a Hazy Ale Brewed with Black TeaNew release
- 16 SeptAn Onomichi lager specialist brews an iyokan hard seltzerNew release
- 16 SeptYoshinokawa overhauls almost its entire range, redefining everyday sake with "Umai Tanrei"Breweries
- 16 SeptSuntory's Kinmugi becomes a beer: Japan's unified liquor tax and the everyday pintStories
- 15 SeptTsuruga, a Town with No Sake Breweries, Gets a Pine-Scented New Drink: Matsu no ShizukuBreweries
- 15 SeptChichibu Distillery Releases Four UK Exclusives, Including First Two-Distillery BlendExport
- 15 SeptCarrot cake in a bottle: a spiced gin from TokyoNew release
- 15 SeptToyama's oldest brewery marks 400 years with two junmai daiginjoNew release
- 15 Sept"Meshimai Jozo": Brewing Sake from Uonuma Koshihikari Polished to 90%Research
- 15 SeptKuju Distillery makes its first blended whisky with Oita-grown barleyNew release
- 15 SeptNagahama Distillery and a Shibuya bar release limited malt 'ENRO'New release
- 15 SeptSasaichi Shuzo releases limited-edition "Dan" to celebrate the film ShūmeiNew release
- 15 SeptSuntory releases limited-edition bottles for the 2027 zodiac year of the SheepNew release
- 15 SeptWearing a Shito-daru Barrel to NYFW: Abu no Tsuru Shuzo of Yamaguchi Takes on New YorkStories
- 15 SeptChichibu, where sake, wine and beer sit side by sideEvents
- 15 SeptA barrel sauna steamed with shochu aromas: Kuro Kirishima's saunaEvents
- 15 SeptKiyosato, Hokkaido, Begins Distilling Shochu from Konahime PotatoesStories
- 15 Sept1 October is Sake Day: a nine-day toast week across JapanEvents
- 14 SeptAramasa, Juyondai and Jikon: Rare Sake Tasting Flights in TokyoEvents
- 14 SeptFukutokucho adds a 3-litre size to its dry everyday sakeNew release
- 14 SeptDistilled on Oki's island: craft gin GodSpirits moves to in-house productionNew release
- 14 SeptRice, water and brewery all from Fukushima City: the hiyaoroshi of 'Surikamigawa'New release
- 14 SeptHakutsuru's Josen wins top gold at National Kan-sake ContestAwards
- 14 SeptHokkaido's Only Working Female Toji Heads a Brewery on a University CampusBreweries
- 14 SeptJapan's alcohol exports up 34.5% in July; the Netherlands tops ginExport
- 14 SeptKirinranman Releases Autumn Nigori and Hiyaoroshi SakeNew release
- 14 SeptJapan's New Craft Beers: One Brewed with Cotton Flower YeastNew release
- 14 SeptHananomai Shuzo launches Hananomai 30, a junmai daiginjo polished to 30%New release
- 14 SeptJazz and Kabuki at a Nagoya Sake Brewery: Kintora Shuzo's Open DayEvents
- 14 SeptWhisky distillery's canned beer: retired fighter Takeru takes his first drinkStories
- 14 Sept30 Years on from the Earthquake: Eight Nada and Nishinomiya Breweries Gather at a ShrineEvents
- 13 SeptPlum liqueur matured in Yamazaki's smoky casks goes on limited saleNew release
- 12 SeptKikusui, a brewery on the comeback trail, teams up with a football club for a limited junmai ginjoNew release
- 11 SeptDewatsuru and Kariho: a subscription set to compare two characters from one brewerNew release
- 11 SeptYokosuka Beer's ESB wins world title at British competitionAwards
- 11 SeptGekkeikan launches a cooking sake born from koji mould researchResearch
- 11 SeptIwate's Edelwein starts this season's winemaking, with new wine due in late OctoberStories
- 11 SeptKosaka in Northern Tohoku: Wine Grape Harvest Reaches Its Peak in a Cool-Climate RegionStories
- 10 SeptFukushima's Homare Shuzo Aims for 20% Export Share as the Yen StrengthensExport
- 10 SeptIshinomaki's first winery opens on the site of a closed school, aiming for 5,000 bottlesBreweries
- 10 SeptKagoshima shochu exports up 13%, with South Korea now the biggest marketExport
- 10 SeptTenkyo Distillery releases limited-edition Aizu-matured 'KAZE 921'New release
- 10 SeptAkita's wine grapes ship for the 40th year, with high sugar levels despite long spells of rainStories
- 10 SeptIchiban Shibori brewed with freshly picked Tono hopsNew release
- 10 SeptBeer from university rice, spent grain for the cattle: Tohoku University's circular collaborationResearch
- 10 SeptTokyo Regional Taxation Bureau Introduces a New 'Grand Excellence Award' at Its Sake Appraisal This YearAwards
- 09 SeptInato Agave Makes Craft Sake from Asian Ingredients for the WorldNew release
- 09 SeptBuyers from the US, Canada and Spain tour sake breweries in FukuiExport
- 09 SeptExport-only sake comes home: Yoshida Shuzo of Fukui reimports its own brewExport
- 09 SeptHakutsuru's Kobe Wine adds 'Kobe Reserva', made only in good yearsNew release
- 09 SeptHiroshima Prefecture Promotes Sake and Oysters in LondonExport
- 09 SeptPlum IPA and 15% Barley Wine Win Top Gold AwardsAwards
- 09 SeptBrewing the Northernmost Koshu in Akita: Kosaka Nanataki's First AttemptNew release
- 09 SeptFrom plant engineer to master brewer: the path of Jun Goto of Tenzan ShuzoBreweries
- 09 SeptCedar-vat sweet potato shochu: CEDAR's third release, "EMBER"New release
- 09 SeptNoto Wine: best grapes in 10 years after the earthquakeStories
- 08 SeptA Kanazawa Vintage Gin Made with Roses from Reclaimed FarmlandNew release
- 08 SeptKirishima Shuzo at 110: Pot-Aged and Home-Bred Sweet Potato Shochu Mark the AnniversaryNew release
- 08 SeptGin Made from Waste Bread: Kiuchi Brewery's Bé-GinNew release
- 08 SeptMie's sake and food head to the Czech Republic: a chef and a buyer visit IgaExport
- 08 SeptThree Years in the Cask: Sapporo Shusei Releases Its First Corn Whisky Made with Hokkaido CornNew release
- 08 SeptNozawa Onsen Distillery completes its first single maltNew release
- 08 SeptBrewed with Cherry Blossom Yeast: Tokyo University of Technology’s “Somehachi Ale”Research
- 07 Sept133-year-old sake brewery's former company liquidated, but the Isonosawa brand lives onBreweries
- 07 SeptLow-ABV dry sake brewed by a young kurabito: Ryok goes on saleNew release
- 05 SeptDassai donates 100 million yen, including sales of its space-brewed sake, to disaster areasStories
- 05 SeptSeven Noto breweries join autumn's Ishikawa Hiyaoroshi releaseBreweries
- 05 SeptRising from the fire: Mizutani Shuzo begins building a new breweryBreweries
- 05 SeptHeat-resistant new Saga sake rice 'Saganami' heads for trial brewing at 10 breweriesSake rice
- 04 SeptKobe's Venerable Fukuju: The 14th Head Sketches the Next EraBreweries
- 04 SeptMachida Shuzo marks 35th anniversary with a brown sugar shochu built around yellow koji genshuNew release
- 04 SeptKamakura Beer Know-How Recreated in Suzhou: Gold and Silver on First EntryAwards
- 04 SeptClosed for 70 years: Oga takes on Japan's sake licence freeze with a special zonePolicy
- 04 SeptSawanotsuru releases kimoto hiyaoroshi certified under the Nada-Gogo GINew release
- 03 SeptMansaku no Hana releases two autumn-only hiyaoroshi sakesNew release
- 03 SeptMasumi becomes first sake brewery to win the ICC SAKE AWARDAwards
- 03 SeptWhisky from the Field: Fukushima's "Soka"New release
- 03 SeptShochu sales fall to record low as rising prices curb spendingStories
- 02 SeptAkita's new sake: 111 entries judged as the prefectural sake competition opensAwards
- 02 SeptThree Amami Distilleries Relaunch Kokuto Shochu Under a New BrandNew release
- 02 SeptAramasa's Yusuke Sato and His Vision of Sake TerroirBreweries
- 02 SeptCraft beer brewed with cotton-flower yeast arrives from TokyoResearch
- 02 SeptFirst winery opens in Fujimi, NaganoBreweries
- 02 SeptShochu Maker's Hinokami Distillery Releases Its First Peated Young Whisky in Limited RunNew release
- 02 SeptGinjo Aroma in Steamed Buns: Sake Yeast Technology Applied to Baker's YeastResearch
- 02 SeptHow Japan's liquor tax reform settles the tax difference on stock in the distribution chainPolicy
- 02 SeptSaijo Sake School to Reopen, Training the Next Keepers of a UNESCO-Listed CraftBreweries
- 01 SeptKikusui Shuzo, a 150-year-old brewery, returns from suspended operationsBreweries
- 01 SeptNeither Blood Nor Sale: Fuyo Shuzo's “Two Sixth Generations”Breweries
- 01 SeptKurihara in Miyagi gets its first local craft breweryBreweries
- 01 SeptFukuoka City's First Gin Distillery Puts Local Ingredients into One BottleBreweries
- 01 SeptOtaru's first craft gin, born beneath a templeBreweries
- 01 SeptNiigata's Sasaiwai: New Toji's 12% Genshu 'BAMBOOSHOOTS'Breweries
- 01 SeptTanzawa Distillery moves from blending imported spirit to distilling its ownBreweries
August 2026
45- 31 AugUS-linked giant whisky distillery in Chitose to be completed in 2027Breweries
- 31 AugUozu Shuzo, Founded 101 Years Ago, Ceases Operations Amid Succession ProblemsBreweries
- 31 Aug21 new products for GI Nagano: sake and shochu from nine producersPolicy
- 28 AugAkita rice prices down 35% on a year earlier as Akita Komachi advance payment falls by 10,000 yenSake rice
- 28 AugOga's sake brewing becomes part of the national growth plan, a first for TohokuPolicy
- 27 AugHida junmai daiginjo gets a repeat order from Singapore AirlinesExport
- 25 AugFrom IT to brewing: a yuzu craft beer in Moroyama, SaitamaBreweries
- 25 AugUmenoyado Shuzo grows overseas sales 1.6-fold, launching a ¥220,000 plum liqueurExport
- 25 AugJapanese Sake Trade Fair in Beijing: Chinese Buyers Prize Award RecordsExport
- 24 AugToji Summit 2026: How to Pass On the Craft After UNESCO RecognitionEvents
- 23 AugCraft sake pioneer Inaba to Agave builds a town out of sakeBreweries
- 22 AugUS-born brewer builds handmade taproom at Akita breweryBreweries
- 22 AugTwo Gunma breweries recognised at Britain's IWC and France's Kura MasterAwards
- 21 AugHakutsuru installs new brewing equipment at its Kobe wineryBreweries
- 20 AugNo Added Gas, No Added Sugar: An 8% Toasting Sake from IbarakiNew release
- 20 AugKirishima 531: A Single Malt Marking the Origins of a Shochu DistilleryNew release
- 20 AugAged for a year inside a dam: four Toyota breweries bring out their sakeResearch
- 19 AugJapan's tax agency offers up to ¥10 million for sake exports, prioritising tariff responsesPolicy
- 18 AugFukuhachi: a sake brewed with ingredients tied to the Shirakami MountainsNew release
- 18 AugMaebashi craft gin KWELI begins US exports, starting in HawaiiExport
- 18 AugA Toast for Everyone, Even with Swallowing Difficulties: Gifu's "Frozen Thickened SAKE"Research
- 17 AugTwo Hombo Shuzo shochu win Gold Outstanding at ISC 2026Awards
- 17 AugTochigi's Sohomare Sake Brewery Names Michihiro Kono as New PresidentBreweries
- 17 AugMaster brewer honoured as a 'Contemporary Master Craftsman' brings Takashimizu back to goldBreweries
- 15 AugSuo-Oshima, an island in the Seto Inland Sea, to brew sake again after 20 yearsBreweries
- 13 AugNiigata craft beer wins two 'World's Best' titles in BritainAwards
- 12 AugNiigata Kameda Distillery wins World's Best at WWA with pre-maturation new makeAwards
- 12 AugSake and Shochu Head to India, an Emerging MarketExport
- 12 AugToyama's new brand San-roku-maru Shiro wins Platinum in MilanAwards
- 10 AugToyohashi's First Winery Born Through Special Zone SchemeBreweries
- 10 AugFukui's first craft beer, Wakasa Beer, taken over by brewery in neighbouring prefectureBreweries
- 08 AugAkkeshi Whisky Releases 'Shubun', Reportedly the Final Bottle in Its 24 Solar Terms SeriesNew release
- 08 AugFire-Hit Sasa Masamune Brewery Resumes Sake Making at a Fellow Brewer's PlantBreweries
- 07 AugHachinohe Shuzo, Maker of "Mutsu Hassen", to Double Production Capacity with New BreweryBreweries
- 07 AugJapan's food exports hit a record ¥897.7 billion in the first halfExport
- 07 Aug300-year-old sake brewery becomes wholly owned subsidiary of an investment company: Kitsukura Shuzo, NaganoBreweries
- 07 AugThe Age of Junmai Ginjo and a Sake Rice Crisis: The Industry Association on Sake TodayStories
- 06 AugNikka's Yoichi Distillery to Roughly Triple Its Cask-Making CapacityBreweries
- 06 AugShirasugi Shuzo takes on a lactic-acid-free "modern kimoto"New release
- 05 AugNew-season sake from a wooden-vat yamahai brew wins Platinum for junmai in MilanAwards
- 05 AugTakara relaunches overseas Shochu Highball for export, adding the USExport
- 05 AugKyo-701: a sweet potato shochu fermented with sake yeast alone, from KyotangoNew release
- 04 AugHokkaido start-up brewery releases a toned-down sparkling sake, NochiuNew release
- 03 AugSekinoi Shuzo, the Shimokita Peninsula's Only Sake Brewery, Ceases OperationsBreweries
- 01 AugShochu Distillery's Whisky Named Best in Japan at TWSCAwards
July 2026
46- 31 JulDewazakura wins two Platinum awards at the Milan Sake ChallengeAwards
- 31 JulYamauchi Toji guild competition: Itteki Senryo Daiginjo wins a top-class awardAwards
- 31 JulNearly half of South Korea's imported beer is now JapaneseExport
- 31 JulNaohiko Noguchi, 93-year-old toji, sees his craft recognised as Ishikawa cultural propertyPolicy
- 29 JulRice Shortage Shakes Sake Rice as Nagano Breweries Join Hands with FarmersSake rice
- 29 JulOrion Beer Makes Its First Overseas Investment in Its UK PartnerExport
- 29 JulMore than 70% of sake breweries name cost as the main problem with event standsResearch
- 29 JulHOLON launches pre-orders for a non-alcoholic version aimed at capturing the aroma of ginNew release
- 27 Jul12 Akita breweries launch low-alcohol sake at 11 to 14.5% ABVNew release
- 27 JulAwamori "Tsuki no Jouryusho" wins ISC Double Gold for a second year runningAwards
- 27 JulNew Distillery in Taiki, Hokkaido, Releases a Gin Made with Locally Sourced PeatNew release
- 26 JulCave brewery goes to Hong Kong: aged sake presented in a three-hour livestreamExport
- 24 JulA gin made from ibugakko pickling brine and sake leesNew release
- 24 JulHistoric Niigata brewery Echigo Tsurukame destroyed by fire, vows to rebuildBreweries
- 23 JulSeven Naha Awamori Distilleries Join Forces as the "Naha Nanakurakai"Breweries
- 22 JulJR Central Group's First Brewery Opens Under the Tracks at Kyoto StationBreweries
- 22 JulNoboribetsu, the hot-spring town, gets its first whisky distilleryBreweries
- 22 JulAkita Governor Promotes Sake in Hong Kong as Prefecture Backs Export PushPolicy
- 21 JulHead of Regional Tax Bureau Discusses Support for Noto's Sake BreweriesPolicy
- 17 JulFrom Toji System to Staff-Brewed Sake: The Choice of Asama Shuzo in GunmaBreweries
- 17 JulTen years in a sake cask: Eigashima's new whiskyNew release
- 17 JulMatsue's Rihaku Takes On the Future with Pouch Sake and 20 Years of DataExport
- 16 JulDHC Shuzo renames itself Niigata Ichiryu ShuzoBreweries
- 16 JulNew sake brewery in World Heritage village Shirakawa-go plans to grow Yamada Nishiki within the villageBreweries
- 15 JulTempranillo at 850 Metres: Mercian's Venture Brings the Grassland BackStories
- 15 JulSake brewed with speaker vibrations: Onkyo launches it with an Akita breweryResearch
- 15 JulSadoya's new estate Chardonnay wins gold at the Japan Wine CompetitionAwards
- 14 JulA young Sado brewer takes 'Utashiro' to six countriesExport
- 14 JulKomagatake Finished in IPA Casks: How Beer Barrels Give Whisky a New CharacterNew release
- 13 JulScottish brewer opens brewery in a Kochi villageBreweries
- 11 JulCraft gin from Atami wins Double Gold at a global competitionAwards
- 10 JulHow Acids in Moromi Change the Way Yeast FermentsResearch
- 09 JulOki Shuzo launches "Danshu?", a sake for young drinkersNew release
- 08 JulSanaburi Distillery, in its second year, wins gold at an international competition in TokyoAwards
- 08 JulWelfare Organisation Opens Urban Winery in YokohamaBreweries
- 08 JulDoburo: a kimoto nigori brewed by a Chiba cooperativeBreweries
- 07 JulKatsunuma Koshu wins its first trophy at IWC 2026Awards
- 07 JulMiyakojima awamori launches cask-ageing seriesNew release
- 05 JulNikka aims for world top 10 with ¥40 billion in warehousesExport
- 05 JulAwamori takes on the 'strong drink' barrier as consumption falls, seeking new fansStories
- 03 JulFrench best sommelier pairs sake with French cuisine in ParisExport
- 03 JulKomoro Distillery to Release Its First Single Malt in NovemberNew release
- 02 Jul28-year-aged koshu "Inishie no Bishu 1998" wins gold at two international competitionsNew release
- 02 JulGin made from miso and grape pomace wins gold in the UKAwards
- 02 JulSeven Miyagi breweries' joint sake made entirely with prefectural rice for the first timeNew release
- 01 JulHakkaisan Brewery launches second rice whiskyNew release
June 2026
53- 30 JunMitake Distillery x Taiwanese art: four limited editions from sherry casksNew release
- 30 JunJapanese Alcohol Prices Rise Too, With 2,913 Items Affected in 2026Stories
- 29 JunAichi Prefecture offers its first support for sake breweries, covering half of the rise in sake rice pricesPolicy
- 28 JunOffice worker revives 212-year-old Shikishima sake breweryBreweries
- 27 JunSpace-inspired 'vacuum sake' server aims to protect unpasteurised sake on its way to the worldExport
- 27 JunStudent-developed low-alcohol sake 'Tobira' aims to be a gateway for young drinkersNew release
- 26 JunA Red Sour Beer Inspired by the Spirit of Bon Odori Is Born in AkitaNew release
- 26 JunKatagami, Akita, Backs Sake Breweries With Subsidy as Brewing Rice Prices SoarPolicy
- 26 JunLong-aged awamori wins two 98-point scores at IWSC 2026Awards
- 26 JunHiroshima Miyoshi Winery's white wine scores 96, Japan's highest at Britain's DWWAAwards
- 26 JunFukushima to develop new yeast for sake with less acidityResearch
- 25 JunShochu fermentation CO2 turned into dry iceResearch
- 25 JunIbaraki's First Female Toji and a Former Police Officer Pass On the Star-Named Sake "Stella"Breweries
- 24 JunKirishima Shuzo, Japan's Largest Shochu Maker, Posts First Sales Increase in Three YearsBreweries
- 23 JunFukuoka brewery takes on SAKE made with Italian riceExport
- 23 JunSake Brewing's Intangible Heritage: The 808 Practitioners TodayStories
- 23 JunAwamori distillery Kumesen Shuzo launches rice whisky made with Japanese riceNew release
- 19 JunShikoku's sake exports hit a record high as customs joins in to make use of the Japan-EU EPAExport
- 18 JunThree Akita sakes win at France's Kura Master, with special prize for awa sakeAwards
- 18 JunA brewery on an island of 40 people begins with a welcome homeBreweries
- 17 JunAkita-grown hops and local yeast in a regional beer: Otsuna BeerNew release
- 17 Jun'Third-category beer' becomes beer: Sapporo reclassifies two brandsNew release
- 16 JunAkita craft gin Gin, scented with kuromoji, wins goldNew release
- 16 JunKumamoto craft beer company goes bankrupt with debts of about ¥366 millionBreweries
- 15 JunNew whisky distillery breaks ground in Furano, HokkaidoBreweries
- 13 JunTateyama reinterprets genever, the forerunner of gin, with sandalwood and sencha in a new releaseNew release
- 13 JunRice Prices Have Almost Doubled in Two Years: Why Sake Price Rises Keep ComingResearch
- 12 JunChoya's premium umeshu: two wins Double Gold at SFWSC 2026Awards
- 12 JunSake brewed with yeast from fallen leaves at the Sado gold mineResearch
- 12 JunRegional Japanese Drinks Not Yet Sold in the UK Gather at a London Trade TastingExport
- 12 JunSake industry body holds general meeting, targeting rice supply and brewery succession supportStories
- 12 JunCraft gin made from the cypress of Japan's first FSC-certified forestNew release
- 12 JunShindo Distillery's first blend uses local barleyNew release
- 11 JunKanosuke and Saburomaru: a bottle born from swapping new-make spiritNew release
- 10 JunAwamori Appears at Cannes Film Festival's Official Gala for a Second Year RunningExport
- 10 JunTwo Nozawa Onsen gins win Double Gold at SFWSCAwards
- 10 JunSAKE COMPETITION 2026: Mimurosugi Takes Two TitlesAwards
- 10 JunFirst whisky new-make spirit made from 100% Mikawa barleyNew release
- 10 Juniichiko Saiten, a barley shochu made for cocktails, scores 99 points at the US SFWSCAwards
- 08 JunJapan Winery Awards 2026: 98WINEs Joins the Five-Star RanksAwards
- 08 JunHokkaido wine on the rise as universities and research bodies move to train brewersResearch
- 08 JunJapanese wine reaches a plateau, with premium prices seen as the way forwardStories
- 04 JunTazawako Beer's dry summer-only "Brut IPL"New release
- 04 JunHakodate Wine, a long-established winery in southern Hokkaido, goes overseas under YoshimuraBreweries
- 04 JunKunisaki sake brewery completes second herbal gin, "with:"New release
- 03 JunAkita sake brewers' association elects new leadership: Ito stays as chairman, Hirakawa named vice-chairmanStories
- 03 JunFormer trading-house employee revives a derelict brewery, taking a mountain village in Ehime to the worldBreweries
- 03 Jun330-year-old sake brewery takes on cask-aged gin, due for completion in 2027Breweries
- 03 JunNew distillery on a remote Oki island takes on bourbon styleBreweries
- 02 JunJapanese alcohol exports hit a record high as sake stands out at a trade fair in ChinaExport
- 02 JunUnified Alcohol Tax Set to Reshape Japan's Beer MarketStories
- 01 JunEhime's historic brewery Koinose finds a ready market in SingaporeExport
- 01 JunIshikawa Shuzoten of Ishinomaki, Miyagi, Founded 144 Years Ago, Declared BankruptBreweries
May 2026
45- 31 MayCosmetics company's Akita wine gets six extra months of maturationNew release
- 30 MayA 33-year-old starts making wine from scratch in tsunami-hit RikuzentakataBreweries
- 29 MayAkita sake maker raises prices by up to 19.5% as rising costs biteBreweries
- 29 MayMatsui Shuzo's Daisen Sherry Cask wins first gold at the ISCAwards
- 28 MayGekkeikan named first-ever Sake category winner in South Korean consumer surveyExport
- 28 MayNagoya machinery maker to start making wine in Kenbuchi, HokkaidoBreweries
- 28 MaySaitama steps in with direct aid as sake rice prices climb, with grants for breweries and othersPolicy
- 27 MayCraft sake from Niigata: a new wave overcoming the licensing barrierBreweries
- 26 MayIce-temperature ageing and Meursault casks: a limited run of 280 bottles of aged junmai daiginjoNew release
- 25 MayKomoro Distillery operator to build new plant, with Nagano subsidyBreweries
- 25 MayWhy Yeast Does Not Die in the Sake It MakesResearch
- 23 MayFrom finance to sake brewing: Aoi Shuzo's 'small but strong brewery'Breweries
- 21 MayFukushima's haccoba opens a brewery in Tokyo's OtemachiBreweries
- 21 MayFukushima tops the National New Sake Appraisal gold medal table for a second year runningAwards
- 21 MayShochu exports up 16%, with Europe as the next target after whiskyExport
- 21 MayThe 150-Year-Old Kikusui Brewery Revived with Help from a Construction FirmBreweries
- 20 MayKirin cuts canned beer prices as beer tax fallsPolicy
- 20 MayOzeki's small-batch brewery Sakigake-gura releases its second sakeBreweries
- 19 MayMizubasho heads to a luxury hotel in Cortina with denim brand DENHAMExport
- 19 MayNiseko's ohoro GIN wins two golds in LondonAwards
- 19 MayMinamiaizu GI names its 11 certified sake for fiscal 2026Policy
- 19 MayHokkaido's craft breweries double in five yearsStories
- 18 MayMiyashita Shuzo, a Century-Old Okayama Sake Brewery, Moves into WinemakingBreweries
- 18 MayTakara HD targets sales above 493 billion yen by fiscal 2030 in new mid-term planStories
- 18 MayYamagata's prefecture-wide brand 'Yamagata Sanga' heads to Taiwan in first full-scale exportExport
- 15 MayAcacia honey in Akita craft beer: added late in fermentationNew release
- 15 MayCOEDO named Champion Brewery at Australia's international beer awardsAwards
- 15 MayTWSC2026: four shochu and awamori brands reach the topAwards
- 15 MayAwamori tax break cut for the second time, with abolition due in 2032Policy
- 15 MayJapan's beer-category sales jump 39% in April as price-rise rebound drives sharp recoveryStories
- 13 MayYomeishu to sell restaurant and bakery businesses to Yamada Bee Farm as its core business moves under TsumuraStories
- 12 MayTankyu Distillery in Hokkaido releases its first new-make spirit in a limited runBreweries
- 12 MayIchiro's Malt maker opens new base in Tomakomai, Hokkaido, as grain distillery comes fully on streamBreweries
- 12 MayWhite koji underpins a 10% junmai ginjo: Kiku no Sato Shuzo, TochigiResearch
- 12 MayNagano Prefecture uses donations to sustain sake-making and the quality of junmai sakePolicy
- 11 MayChampagne-Level Bubbles in Sake: Ten Years at Tenzan ShuzoResearch
- 11 MayHonkaku Shochu Falls 2.7% in 2025 as Producers Seek New Drinkers with Aromatic Styles and BarsStories
- 07 MayFrom Contract Distilling to Their Own Still: A Gin Made from Local Ingredients Is Born in KurumeBreweries
- 07 MayToyama's Saburomaru releases Ⅷ STRENGTH, made with Islay maltNew release
- 06 MayKyoto Brewing co-founder opens new brewery in AomoriBreweries
- 03 MayCraft sake brewed with spent beer hops: Hanakaze GururikoNew release
- 02 MayAkita's Asamai Shuzo looks to the UK after exporting to 15 countriesExport
- 01 MayTaketsuru Pure Malt gets a new limited series, with 10,000 bottles for overseasNew release
- 01 MayFirst winery in Iijima, Nagano, releases its first vintageBreweries
- 01 MayAwamori distillery matures whisky in Okinawa: single malt "Ryuka" releasedNew release
April 2026
48- 30 AprJapan-EU EPA: National Tax Agency Seeks Public Comment on Liquor GI ProtectionPolicy
- 30 AprUS sake retailer Tippsy renames itself Palate Project and moves to direct importExport
- 29 AprHita's Long-Established Inoue Shuzo to Be Rebuilt with Investment from a Regional Bank's FundBreweries
- 28 AprDassai and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Successfully Ferment Sake in SpaceResearch
- 28 AprOsaka winery wins two golds at France's VinaliesAwards
- 28 AprNew Niigata Brewery's First International Competition Brings Top Awards for All Three SakesAwards
- 24 AprKenten Jitsugyo, operator of Akkeshi, to build a second distillery in NakafuranoBreweries
- 24 AprJAL showcases Oita's rising star Kuju on international flightsExport
- 24 AprThe 10% junmai daiginjo backed by a public research instituteResearch
- 24 AprNara sake brewer Umenoyado Shuzo lists on the stock market, eyeing overseas sales of sake liqueursStories
- 23 AprAwamori shipments fall 5.7% and exports drop 20%, but liqueurs offer a way forwardExport
- 23 AprNara Brewing wins two golds at World Beer Cup 2026Awards
- 23 AprThe Craft Sake Challenge Born from Japan's Sake Licensing BarrierStories
- 22 AprSake brewed with yeast rescued from a collapsed brewery, a joint project of Noto and KanazawaResearch
- 22 AprOtaru's Tanaka Shuzo Appoints First President from Outside the Founding Family in 127 YearsBreweries
- 21 AprSapporo sells US craft brewer Stone BrewingStories
- 20 AprJapanese sake heads to the Spanish market: first Japan Pavilion at AlimentariaExport
- 20 AprGyomu Super operator Kobe Bussan adds a Niigata sake brewery to its groupBreweries
- 20 AprGI Shizuoka announces newly certified sake at its eighth reviewPolicy
- 18 AprShochu distillery's Yakusugi cedar cask whisky, billed as a world first, to launch in winter 2026Breweries
- 17 AprSaga's oldest sake brewery restarts with a 3 billion yen new factoryBreweries
- 17 AprShiga's heat-tolerant new sake rice Kokyo to yield its first sake next springSake rice
- 16 AprFrom a tree that survived Nobunaga's fire, new yeast for a lost temple sakeResearch
- 15 AprRed wine from Kosaka, Akita wins gold at France's Féminalise competitionAwards
- 15 AprChichibu's Ichiro's Malt wins World's Best at the WWA for the eighth timeAwards
- 15 AprKyoto's Imonyan sweet potato shochu takes top score in its category at France's FeminaliseAwards
- 13 AprKomagatake single malt moves from limited release to year-round saleBreweries
- 10 AprA sake brewery takes on chestnut-cask whisky: RintaroNew release
- 09 Apr30 Masters of Wine from Around the World Head to Yamanashi to Test Koshu on the GroundStories
- 09 AprOff-Spec Dassai Reborn as Gin: LAST “EN – Connection –”New release
- 09 AprMeiji-era wooden vat at a closed brewery brings back the brewery's own yeastResearch
- 07 AprDefunct Aomori sake Kikukoma, revived by a fellow brewerBreweries
- 07 AprSuntory Ao gets an Irish limited editionNew release
- 06 AprForty years of sake rice farming in one bottle: Junmai "Iidagawa"Sake rice
- 06 AprA sake-lees distillery's double-extraction coffee liqueurNew release
- 06 AprJETRO promotes wagyu and sake in Baltimore, USAExport
- 04 AprYoshinotomo Shuzo, Founded 149 Years Ago, Turns Its Flagship Junmai from Dry to FruityBreweries
- 04 AprYamada Nishiki Heads North: Fukushima University Develops a Cold-Hardy New VarietySake rice
- 03 AprHakkaisan Rides the Dodgers Effect, With Exports Up About 10%Export
- 03 AprSapporo becomes first in Japan to brew with French regenerative-agriculture maltResearch
- 03 AprShochu Highballs Meet Sichuan and Yunnan Cuisine in ChengduExport
- 02 AprHeir to a quake-hit Noto sake brewery begins training at the brewery that supported his familyBreweries
- 02 AprSake exports reach 81 countries, but rising sake rice prices are a headwindExport
- 02 AprRevived Hanyu Distillery's Second Release Pairs Sherry with BourbonNew release
- 02 AprSakurao puts the 'JW' Japanese whisky mark on every productStories
- 01 AprAkita Sets Four-Year Plan for Sake GI and Export GrowthPolicy
- 01 AprHakutsuru opens new carton-only plant in Nada, KobeBreweries
- 01 AprA first bottle for wine lovers: Osaka exporter launches new brandExport