Tokyo Sake Challenge 2026: Re-Discovering Sake in Japan
- May 8
- 3 min read
The Event and its Meaning
The second edition of the Tokyo Sake Challenge concluded just about a month ago, on March 28th, and I feel it is finally time to look back on this year’s event.
The Tokyo Sake Challenge is very meaningful to Cindy Bissig and me, as organizers. It allows us to bring together exceptional sake, passionate breweries, and sake professionals from Japan and around the world in one place.
How it Works
The Tokyo Sake Challenge is an international sake competition where qualified Sake Sommeliers, in this case SSA Sake Sommeliers, come together to blind-taste and evaluate sake submitted by breweries from Japan and overseas.
Based on the judges’ scores, the sake receive Platinum, Gold, Silver, or Bronze medals, which are recognized internationally. At the end of the tasting session, the judges also select the winners of the Design Awards, evaluating bottle labels in terms of aesthetics, presentation, and marketability.
Professional and Personal Pride
Personally, I am proud of this event on many levels. As the SSA Sake Educator in Japan, it was especially meaningful to see that some of the judges taking part this year were Sake Sommeliers I had personally trained. As an organizer, I am also proud to have co-organized such a respected international sake competition alongside my friend and partner, Cindy.
It is one of the achievements in my sake career so far that reminds me how much I have learned, how far I have come, and how much more I still want to contribute to the world of sake.
The Brewer’s Perspective
Most of all, as a brewer, it makes me genuinely happy to see so many people come together for the sake - pun intended - of this amazing beverage. Events like this not only celebrate sake; they also help shape its future.
For me, being both a brewer and an educator makes the experience especially valuable. I get to see sake from both sides: from the people who make it, and from the professionals who evaluate, communicate, and share it with the world.
Evolution and Inclusivity
I was also very happy to see how much the event has evolved since the first edition in 2025. Many breweries returned for this second edition, and many new ones joined us as well. We welcomed a wide range of Japanese breweries, from classic sake makers to more modern producers, and we also saw more international breweries participating than last year.
Another point that made me especially happy was the participation of doburoku and craft sake makers. With the concept of “Re-Discovering Sake,” the Tokyo Sake Challenge aims to be as inclusive as possible and to bring many different expressions of sake into one event. For too long, craft sake and doburoku have often been left aside, even though they are an important part of today’s sake world.
A Diverse Future for Sake
Inclusivity is something Cindy and I care about deeply. As foreign women living and working independently in Japan, and as someone personally involved in the still male-dominated world of sake brewing, I feel strongly about creating spaces where different voices, backgrounds, and styles of sake can be taken seriously.
In this sense, the Tokyo Sake Challenge is a strong representation of what the sake scene looks like today, and where it may be heading in the future. The judging panel itself reflected this beautifully: Japanese and international judges, some based in Japan and others overseas, all coming together to evaluate sake from different perspectives.
For a beverage that has long been mainly produced and enjoyed in Japan, this international exchange feels incredibly important. Sake is now reaching more people, more countries, and more types of producers than ever before. Being part of this movement is truly an honour, and it inspires me to keep learning, keep brewing, and keep sharing sake with more people around the world.
Have a nice sake!
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