![[Breaking News] Niizawa Brewery Wins IWC "Sake Brewer of the Year" for Fourth Consecutive Year!](https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/6335b41be5d1086933313d52/68c2062e75ff08ababcc2569_iwc2025-brewery-of-year-01.png)
Among the winners, NIIZAWA SAKE BREWERY, one of our business partners who produces HAKURAKUSEI, ATAGO NO MATSU, ZANKYO, and REIKYO, has been awarded "Sake Brewer of the Year" for the fourth consecutive year in 2022, 2023, 2024, and now 2025!
Additionally, "Sake Prefecture of the Year," awarded to prefectures where multiple entered breweries achieved excellent overall results, was given to Miyagi Prefecture, home base of NIIZAWA SAKE BREWERY.
What is IWC (The International Wine Challenge) ?
The International Wine Challenge (IWC) is one of the world's most prestigious blind tasting competitions, established in 1984 and held annually in London.
The SAKE category, introduced in 2007, has grown exponentially and is now the largest and most influential Japanese sake competition held outside of Japan.
The 2025 SAKE category is divided into ten categories: "Futsu-shu," "Junmai," "Junmai Ginjo," "Junmai Daiginjo," "Honjozo," "Ginjo," "Daiginjo," "Sparkling," "Koshu," and "Aged."
This year, 1,476 entries were submitted, and 153 were awarded gold medals through blind tasting.
The "Sake Brewer of the Year" award given to NIIZAWA SAKE BREWERY is presented to the brewery whose entries receive the highest overall evaluations.
NIIZAWA SAKE BREWERY's Gold Medal Sake
The following 19 products from NIIZAWA SAKE BREWERY won Gold Medals.All products are available through our company, so please consider this opportunity to explore these award-winning sakes:
(★ indicates Trophy winners)
Honjozo Category
- ★ATAGO NO MATSU Special Honjozo
- ★ATAGO NO MATSU Prefectural Honjozo
- ATAGO NO MATSU Honjozo Extra Dry
Junmai Daiginjo Category
- HAKURAKUSEI Michiba Rokuzaburo Junmai Daiginjo 2024
- HAKURAKUSEI Michiba Rokuzaburo Junmai Daiginjo 2023
- ZANKYO Junmai Daiginjo Super7 2023
- NIIZAWA Junmai Daiginjo 7% 2023
- ★NIIZAWA KIZASHI Junmai Daiginjo 7% 2021
- NIIZAWA KIZASHI Junmai Daiginjo 7% 2023
- REIKYO Junmai Daiginjo Absolute 0 2022
- REIKYO Junmai Daiginjo Absolute 0 2024
Aged Sake Categor
- ★ZANKYO Junmai Daiginjo Super7 2018
- ZANKYO Junmai Daiginjo Super7 2019
- ★NIIZAWA Junmai Daiginjo 7% 2018
- NIIZAWA Junmai Daiginjo 7% 2019
- NIIZAWA Junmai Daiginjo 7% 2020
- NIIZAWA KIZASHI Junmai Daiginjo 7% 2019
- NIIZAWA KIZASHI Junmai Daiginjo 7% 2020
- REIKYO Junmai Daiginjo Absolute 0 2019
For a full list of the Gold Medal and Trophy-winning sakes announced in May, please visit the official IWC website.
Congratulations to all the winners!
The International Wine Challenge, established in 1984 and held annually in London. It is one of the world's most prestigious blind tasting competitions, and its SAKE category, introduced in 2007, is now the largest and most influential sake competition held outside Japan.
NIIZAWA SAKE BREWERY, for the fourth consecutive year, in 2022, 2023, 2024 and 2025.
HAKURAKUSEI, ATAGO NO MATSU, ZANKYO and REIKYO. Niizawa is one of our business partners.
An award given to the prefecture whose entered breweries achieve the strongest overall results. It went to Miyagi, where NIIZAWA SAKE BREWERY is based.
Yes. At Sakura Sake Shop we accept sample orders from a single bottle. You can taste the sake and then choose the products before any formal trade.
Yes. We handle reefer containers and temperature-controlled transport. Even with expensive premium sake, you can import without worry.
After we hear about your sales market, we provide a custom quotation matched to your needs.
Niizawa Sake Brewery won IWC Sake Brewer of the Year for the fourth consecutive year, and Miyagi took Sake Prefecture of the Year. Niizawa produces HAKURAKUSEI, ATAGO NO MATSU, ZANKYO and REIKYO.
Niizawa is one of our trading partners.
Want award-winning breweries on your list?
Since its foundation Sakura Sake Shop has specialized in exporting Japanese sake. We have direct trading relationships with 70+ breweries and a track record of exporting to 20+ countries and regions.
✓ Direct relationship with Niizawa Sake Brewery
✓ Allocation of competition-winning products where available
✓ Sample orders from a single bottle
✓ Cold chain (−5°C to 5°C) handling
✓ An English-speaking sake specialist to support you
