October 30, 2020
Hiroshima Regional Taxation Bureau
The Hiroshima Regional Taxation Bureau held a regional sake awards competition with the aim of promoting and advancing the sake brewing techniques of sake brewers in the Chugoku Region's five prefectures (i.e., Tottori, Shimane, Okayama, Hiroshima and Yamaguchi). Of the 204 entries submitted, prizes were presented to 75 outstanding sakes at an awards ceremony. The prize-winners are as shown in the Appendix 1.“Chugoku Sake Awards 2020 List of Prize Winners (Breweries)”. These winning sakes were selected in particular for their wonderful well-balanced flavor and sharp after taste, recognizing the high technical brewing skills required.
Details of the Sake Awards are provided below.
The Chugoku Sake Awards aim to promote the development and advancement of sake brewing techniques as well as enhance the quality of sakes in the Chugoku region, thereby sound development of the liquor industry, by evaluating the quality of sake produced within the region and based on these results rewarding brewers recognized as having outstanding brewing skills.
Judging was carried out in three categories: “Ginjo-shu”, “Jummai-shu”, and “Kan (warmed sake)”.
Entries in each of these categories were as follows.
Brewers could enter one sake in each of the above three categories. However, in the “Ginjo-shu” category only, brewers with multiple breweries could enter one sake product from each of their breweries. In 2020, there were 79 entries in the “Ginjo-shu” category, 68 entries in the “Jummai-shu” category, and 57 entries in the “Kan” category for a total of 204 sakes entered by 77 brewers overall.
Sake quality was judged by means of sensory evaluation (that is, “sake-tasting”) by specialists. First of all, all of the sake entries were evaluated (Preliminary Round), and then based on these results the sakes were narrowed down to those entries achieving comparatively good results, and these were evaluated again (Final Round).
Prizes were awarded to a total of 75 sakes with high scores for quality in each of the three categories: 30 in the “Ginjo-shu”category, 23 in the “Jummai-shu”category, and 22 in the “Kan”category.
For winning entries, please refer to Appendix 1.“Chugoku Sake Awards 2020 List of Prize Winners (Breweries)”; for a breakdown of entries from each prefecture, please refer to Appendix 2.“Chugoku Sake Awards 2020 Table of Entries and Award Status”; for the characteristics of sake entries in this year’s competition, please refer to Appendix 3.“Chugoku Sake Awards 2020 Judging Report”.
Canceled due to prevent the COVID-19 pandemic.