Tuesday, April 8, 2014
Sapporo Regional Taxation Bureau

1 Overview

With the aim of improving the sake-brewing craft, the Sapporo Regional Taxation Bureau hosted Sinshu Kanpyokai (the Hokkaido Sake Awards ) contest to evaluate the quality of sake made during the 2013 brewing year (July 2013 until June 2014) in a competition of manufacturing technology, and announced the examination results today.
 Entries to the Hokkaido Sake Awards comprised 105 sakes from 12 sake breweries in Hokkaido, and were evaluated by a quality examination jury of 26 members.
 As a result, 8 entries from 4 breweries won the Gold Prize for Dosanmai ginjo-shu, 7 entries from 3 breweries won the Gold Prize for Ginjo-shu, and 5 entries from 4 breweries won the Gold Prize for Junmai-shu.

*Please refer to the 2013 Sake Awards Notice (Excerpt) for details on the purpose of holding the event.

Entry Category Winners Totals*1
Winning Breweries Winning Entries Entrants Entries*2
Dosanmai ginjo-shu 4(4) 8(7) 10(10) 40(43)
Ginjo-shu 3(3) 7(7) 7(7) 34(35)
Junmai-shu 4(4) 5(4) 12(11) 31(33)
  • (*1)Entry status of last brewing year provided in parentheses
  • (*2)Up to five entries for Dosanmai ginjo-shu and Ginjo-shu per brewer, and up to eight entries for Junmai-shu per brewer allowed.

2 Gold Prize Breweries

The following manufacturers won Gold Prizes (Tax Office order).

Entry Category Tax Office Manufacturer Name Representative Label
Dosanmai ginjo-shu Sapporo-naka NIPPON SEISHU CO., LTD.
(CHITOSETSURU BREWERY)
CHITOSETSURU
Otaru TANAKA SAKE BREWING CO., LTD. TAKARAGAWA
Asahikawa-naka GODO SHUSEI CO., LTD. (ASAHIKAWA FACTORY) TAISETSU NO KURA
Kushiro FUKUTSUKASA CORPORATION FUKUTSUKASA
Ginjo-shu Otaru KITANOHOMARE SHUZO CO., LTD. KITANOHOMARE
Asahikawa-higasi OTOKOYAMA CO., LTD. OTOKOYAMA
Kushiro Kushiro FUKUTSUKASA
Junmai-shu Sapporo-naka NIPPON SEISHU CO., LTD.
(CHITOSETSURU BREWERY)
CHITOSETSURU
Asahikawa-naka AKASAGOSHUZO CO., LTD. KOKUSHIMUSO
Iwamizawa KOBAYASHI SHUZO CO., LTD. KITANONISHIKI
Takikawa KINTEKI SHUZO CO., LTD. KINTEKI

3 Quality of Sake Entries

(1) Dosanmai ginjo-shu
 Ginjo-shu entries were made with brew-suited Hokkaido rice varietals, like Ginpu, Suisei, and Kitashizuku.
 Blessed with fine ingredient rice this brewing year, the results revealed a delectable flavor of rice in the entries, many excelling as ginjo-shu with a harmonious balance of flavors.

(2) Ginjo-shu
 The ginjo-shu entries were mainly made with the Yamadanishiki varietal for brewing rice.
 Many entries were discovered again this brewing year to have a smooth taste and rich notes.

(3) Junmai-shu
 The ginjo-shu entries were mainly made with the Yamadanishiki varietal for brewing rice.Many entries were discovered again this brewing year to have a smooth taste and rich notes.

2013 Sake Awards Notice (Excerpt)

1. Purpose

The Hokkaido Sake Awards evaluate the quality of sake made during the 2013 brewing year. Based on the results of the evaluations, manufacturers recognized with outstanding sake-making craft are commended to promote advancement and progress in the sake-making craft, drive quality improvement of sake within the region, and consequently contribute to the development of the beverage alcohol industry.

2. Dates and Venues

(1) Quality Examinations Date: March 24, 2014 (Mon.) ~ March 25, 2014 (Tue.)
 Venue: Office of Analysis and Brewing Technology, Sapporo Common Government Building No. 2

(2) Manufacturing Technology Workshop
 Date: April 8, 2014 (Tue.)
 Venue: Auditorium, Sapporo Common Government Building No. 2

3. Entry Categories

There are three entry categories: Dosanmai ginjo-shu, Ginjo-shu, and Junmai-shu.

(1) Dosanmai ginjo-shu
 Entries that can be labeled as ginjo-shu under the labeling standards for the manufacturing process and quality of sake, manufactured from 100% Hokkaido rice.

(2) Ginjo-shu
 Entries that can be labeled as ginjo-shu under the labeling standards for the manufacturing process and quality of sake (excluding ginjo-shu meeting the description of (1) above).

(3) Junmai-shu
 Entries that can be labeled as junmai-shu under the labeling standards for the manufacturing process and quality of sake with a Seimai-buai (rice-polishing ratio) of 55% or greater.

*Refer to Attachment 1 regarding the labeling standards for the manufacturing process and quality of sake.

*Refer to Attachment 2 for the manufacturing status of ginjo-shu and junmai-shu, etc.

4.Quality Examinations

(1) Jury
 Staff members at instructional institutions of sake-making craft, manufacture personnel at sake brewing facilities (those with manufacture knowledge and sensory evaluation experience for beverage alcohol with three or more years of experience in technical instruction or sake manufacture operations) and comparable individuals requested by the Director of the Office of Analysis and Brewing Technology, and technical officers

 *Refer to Attachment 3 for the jury members.

(2) Examination Items and Methods
 Quality examinations are conducted by entry category for a comprehensive evaluation (score) and flavor characteristics (scale and profile).

(3) Comprehensive Evaluation Standards
 Respective jury members make evaluations based on their respective wealth of manufacturing technology knowledge and experience in evaluation.

a. Dosanmai ginjo-shu and Ginjo-shu categories
Relative evaluation of superiority in characteristic ginjo-shu flavor and clarity

b. Junmai-shu category
Relative evaluation of superiority in characteristic junmai-shu flavor and clarity

5. Presentation of Award Certificates

After compilation of the results of comprehensive evaluation for Dosanmai ginjo-shu, Ginjo-shu, and Junmai-shu categories, the entries finishing in the upper rankings (approximately 40% of entrants) shall be commended as Gold Prize winners, whose manufacturers will be presented with award certificates.

6. Manufacturing Technology Workshop

The manufacturing technology workshop is held to allow entrants to mutually evaluate and study all of the entries, which are fully laid out.

Participants are associates of the sake manufacturing industry (minors under 20 years old are excluded).

Gold Prize winners will be denoted with a gold tag on their bottle.

Attachment 1

Labeling Standards for the Manufacturing Process and Quality of Sake (Overview)

National Tax Agency Notice No. 8, November 22, 1989

○ Labeling Tokutei meisho (specific designations) of sake

Tokutei meisho of sake refer to ginjo-shu, junmai-shu, and honjozo-shu, and may be so labeled as long as they meet the prescribed requirements.。

Tokutei meisho is classed in eight different classifications according to ingredients, manufacture method, etc.

Tokutei meisho Ingredients Used Seimai-buai Ratio of koji rice Other features, including flavor
Ginjo-shuRice, koji, Jozo-alcoholUp to 60%15% or moreGinjo-zukuri method, characteristic flavor, high clarity
Daiginjo-shuRice, koji, Jozo-alcoholUp to 50%15% or moreGinjo-zukuri method, characteristic flavor, best clarity
Junmai-shuRice, koji--15%or moreGood flavor, high clarity
Junmai-ginjo-shuRice, kojiUp to 60%15% or moreGinjo-zukuri method, characteristic flavor, high clarity
Junmai-daiginjo-shuRice, kojiUp to 50%15% or moreGinjo-zukuri method, characteristic flavor, best clarity
Tokubetsu-junmai-shuRice, kojiUp to 60%, or specially processed15% or moreGood flavor, best clarity

f you need further information, please refer to the linked Japanese page.
国税庁ホームページ>「刊行物等」>「パンフレット・手引」>「酒税関係」>「酒のしおり(平成26年3月)」>「19 清酒の製法品質表示基準」

Attachment 2

Manufacture Status of Ginjo-shu and Junmai-shu in 2012 Brewing Year

 During the 2012 brewing year (July 1, 2012 – June 30, 2013), the manufactured volumes of ginjo-shu and junmai-shu (20% ABV equivalent) in Hokkaido were as follows:

Category Hokkaido Japan
All Sake キロリットル1 キロリットル2
4,306 445,716
(100.00) (100.00)
Ginjo-shu 144 20,745
(3.34) (4.65)
Junmai Ginjo-shu 422 31,245
(9.80) (7.01)
Junmai-shu 1,127 47,745
(26.17) (10.71)

※The figures in parentheses are percentages relative to all sake.

If you need further information, please refer to the linked Japanese page.
 国税庁ホームページ>「税の情報・手続・用紙」>「お酒に関する情報」>「統計情報・各種資料」>「その他」>「清酒の製造状況等について」>「平成24酒造年度における清酒の製造状況等について(平成26年1月)」

Attachment 3

Hokkaido Sake Awards 2013 Quality Examination Jury

(Honorifics omitted)
Name Affiliation
KOZO ASANORESEARCH FACULTY OF AGRICULTURE, HOKKAIDO UNIVERSITY
KAZUYA TOMINAGAHOKKAIDO RESEACH ORGANIZATION FOOD PROCESSING RESEARCH CENTER
RYOJI NAKAGAWAHOKKAIDO RESEACH ORGANIZATIONFOOD PROCESSING RESEARCH CENTER
KAZUTOSHI SAKAMOTONATIONAL INSTITUTE OF BREWING
KAZUYUKI SATONIPPON SEISHU CO., LTD.
RYUICHI KOIWANIPPON SEISHU CO., LTD.
KAZUYOSHI TANAKATANAKA SAKE BREWING CO., LTD.
ATSUO TAKANOTANAKA SAKE BREWING CO., LTD.
TOSHINORI TSUCHIYAKITA NO HOMARE SHUZO CO ., LTD.
NOBUAKI INOUEKITA NO HOMARE SHUZO CO ., LTD.
MIZUGUCHI TETSUJIGODO SHUSEI CO., LTD.
YOSHIHISA MORIMOTOTAKASAGOSHUZO CO., LTD.
YUUKI ISHIITAKASAGOSHUZO CO., LTD.
HIDEFUMI KITAMURAOTOKOYAMA CO., LTD.
DAISUKE TANAKAOTOKOYAMA CO., LTD.
KAZUMA YANASEFUKUTSUKASA CORPORATION
SATOKO ICHIZAWAFUKUTSUKASA CORPORATION
SEIJI KOBAYASHIKOBAYASHI SHUZO CO., LTD.
SHUJI MINAMIKOBAYASHI SHUZO CO., LTD.
HIROKI HIGASHIYAKUNIMARE SHUZO INC.
EIJI SANOKUNIMARE SHUZO INC.
SHINJI KAWABATAKINTEKI SHUZO CO., LTD.
WATARU MIZUGUCHINISEKO SHUZO CO., LTD.
KENTAROU ISHIDAOFFICE OF ANALYSIS AND BREWING TECHNOLOGY, SAPPORO REGIONAL TAXATION BUREAU
OSAMU MATUZAKIOFFICE OF ANALYSIS AND BREWING TECHNOLOGY, SAPPORO REGIONAL TAXATION BUREAU
KAZUHIRO HARAOFFICE OF ANALYSIS AND BREWING TECHNOLOGY, SAPPORO REGIONAL TAXATION BUREAU