July 16, 2024 – The 16th Sake Fair 2024, organized by the Japan Sake and Shochu Makers Association (JSS), was held over two days on July 5th and 6th in Tokyo, attracting approximately 4,600 participants from both Japan and abroad.
The Sake Fair is an annual event held from June to July that aims to preserve essential assets for sake brewing, such as rice cultivation culture and koji culture. It highlights the charm of sake, born from the diverse environments and cultural backgrounds of various regions. This fair consists of three events, making it the largest sake event globally: the “All Japan Sake Fair,” where participants can taste sake from 45 prefectures in Japan; the “Public Tasting of Award-Winning Sake,” featuring Daiginjo sake honored at the 112th Annual Japan Sake Awards, the world’s oldest sake competition; and seminars on sake. This year’s ” All Japan Sake Fair ” featured approximately 600 brands, and the ” Annual Japan Sake Awards Public Tasting” included about 400 varieties of Daiginjo sake.
Hitoshi Utsunomiya, Director of the JSS, stated, “Many sake fans eagerly anticipate the Sake Fair, and tickets sold out quickly. This being the 16th iteration, the continuous holding of the event has allowed regional sake brewers’ associations to mature in their PR points, more creatively presenting and offering tastings “
This year’s Sake Fair introduced two new initiatives. The first was the implementation of a feature to purchase ticket directly from overseas. Sake export values expanded to about 41.1 billion yen in 2023, approximately 3.9 times the 2013 figure, showing a remarkable CAGR of 14.6% during this period. “Interest in the Sake Fair is particularly high in Hong Kong, Taiwan, and the United States, so we considered overseas ticket sales essential to ensure it fits into travel plans,” said Director Utsunomiya. “In the future, we aim to add business meeting functions to attract international buyers, transforming it into an international sake fair.”
The second new initiative was the introduction of an information desk for overseas participants, with interpreters available in English and Mandarin. The staff of the JSS conducted tours introducing regions certified with Geographical Indication (GI) protection. With growing global interest in sake, the association sees the importance of disseminating correct knowledge about sake and information about geographical characteristics and qualities. A participant in this tour from Taiwan excitedly commented, “I didn’t know sake had GIs. GIs are proof of being local and high quality, and will certainly guide my future sake selections.”
Kensuke Shichida, Chairman of the Demand Development Committee of the JSS, expressed his expectations for deepening sake experiences sparked by the Sake Fair “With over 10 million visitors to Japan by April this year, post-COVID, the Sake Fair offers a unique opportunity for people to discover the distinctive characteristics of sake from each prefecture and to appreciate its rich diversity. I hope this event encourages people to visit sake breweries across the country. “
In 2023, sake was exported to 75 countries and regions, and the average unit price per 720ml bottle exceeded 1,000 yen for the first time. Sake exports in 2024 remain strong, with a 105% year-on-year increase in value from January to May. However, Chairman Shichida pointed out that there are challenges for sake. “Overseas, sake is mainly offered in Japanese restaurants. Our goal is for sake to be enjoyed with local foods around the world. We want consumers who discover the taste of sake at the Sake Fair to experience the pairing of sake with various global ingredients like cheese and oysters,” he said, emphasizing the ongoing efforts to highlight the appeal of sake.
The 2025 Sake Fair will be held in Osaka in June, coinciding with the Osaka-Kansai Expo. The JSS plans to continue strengthening frameworks to make the Sake Fair more accessible to international participants, allowing them to discover the regional characteristics of sake and experience the charm of “today’s sake.”
