Global Demand for Sake Surges as Exports Reach Record Highs

In 2024, the export value of sake reached 43.5 billion yen, with 3.45 million cases shipped to 80 countries and regions. This marked a 6% increase in both value and volume from the previous year. The average price per 750ml bottle was 1,050 yen. Over five years, the number of export destinations grew by 19, export value rose by 80%, and the average unit price increased by 26%. This indicates a growing demand for premium sake worldwide.

In November 2024, the European, Middle East & Africa Sommelier Championship in Belgrade, Serbia, included a question about sake for the first time in its 35-year history. This highlights the increasing global interest in sake. Sommeliers are now promoting sake as a beverage that can be enjoyed as casually as wine, emphasizing its unique qualities.

In January 2025, the Japan Sake and Shochu Makers Association organized a tour for wine experts from around the world. The goal was to deepen their understanding of sake and enable them to share its appeal with a wider audience. The tour included visits to breweries in Niigata and Gunma Prefectures, known for their unique sake production methods.

Participants included Sören Polonius, Co-Director of the Exam and Education Committee of the Association de la Sommellerie Internationale (ASI), Tiago Paula, President of the Portuguese Sommelier Association, Vincenzo Arnese, a top sommelier in the UK, Almudena Alberca, Spain's first female Master of Wine, and Alicia Ahuactzi Martinez, winner of the 2024 Mexico Sake Academy.

The group visited Niigata Prefecture, which has the most sake breweries in Japan, and Gunma Prefecture, known for its unique sake, such as bottle-fermented sparkling sake and sake brewed with ambient yeast. Sören Polonius noted the importance of understanding the different styles and techniques used by various breweries. He emphasized the diversity within the sake industry.

A highlight of the tour was a lecture at the Niigata University Sakeology Center. The center offers academic education on sake and has partnerships with the Institute of Vine & Wine Science in Bordeaux and the University of California, Davis. The experts participated in sensory training to identify sake's unique ginjo aroma and off-flavors. They also tasted sakes brewed under identical conditions but with different yeast strains. Tiago Paula praised the academic approach, noting its importance for increasing international recognition of sake.

Vincenzo Arnese highlighted sake's low acidity, which allows it to pair well with various dishes. He also noted that sake's natural umami makes it a versatile beverage. Unlike beverages with added sulfur dioxide, sake has a softer mouthfeel. The experts emphasized sake's potential for food pairing. Sören Polonius suggested considering sake as a first choice for pairing, rather than a last resort.

Alicia Ahuactzi Martinez pointed out that many consumers outside Japan are unaware of sake's diversity. She noted that sake is more than just ginjo aroma. For example, honjozo sake is full-bodied, namagenshu is fresh with sharp acidity, and aged sake offers flavors similar to Madeira and Sherry. Almudena Alberca stressed the importance of promoting sake's diversity in production, history, flavors, and food pairings.

The experts plan to promote sake in their home countries. Vincenzo Arnese is exploring collaborations with the UK Sommelier Academy and ASI to expand sake knowledge. Sören Polonius is developing a blind tasting grid for ASI to encourage interest in sake. Almudena Alberca plans to focus on education and promotion within the sommelier and Master of Wine communities.

On December 4, 2024, in Asuncion, Paraguay, the "Traditional Knowledge and Skills of Sake-Making with Koji Mold in Japan" was added to the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage list. This recognition is expected to boost interest in sake, which is brewed using traditional and advanced techniques with koji mold. The Japan Sake and Shochu Makers Association aims to increase global demand for sake by incorporating feedback from wine industry experts.