News
SAKETIMES Examines Shichiken Hakushin’s IWC Champion Sake Impact
SAKETIMES published a sponsored feature by Saki Kimura on September 15, 2026, examining the wider meaning of the International Wine Challenge’s Champion Sake distinction. The article places Shichiken Hakushin Junmai Daiginjo, the IWC 2025 Champion Sake from Yamanashi Meijo, at the centre of its account.
Shichiken Hakushin at the Centre
Yamanashi Meijo President Tsushima Kitahara describes entering IWC as a way to bring sake into conversation with the international wine market and to learn how flavour is assessed and communicated across categories. SAKETIMES notes that the competition uses blind tasting and deliberation by teams of international drinks professionals.
The Meaning of Yamanashi-Grown Rice
Hakushin is made with Yumesansui rice grown in Yamanashi Prefecture. According to the feature, the rice is cultivated with reduced agricultural inputs and produces a smaller crop, while the sake is matured at low temperature for one year. Kitahara connects its recognition with the strength of the rice and the sake’s rounded texture and layered aromatic and flavour profile.
Recognition Beyond the Brewery
The article describes how the award drew attention not only to Shichiken and Yamanashi Meijo, but also to local rice growers and to Yamanashi as a sake-producing region alongside its established wine identity. Kitahara presents the title as a milestone rather than an endpoint, with the brewery looking to apply what it learns at the highest level across its wider production.
A Regional Perspective on Champion Sake
SAKETIMES also compares Yamanashi Meijo’s experience with Nambu Bijin, whose Tokubetsu Junmai was named Champion Sake in 2017. Together, the two accounts show how international recognition can extend from a brewery to local agriculture, tourism, craft and regional identity.
