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Yomiuri Reports on Noguchi Naohiko’s Living National Treasure Recommendation
Yomiuri Shimbun reported on October 16, 2026 that Japan’s Council for Cultural Affairs recommended Noguchi Naohiko for designation as a holder of an Important Intangible Cultural Property, commonly known as a Living National Treasure, for his work in ginjo sake brewing.
Seven Decades in Sake Brewing
According to the report, Noguchi began learning the craft at age 16. He became chief brewer at Kikuhime in Ishikawa Prefecture at 28 and helped bring ginjo sake to wider attention from the late 1970s onward. He now leads brewing at the Noguchi Naohiko Sake Institute in Komatsu, Ishikawa, where he works with seven apprentices.
