[World First Debut Achievement] Newly Established Niigata Brewery "Yuki to Satoyama Brewing" Wins Platinum and Gold for All Products at International Competition! Simultaneously Wins Best Design Award! - "Tokyo Sake Challenge 2026"

Yuki to Satoyama Brewing (Location: Tokamachi City, Niigata Prefecture; Representative: Tomomi Duquette) is pleased to announce that all three products in the "Snow Satoyama Sake - Satoyama Mariage Collection" series won 【Platinum】 and 【Gold】 awards at the international Japanese sake competition "Tokyo Sake Challenge 2026," organized by the London-based "Sake Sommelier Association (SSA)."

In this competition, active sake sommeliers from around the world conduct strict evaluations through "blind tastings," where labels and brand names are hidden. It is an extremely rare feat for a newly established micro-brewery to achieve "awards for all products" in its first-ever entry into an international competition.

Furthermore, one of the products simultaneously won the "Best Design Award."

Award Details

【Platinum Award】 (Highest Award) Snow Satoyama Sake - Satoyama Mariage Collection - The Crystal Evaluation: "Aromas reminiscent of mint, anise, ginger, and Japanese sansho pepper add brightness, warmth, and a pleasant stimulation. It is a very individualistic and expressive style, with a lingering finish of vibrant spices."

【Gold Award】 Snow Satoyama Sake - Satoyama Mariage Collection - The Heritage Evaluation: "Notes of spices such as cloves and cinnamon spread in the mouth, with a very good balance between subtle sweetness, excellent acidity, and fine bubbles," recognizing the correctness of its structure.

【Gold Award】 Snow Satoyama Sake - Satoyama Mariage Collection - The Venus Evaluation: "A floral and gorgeous scent reminiscent of juniper, cedar, and lemongrass, much like a perfume or gin. A unique finish where rich texture and citrus tones are in harmony."

【Best Design Award】 Snow Satoyama Sake - Satoyama Mariage Collection - The Venus In the design evaluation following the tasting, its unique worldview was praised, and it simultaneously won the "Best Design Award."

◼️ Proof of "Japan Luxury": Brewing Time instead of Efficiency Matsunoyama, Tokamachi City, Niigata Prefecture, is a land of heavy snow. Our brewery is located amidst the lifestyles of the Satoyama (village forests) that still remain vivid today. What we aim for is not just the manufacture of SAKE. Positioned at the opposite extreme of the modern pursuit of efficiency and speed through the introduction of machinery and AI, our goal is to pour into every drop the very way of life of "living with the natural cycles of the Satoyama and spending an immense amount of time and effort."

And we define the essence of this spirituality as "Japan Luxury": Not efficiency, but spending time. Not speed, but accumulation. The life of Satoyama where people and nature are deeply involved.

Uncompromising commitment to ingredients: We use top-quality Uonuma rice, including rare pesticide-free rice raised by the Aigamo (duck) farming method, costing over 100,000 yen per bag. Ultra-small batch, fully manual brewing: brewing in units of just 30 liters per batch, an unimaginably small scale in modern times. We do not rely on machinery and sharpen human five senses in all processes.

We are confident that this award is proof that our sincere attitude has been recognized by the world as pure "quality" in a blind evaluation without prejudice.

Traditional wooden vats and natural lactic acid bacteria. Instead of pursuing efficiency, we borrow the power of invisible life dwelling in the wood grain. The rich acidity derived from nature born there overturns conventional concepts of sake and maximizes the flavor of cuisine. Inheritance of traditional culture beyond "deliciousness." Yuki to Satoyama Brewing creates a new circulation from this single cup.

We pursue transparency using ancient luxury sake methods without using filters. Sleeping the pressed sake and repeating the work of drawing only the clear supernatant that naturally appears over several days to another tank. This is a commitment unique to Yuki to Satoyama Brewing, which values time over efficiency.

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