The Tokyo Sake Challenge is back again in 2026, and the organisers are excited to once again showcase the best the sake world has to offer!
Under the theme of “Re-Discovering Sake,” the Tokyo Sake Challenge and Japan Life are once again setting out to showcase Japan’s diverse beverage scene and, through the addition of new categories, create even more opportunities for breweries to enter. Making it the perfect place to introduce new sake, challenge your thoughts about sake, and discover all that sake can be.
Cindy Bissig and Giulia Maglio, the hosts of the Tokyo Sake Challenge, are excited to host this prestigious event with the support of the Sake Sommelier Association again in Tokyo in March 2026. Both of them are passionate promoters in the sake industry, with Cindy deeply involved in sake tourism, Media & Promotion, whereas Giulia is working as an educator and Kurabito. They are thrilled to create new opportunities for breweries and a chance for sake sommeliers and brewers to connect and bring more variety to an international judging competition.
Cindy Bissig, the Chairman of the Tokyo Sake Challenge, shares her goals and ideas about the event and the Japanese sake industry.
“I am once again thrilled to hold this event in Japan! After last year’s success, I believe even more so that showcasing all that the sake industry has to offer is the way forward. With an incredible choice of styles available in Japan, we again hope to welcome more breweries and give a platform to products such as craft sake, nigori sake, and Doburoku. After last year’s success, I am also excited to have more foreign breweries join the Tokyo Sake Challenge this year.
Personally, it is my goal for the Tokyo Sake Challenge to have the sake presented to reflect the sake culture as it is today with all its facets, giving brewers a chance to showcase their craft and get feedback on what they do from an international perspective (in Japan), for Sake Sommeliers to experience the incredible creativity and versatility sake brewers have to offer and create opportunities for people to connect through sake and create positive change.”
I am fortunate to experience both sides of sake — brewing and teaching. This unique perspective enables me to share insights from the sake world that are often less well-known, and to give a voice to the people who quietly dedicate themselves to making sake but are seldom spoken of.
The first Tokyo酒チャレンジ in 2025 was a wonderful success, and I am truly excited for our second edition. For 2026, we have decided to grow the challenge — welcoming more sake, more breweries, and more people to come together, enjoy, and celebrate sake.
I want to continue serving as a bridge between these two worlds of sake and to share their stories with the world.
Co-Chairman, Giulia Maglio has the following message for people joining the Tokyo Sake Challenge 2025:
“I am lucky enough to be one of the few people able to experience firsthand both sides of sake, brewing and teaching. This allows me to share the insights of the sake world, often less known, and hopefully to give a voice to the people who are silently making sake and who are often not spoken about.
I hope I can be a bridge between these two realities of sake, and share it with the world.”
