The National Research Institute of Brewing in Higashi-Hiroshima, Hiroshima Prefecture, announced on May 21 the results of the Annual Japan Sake Awards competition, which judged the quality of sake produced in the 2020 brewing year (July 2020 to June 2021).
　This is the eighth consecutive competition in which Fukushima ranked atop the Gold Prizes table, this time tying Nagano Prefecture with 17 brands each.

　酒類総合研究所（広島県東広島市）は２１日、２０２０酒造年度（２０年７月～２１年６月）に製造された日本酒の出来栄えを競う全国新酒鑑評会の審査結果を発表した。本県は都道府県別で長野県と並び最多の１７銘柄で金賞を獲得、金賞の選定が見送られた１９酒造年度を挟み、８回連続の「日本一」を達成した。

　In the 2019 sake brewing year, the final judging was canceled due to the novel coronavirus outbreak, so this was the first time in two years that Gold Prizes were awarded. With the triumphant return, Fukushima secured its 10th overall victory, and extended its winning streak to a record eight consecutive years.

　１９酒造年度は新型コロナウイルスの影響で最終審査の決審が中止となり、今回は２年ぶりに金賞が決まった。本県の日本一は通算１０度目で、史上最多の８回連続に記録を伸ばした。

　This year's competition received 821 entries from all over Japan, with 207 of the 413 winning entries selected for Gold Prizes by the judges. By prefecture, Akita and Niigata won 13 Gold Prizes, followed by Yamagata with 12 and Tochigi and Hyogo with 10.
　Fukushima Prefecture had the third-highest number of prize-winning brands with 32, after Nagano's 36 and Niigata's 33.

　今回は全国から８２１点の出品があり、入賞４１３点の中から決審で金賞に２０７点が選ばれた。都道府県別の金賞銘柄数は秋田と新潟が１３、山形が１２、栃木と兵庫が１０で続いた。入賞銘柄数は長野の３６、新潟の３３に次ぎ、本県は３２で３番目に多かった。

　Senkomasyuzo Corp. in Shirakawa won a Gold Prize for the first time in 14 years. Hanaharushuzo Corp. in Aizu-Wakamatsu won its first Gold Prize since the transfer of its brewing business to a new company in September 2016.
　Higashinihonshuzo Productivity Improvement Cooperative in Nihonmatsu, which produces the sake brand Okunomatsu, won a Gold Prize this year, the cooperative's 12th consecutive win (18th overall), while Nagurayama Sake Brewery Co. in Aizu-Wakamatsu also won a Gold Prize for the 12th consecutive time (14th overall).
　In the midst of a decline in sake consumption, especially in restaurants due to COVID-19 business restrictions, breweries in Fukushima have overcome difficulties to further enhance their fame as a sake production center.

　千駒酒造（白河市）は１４年ぶり、花春酒造（会津若松市）は１６年９月に新会社に酒造事業を譲渡してから初の金賞に輝いた。０１酒造年度以降では、「奥の松」の東日本酒造協業組合（二本松市）が１２回連続１８度目、名倉山酒造（会津若松市）が１２回連続１４度目の金賞を受賞した。
　コロナ禍で飲食店を中心に日本酒の消費量が落ち込む中、本県の蔵元は苦境をはねのけ、酒どころとしての名声を一層高めた。

　Governor: Wonderful news
　At the unveiling ceremony of the commemorative panel held at the prefectural government office on the same day, Fukushima Gov. Masao Uchibori praised the achievements of the breweries in the prefecture.
　"This is wonderful and bright news amid so much dark news," Uchibori said. "Everyone's efforts are the top runners in the reconstruction of Fukushima [from the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake] and the eradication of harmful rumors [lingering from the accident at the Fukushima No. 1 nuclear power plant]."

　知事「素晴らしいニュース」
　２１日に県庁で行われた記念パネルの除幕式で、内堀雅雄知事は「暗いニュースが多い中、素晴らしい明るいニュース。皆さんの取り組みは福島の復興や風評払拭のトップランナーだ」と県内蔵元の偉業をたたえた。

　Yoshihiro Ariga, chairman of the Fukushima Prefecture Sake Brewers Cooperative, who unveiled the panel together with Uchibori, said, "Achieving Japan's No. 1 ranking for the eighth time in a row will be an opportunity to promote Fukushima as a 'sake superpower,' even though the industry is in a very difficult situation due to requests for restaurants to shorten business hours [to halt the spread of the novel coronavirus]."

　内堀知事と共にパネルを除幕した県酒造組合の有賀義裕会長は「（新型コロナの感染拡大に伴う）飲食店の営業時間短縮要請などで業界は非常に厳しい状況だが、８回連続日本一の達成は『日本酒王国・福島』を改めて発信できる機会になる」と喜んだ。

Fukushima's Gold Prize winning sake
・Kinsuisho
・Senkoma Daiginjyo
・Suzunoi
・Hirotogawa
・Abukuma
・Azumatoyokuni
・Okunomatsu
・Hanaharu
・Nagurayama
・Aizu Yoshinogawa
・Sasamasamune
・Kaitou Otokoyama
・Tajima
・Eishiro
・Gensai
・Bandaihou
・Issyouseisyun

（　Translated by The Japan News　）

本県の金賞銘柄
・金水晶
・千駒 大吟醸
・寿々乃井
・廣戸川
・あぶくま
・東豊国
・奥の松
・花春
・名倉山
・会津吉の川
・笹正宗
・開当男山
・田島
・榮四郎
・玄宰
・萬代芳
・一生青春

　【　２０２１年５月２２日付・福島民友新聞掲載　】