The 2026 global expansion journey

In early 2026, Premium Table Rice Sake was carried as one consistent message across the U.S. West Coast, Taiwan, and Japan. In September, GO UONUMA SPARKLING, a sparkling sake from the same Uonuma Koshihikari, launched in Niigata Prefecture.

September 2026 — GO UONUMA SPARKLING launches

On 25 September, GO UONUMA SPARKLING launched in Niigata Prefecture: 100% Uonuma Koshihikari at a 90% polishing ratio, brewed from rice as farmers polished it. It comes in a 270ml aluminum bottle can at 8% alcohol. Nationwide sales in Japan are planned for spring 2027 or later (press release, in Japanese).

Global presence at a glance

Premium Table Rice Sake reaches three regions—the U.S. West Coast, Taiwan, and Europe—carried as one consistent message: 100% Uonuma Koshihikari, brewed in the snow country of Tsunan. "We are exporting the snow, the soil, and the spirit of Tsunan."

Markets

• U.S. West Coast Premium dining and outdoor lifestyle. Pairing dinners in Portland and Seattle and a sake-and-fire experience opened distributor conversations on the West Coast.
• Taiwan — Asia's gateway Exhibited with strategic local partner HUKUHAKU at the Taipei Fine Wine Exhibition in the pre–Lunar New Year peak season, a market with deep sake understanding.
• Europe — international recognition Recognized at international competitions: Kura Master in France (2024 Gold) and Milano Sake Challenge in Italy (2025 Platinum).

Awards as global validation

A category needs a proof point. GO GRANDCLASS Uonuma Koshihikari Edition has been validated abroad:

• Kura Master 2024 Gold Award — Junmai Daiginjo category, GO GRANDCLASS Uonuma Koshihikari Edition (the sake competition held in France).
• Milano Sake Challenge 2025 Platinum — GO GRANDCLASS Uonuma Koshihikari Edition (Italy).
• Echigo-Style Sake Brewing Technical Competition (FY Reiwa 6) — Niigata Governor's Award, 1st place — awarded to the "Tsunan" label.

Full list with sources: Awards. Detail on the flagship: GO GRANDCLASS.

Press & records

The record of the expansion sits in paid placements, press release distribution and the brewery's own releases:

• The Japan Times (Comfacts, paid placement) — Portland / Nodoguro · Seattle / Shiku Sushi · Taipei Fine Wine Exhibition · Greece cultural exchange
• EIN Presswire (press release distribution) — Portland / Nodoguro · Seattle / Shiku Sushi · Taipei Fine Wine Exhibition
• Forbes JAPAN — metaverse "Lunar Brewery" feature, via the brewery's official notice
• Official — tsunan-sake.com · Greece & terroir
• Full list: Press & records

The journey, event by event

United States — premium dining × lifestyle

• 10 Jan 2026

  Nodoguro — Portland, Oregon

  A pairing dinner at the acclaimed Japanese restaurant Nodoguro with chef Ryan Roadhouse. The global debut event for Premium Table Rice Sake, pairing GO GRANDCLASS Uonuma Koshihikari Edition with a Japanese course.

  View the record →
• 14 Jan 2026

  Shiku Sushi — Seattle, Washington

  A GO GRANDCLASS experience at the long-established Shiku Sushi in the historic Ballard district, with concrete distributor conversations on the U.S. West Coast.

  View the record →
• Jan 2026

  Snow Peak Takibi — Portland, Oregon

  A sake-and-fire experience at Takibi, the restaurant run by outdoor brand Snow Peak—reaching an outdoor and lifestyle audience.

Taiwan — Asia's gateway

• 23–26 Jan 2026

  Taipei Fine Wine Exhibition — Taipei, Taiwan

  Exhibited with strategic local partner HUKUHAKU in the pre–Lunar New Year peak season. GO GRANDCLASS Uonuma Koshihikari Edition tasting, presenting Premium Table Rice Sake to Taiwan—Asia’s gateway and a market with deep sake understanding.

  View the record →

Japan — the home base and broadcast

• 17 Dec 2025

  Uis'mas — Kawasaki, Japan

  At Fujitsu Uvance Kawasaki Tower (hosted by Uvance Innovation Studio): introduced GO GRANDCLASS and the overseas-expansion strategy at an open innovation gathering.

  Press release →
• 20 Jan 2026

  Institute of Science Tokyo seminar — Yushima

  "Ishoku-dogen × pre-symptomatic control frontier seminar": GO GRANDCLASS’s global expansion and cultural background, with a guided experience of the "Lunar Brewery" metaverse.

  Press release →
• 18–20 Feb 2026

  Supermarket Trade Show 2026 — Makuhari Messe

  At one of Japan’s largest trade shows: GO GRANDCLASS and the GO / Tsunan series proposed to nationwide retail, mass-merchandise and foodservice channels, highlighting snow-country terroir and overseas awards.

  Press release →
• 20 Feb 2026

  Toyosunakku #4 — Toyosu, Tokyo

  A tasting talk event at LIFESTYLE LAB TOYONOMA on snow-country terroir brewing and the global expansion of Uonuma-Koshihikari table-rice sake.

  Press release →
• 16 Sep 2026

  78th Annual Meeting of the Society for Biotechnology, Japan — Hokkaido University

  A symposium lecture on developing a branded sake from table rice with generative AI: a low-temperature, long-fermentation profile applied to a junmai daiginjo from 100% Uonuma Koshihikari.

  Press release →
• 8–13 Oct 2026

  Niigata food and sake fair — Abeno Harukas Kintetsu, Osaka

  GO GRANDCLASS, the GO series and Tsunan Ai at a department-store fair. Sparkling sake was especially popular, and its light style appealed to visitors who do not usually drink much.

  Press release →
• 10–11 Oct 2026

  Niigata Sake League Festa — Niigata Station

  Tasting and sales of the new GO UONUMA SPARKLING. Many visitors were surprised to hear that it is brewed at a 90% polishing ratio from the rice people eat every day.

  Press release →
• 17 Oct 2026

  University of Tokyo Homecoming Day sake tasting — Hongo Campus

  At a booth in front of Yasuda Auditorium, the brewery poured GO GRANDCLASS Uonuma Koshihikari Edition, Tsunan Ai and GO VINO.

  Press release →