GO UONUMA SPARKLING
The rice people eat, made into sake as it is. A sparkling sake from Uonuma Koshihikari that farmers polished as ordinary white rice.
Taste
Gentle and refreshing. The soft character of the rice meets clean acidity and bubbles. Sweetness is held back so that it also works at the table, and at 8% alcohol it stays light.
Specifications
- Type
- Sparkling sake
- Rice
- 100% Uonuma Koshihikari
- Ingredients
- Rice (Uonuma, Niigata), rice koji (Uonuma, Niigata), carbon dioxide
- Polishing ratio
- 90%
- Alcohol
- 8%
- Volume
- 270ml (aluminum bottle can)
- Launch
- 25 September 2026, in Niigata Prefecture first
- Brewer
- TSUNAN SAKE BREWERY (Tsunan, Niigata, Japan)
How to enjoy it
- Temperature. Chill it well in the refrigerator.
- Vessel. Pour it into a glass, or drink it straight from the bottle can.
- Occasion. The bottle can travels easily, so bring it along on a trip through Niigata or outdoors.
More ideas are on the pairings page.
Why a 90% polishing ratio
Brewers polish away the outer layers of brown rice because they hold more of the protein and lipids that can turn into off-flavors. For daiginjo, more than half of the grain is removed.
GO UONUMA SPARKLING is polished to 90%, close to the white rice people eat at home. The rice is not polished further for sake: it is brewed as the farmers polished it, so that rice grown for eating is used with little waste. The challenge is to bring out the character of the rice as flavor, not as off-flavor, while so much of the outer grain remains.
Brewing Koshihikari since 2023
TSUNAN SAKE BREWERY has been brewing sake from Uonuma Koshihikari since 2023, with technical cooperation from FERMENT8. The junmai daiginjo GO GRANDCLASS Uonuma Koshihikari Edition came out of the same line of work. GO UONUMA SPARKLING makes that work easier for more people to pick up.
Where to buy
- Shops in Niigata Prefecture. The brewery shop, Ponshukan stores, Pier Bandai and other shops for travelers, rolling out in turn. Availability and start dates vary by shop.
- Online. The brewery's online store (in Japanese). Please check the store for stock and shipping.
- Nationwide in Japan. Planned for spring 2027 or later (as of November 2026).
- Overseas. No overseas release has been announced. Importers and retailers can contact TSUNAN SAKE BREWERY: +81-25-765-5252, tsunan-sake.com.
Frequently asked questions
What is GO UONUMA SPARKLING?
A sparkling sake brewed from 100% Uonuma Koshihikari table rice. It pairs the soft character of the rice with clean acidity and bubbles. 8% alcohol, in a 270ml aluminum bottle can.
What does a 90% polishing ratio mean?
Only the outer 10% of the brown rice has been removed, leaving it close to the white rice people eat at home. The brewery starts from rice that farmers polished as white rice, rather than polishing it further for sake.
Where can I buy it?
It launched on 25 September 2026 in Niigata Prefecture, Japan, at the brewery shop, Ponshukan stores, Pier Bandai and other shops for travelers. Nationwide sales in Japan are planned for spring 2027 or later (as of November 2026). No overseas release has been announced.
How should I drink it?
Chill it well in the refrigerator, then pour it into a glass or drink it straight from the bottle can.
How is it different from GO GRANDCLASS?
Both are brewed from 100% Uonuma Koshihikari. GO GRANDCLASS is a 720ml junmai daiginjo polished to 50%, suited to the dining table and to gifting. GO UONUMA SPARKLING is a sparkling sake polished to 90% with 8% alcohol, made for travel and everyday moments.
Sources: press release on the launch (PR TIMES, 25 September 2026, in Japanese) · GO UONUMA SPARKLING official site (in Japanese)
Related: GO GRANDCLASS · What it is · Pairings · 2026 journey
You must be of legal drinking age to buy or drink alcohol.