Where Is Japanese Sake Most Popular? 2025 Export Rankings by Country

Japanese sake is now exported to 81 countries and regions. So where is it most popular, and why is demand growing overseas?

This guide uses the 2025 export results announced in February 2026 by the Japan Sake and Shochu Makers Association (JSS), based on Japan's Ministry of Finance trade statistics, to rank the top markets and explain what makes each one different. It also covers what the data means for businesses selling sake or other Japanese food and drink abroad.

The short version: ¥45.9 billion in 2025, shipped to a record 81 markets

• Exports reached about ¥45.9 billion (up 6%) and about 33,500 kiloliters (up 8%), growing despite new US tariffs
• Sake reached a record 81 countries and regions
• China ranked first by value, and the United States first by volume
• The average export price was ¥1,368 per liter, about 1.8 times the level of ten years earlier (¥771). Premium sake is driving growth

Top 5 markets by export value (2025)

• 1. China: about ¥13.3 billion (up about 14%)
• 2. United States: about ¥11.0 billion (down about 3%)
• 3. Hong Kong: about ¥4.8 billion
• 4. South Korea: about ¥4.4 billion (up about 17%, a record)
• 5. Taiwan: about ¥2.7 billion

The top five account for about 80% of total export value, and China, the US and Hong Kong alone for about 64%. But the lineup is shifting, with South Korea closing in on Hong Kong.

What sets each market apart

China: the largest by value, with a widening range

China is the biggest market by value at about ¥13.3 billion, and second by volume at about 6,660 kiloliters (up 25%). Its average price of ¥1,998 per liter remains high but slipped from ¥2,193 the year before, reflecting a wider variety of sake now on the market rather than only premium bottles.

United States: the largest by volume

The US leads by volume at about 7,720 kiloliters. In 2025, value and volume both dipped slightly, partly because of additional tariffs. At about ¥1,431 per liter, prices are lower than in China or Hong Kong, and a large volume of sake flows into the market. In 2024, JSS also reported growing adoption by fine-dining restaurants in North America.

Hong Kong: the premium market

Hong Kong has the highest price of the major markets, at about ¥2,376 per liter. Singapore and Macau are also above ¥2,000, pointing to an established market of affluent buyers seeking premium sake.

South Korea: a record-breaking growth market

South Korea set records in both value (about ¥4.4 billion) and volume (about 5,483 kiloliters, third overall). It also grew 29% in 2024 and is now close to overtaking Hong Kong.

New markets in the West: Canada and France hit records

Canada and France also set records for both value and volume in 2025. In France, sake is increasingly served at high-end restaurants that are not Japanese. According to JSS, exports to Western Europe grew about 2.5 times over the five years to 2024, helped by collaboration with the wine industry.

Southeast Asia: sake made with a global perspective

In Southeast Asia, IWA, a sake from Shiraiwa, the company founded in Toyama by Richard Geoffroy, known for his career in Champagne, has gone on sale in Indonesia. It is one example of sake shaped by an international maker's perspective reaching new markets.

Three reasons sake is gaining popularity abroad

1. Sake brewing is now recognized as world heritage

In December 2024, Japan's "traditional knowledge and skills of sake-making with koji mold," which produce sake, shochu, awamori and more, was added to UNESCO's Intangible Cultural Heritage list. The craft, passed down and adapted to each region's climate, now has global recognition.

2. Visitors discover sake in Japan

Japan welcomed more than 42.68 million international visitors in 2025, a record. Tasting sake or visiting breweries during a trip is expected to turn visitors into buyers once they return home.

3. Sake is chosen as a premium drink beyond Japanese cuisine

The near doubling of the average price over ten years shows that premium sake is finding acceptance worldwide. Sake is expanding its role from a drink for Japanese food to a premium beverage paired with many cuisines, much like wine.

What businesses selling abroad should keep in mind

• Match price to the market: premium in Hong Kong and Singapore, a broad range in the US, growing variety in China
• Watch the growth markets: South Korea, Canada and France all set records
• Sell through food pairing: sake is spreading beyond Japanese restaurants, so suggest dishes it pairs with, as with wine
• Connect with visitors to Japan: brewery tours and tastings can create fans who buy after returning home
• Prepare information in English: explain each brand's story, flavor and food pairings on web pages and sales materials

Using AI to scale overseas sales

• Use AI to summarize export data and local reviews by country, and narrow down target markets
• Draft product descriptions and pairing suggestions in English or local languages with AI, then have a person review and finalize them
• Prepare materials for inquiries and sales meetings more efficiently with AI

Always verify figures, origins and production details against primary sources. Alcohol labeling and advertising rules differ by country, so final checks should stay with people.

Key takeaways

• Japan's sake exports reached about ¥45.9 billion in 2025, shipped to a record 81 countries and regions
• China ranks first by value and the US first by volume, followed by Hong Kong, South Korea and Taiwan
• Hong Kong and Singapore are premium markets; South Korea, Canada and France are record-setting growth markets
• UNESCO recognition and record inbound tourism are tailwinds
• Pricing by market, food pairing and English-language information are keys to selling abroad

Figures are based on JSS announcements using Japan's 2025 Ministry of Finance trade statistics. Totals may not match because of rounding.

Sources

• JSS, 2025 sake export results (PR TIMES, February 6, 2026, Japanese)
• nippon.com, Sake exports reach ¥45.9 billion in 2025 (Japanese)
• Storm Media Japan, 2025 sake exports analysis by Clear Inc. (Japanese)
• JSS, 2024 sake export results (Business Wire, Japanese)
• Logistics Today, JSS reports ¥45.9 billion in sake exports (February 9, 2026, Japanese)
• National Tax Agency, Traditional sake-making as UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage (Japanese)
• Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, 2025 food and agricultural exports (PDF, Japanese)