Winners Announced for the 9th Honey of the Year Contest 2026

The 9th edition of the Honey of the Year contest, organized by the Japan Honey Meister Association, has drawn to a close, revealing the most delicious honey chosen by honey enthusiasts and qualified connoisseurs. This year's contest coincided with Honey Day on August 3rd, promoting awareness and appreciation for honey in Japan.

The contest saw an impressive total of 171 entries: 91 from the domestic category, 54 from the international category, and 26 from the Japanese honeybee category. After thorough tasting evaluations conducted by a panel of five experts in mid-July, along with a tasting event held at the Honey Festival 2026 in Ginza, the winners were determined as follows:

Grand Prize Winners

Japanese Honeybee Category

- Product Name: Takao Honey (Spring)

Origin: Tokyo
Producer: Takao Beekeeping

Domestic Category

- Product Name: MARUCHO FARM Apple Honey

Origin: Fukushima
Producer: MARUCHO FARM Co., Ltd.

International Category

- Product Name: Tasmanian Christmas Bush Honey

Origin: Australia
Producer: Fuji Trading Co., Ltd.

The final judging was conducted in a blind tasting format, ensuring impartiality. The panel tasted honey samples without labels and evaluated them based on aroma, flavor, and aftertaste.

Visitor’s Special Award

At the Honey Festival 2026 held on July 25th and 26th, a total of approximately 200 visitors participated in tasting and voting for their favorite honeys. The product that garnered the highest votes was incredibly the same as the Grand Prize winner in the Japanese honeybee category:

- Product Name: Takao Honey (Spring)

Origin: Tokyo
Producer: Takao Beekeeping

In the Domestic category, the following was awarded:

- Product Name: Airport Honey

Origin: Shimane
Producer: Iwami Airport Terminal Building Co., Ltd.

In the International category, the following was selected:

- Product Name: Longan Honey

Origin: Taiwan
Producer: Nanahoney.

Excellence Award Winners

Several products advanced to the final round before receiving an Excellence Award:

Japanese Honeybee Category

- Aki no Kuni Satoyama’s Drops (Hiroshima) / Hiraoki Beekeeping
- Iwami Pure Honey (Shimane) / Iwami-to

Domestic Category

- Posumitsu Summer Solstice June (Kanagawa) / Japan Postal Service Co., Ltd., Aobadai Post Office

International Category

- HONEY ViVa Avocado (Taiwan) / Beekeeping® | Century-Old Taiwan Beekeeping

About the Honey of the Year Contest

This contest presents an opportunity for honey products available to Japanese consumers. It is open to honey enthusiasts, advisors, and certified instructors recognized by the Japan Honey Meister Association, as well as beekeepers and businesses that sell honey in Japan.

The competition follows a strict blind evaluation process and has garnered significant participation over the years. The Honey Festival, aimed at popularizing and celebrating honey culture in Japan, has been ongoing since 2013, while the contest itself has been held annually since 2015.

The announcement of the winners will be made on our official website and social media on August 3rd, sharing the success stories of these remarkable products with the world.

About the Japan Honey Meister Association

Established to promote understanding of bee ecology and honey sources, the Japan Honey Meister Association also organizes various workshops and training programs, offering insights into culinary uses and health benefits of honey. With an aim to enhance honey appreciation through professional training and public events, the Association remains committed to showcasing the diverse flavors and benefits of honey.