#Japan #Ginza #Japanese Honey #Honey Contest #Honey Meister

8th Honey of the Year Contest Results Are In!

On August 3rd, coinciding with Honey Day, the Japan Honey Meister Association organized the 8th Honey of the Year contest, where honey enthusiasts and certified professionals gathered to select the most delicious honey. This food contest, held at Ginza during the Honey Festival 2025 on July 26th and 27th, saw a robust turnout with approximately 200 attendees tasting and voting for their favorites.

This year, the participation was remarkable with a total of 175 products submitted for consideration: 87 from Japan, 63 from overseas, and 25 from the Japanese bee category.

Award Winners

After a meticulous judging process involving five expert judges who evaluated the aroma, flavor, and aftertaste of nameless honey jars, the following outstanding products emerged as winners:

Grand Prize Winners

• - Domestic Category: Urayasu Honey - Mixed Flowers (Chiba Prefecture) - Represented by the Meikai University Urayasu Honey Project.
• - Overseas Category: HONEY ViVa Longan (Taiwan) - Represented by Beekeeping®, a historic Taiwanese beekeeping establishment.
• - Japanese Bee Category: Ichie Honey - Autumn Honey (Fukuoka Prefecture) - Represented by Ichie Honey Beekeeping.

The final judging panel comprised notable figures in the culinary field:

• - Eiko Egami, Head of Egami Culinary Academy
• - Atsuo Tanaka, Vice President of the Ginza Beekeeping Project
• - Hiroaki Nozaki, Chef
• - Seiichi Shimada, Director of the Japan Beekeeping Association
• - Chikage Kawamura, President of the Japan Honey Meister Association.

Visitor’s Choice Award

During the much-anticipated Honey Festival 2025, visitors participated in voting for their favorite honey. The product garnering the most votes also earned a double recognition as the People's Choice and the Grand Prize winner in the Domestic Category:

• - Domestic Category: Urayasu Honey - Mixed Flowers (Chiba Prefecture) - Meikai University Urayasu Honey Project.
• - Overseas Category: KIRA Platinum Honey (Kyrgyzstan) - Represented by Field On Co.
• - Japanese Bee Category: Takaomitsu - Spring (Tokyo) - Represented by Takao Beekeeping.

Contest Overview

The contest focuses on honey available for purchase by consumers in Japan. Candidates for nomination or entry include certified honey specialists, advisors, and beekeepers or companies engaged in domestic honey sales. The evaluation process maintains a blind testing method, ensuring unbiased results.

The schedule for this year's contest included:

• - March to April: Open for product submissions (Closed: April 25th)
• - May: Initial tasting reviews by association members (Closed)
• - June: Second round of reviews by accredited honey specialists (Closed)
• - July: Final evaluations by food professionals (Closed)
• - July 26-27: Public tasting event during Honey Festival 2025 in Ginza, where around 100 participants each day sampled the finalists and cast their votes.
• - August 3: Results announcement on the official website, revealing the best entries as the Grand Prize and Visitor's Choice winners.

About the Japan Honey Meister Association

The Japan Honey Meister Association has been at the forefront of promoting honey knowledge and appreciation since its inception in 2009. They offer various courses, workshops, and events to educate individuals on the culinary, health, and beauty benefits of honey. The association has also undertaken significant outreach through honey-themed events and competitions, contributing to the knowledge and love of honey across Japan.

For more detailed information about the association and its future activities, please visit Japan Honey Meister Association.