To mark Honey Day (August 3), the Japan Honey Meister Association — a general incorporated association based in Chuo City, Tokyo, headed by representative director Chikage Kawamura, that runs honey certification courses — is holding a contest to choose the tastiest honey, the 9th "Honey of the Year."
From a total of 171 entries recommended for the contest (91 in the Domestic category, 54 in the Imported category, and 26 in the Japanese Honeybee category), the three finalists in each of the Domestic, Imported, and Japanese Honeybee categories have now been decided.
Honeys Advancing to the Final Round
Product name and seller (nectar source region in parentheses)
Domestic Category
Domestic Category
From left in photo:
- Posumitsu: Around the Summer Solstice, June (Kanagawa Prefecture) — Japan Post Co., Ltd., Aobadai Post Office
- Airport Honey (Shimane Prefecture) — Iwami Airport Terminal Building Co., Ltd.
- MARUCHO FARM Apple Honey (Fukushima Prefecture) — MARUCHO FARM Co., Ltd.
All three products will be sold in limited quantities at the visitor voting venue during Honey Festa 2026 (weekends only).
Imported Category
Imported Category
From left in photo:
- HONEY ViVa Avocado (Taiwan) — Toa-en Co., Ltd.
- Longan Honey (Taiwan) — Nana Honey
- Tasmania Christmas Bush Honey (Australia) — Fuji Trading LLC
Tasmania Christmas Bush Honey will be sold in limited quantities at the visitor voting venue during Honey Festa 2026 (weekends only); the other two products will be sold at Honey Festa 2026 vendor booths.
Japanese Honeybee Category
Japanese Honeybee Category
From left in photo:
- Takao Mitsu SPRING (Tokyo) — Takao Apiary
- Aki no Kuni Satoyama no Shizuku (Hiroshima Prefecture) — Hiraoki Apiary
- Iwami-San Japanese Honeybee Pure Honey (Shimane Prefecture) — Iwamito
Takao Mitsu and Iwami-san Japanese Honeybee Pure Honey will be sold in limited quantities at the visitor voting venue during Honey Festa 2026 (weekends only); Aki no Kuni Satoyama no Shizuku will be sold at Honey Festa 2026 vendor booths.
Visitor Tasting Vote at Honey Festa 2026 (Weekends Only)
During Honey Festa 2026, held at Ginza Phoenix Plaza (2nd–3rd floor, Kami Pulp Kaikan, 3-9-11 Ginza, Chuo City, Tokyo), 80 visitors per day on Saturday, July 25 and Sunday, July 26 will get to taste the finalist honeys and vote for their favorite in each category (same-day, timed entry tickets will be distributed).
The honey most popular with visitors in each category will receive the Visitor's Choice Award.
The honeys can also be purchased at the Honey Festa 2026 venue (with some exceptions). Quantities are limited, and consignment-sold items are available on weekends only.
Honey Festa 2026 — details on exhibiting groups and more.
Final Judging
Date: Held in early July, with honey samples sent to the judges.
Final Judges (in Japanese alphabetical order, titles omitted):
- Eiko Egami (Director, Egami Cooking School)
- Atsuo Tanaka (Vice Chairman, Ginza Honeybee Project NPO)
- Hiromitsu Nozaki (Chef)
- Seiichi Shimada (Director, Japan Beekeeping Association)
- Chikage Kawamura (Representative Director, Japan Honey Meister Association)
Judging Criteria: The final judges taste and score each honey on three factors — aroma, flavor, and aftertaste. The top honey in each category will be announced as the 9th Honey of the Year Grand Prize winner.
Results Announcement
The Grand Prize and Visitor's Choice Award winners will be announced on Honey Day, Monday, August 3, via a news release and on the association's website.
About the 9th "Honey of the Year" Delicious Honey Contest
Eligible Products: Honey that consumers in Japan can purchase (details were listed in the entry call).
Who Could Recommend Entries: Certified advisors and instructors of the Japan Honey Meister Association from across the country, as well as beekeepers and companies selling honey within Japan (entries recommended by non-certified individuals were subject to an additional fee).
Organizer: Japan Honey Meister Association (general incorporated association)
Contest Schedule (all judging was conducted blind, with no knowledge of each product's source):
| Period | Details |
|---|---|
| Through April 27 (completed) | Contest recommendations and entries: 171 total (Domestic: 91 / Imported: 54 / Japanese Honeybee: 26) |
| May (completed) | First Screening: Tasting review by association staff |
| June (completed) | Second Screening: Tasting review by 24 certified members of the association |
| July | Final Screening: Review by food experts |
| July 25 (Sat)–26 (Sun) | Honey Festa 2026: Visitors taste the top 3 in each category and vote for their favorite (80 people per day, timed entry tickets; venue: Ginza Phoenix Plaza) |
| August 3 (Mon) | Results Announcement: Published on the website and elsewhere. The category winners chosen by the final judges' tasting review will be announced as the 9th Honey of the Year Grand Prize. The honey most popular among Honey Festa 2026 visitor votes in each category will be announced as the 9th Honey of the Year Visitor's Choice Award. |
