The much-anticipated finale of the Japan Best Sommelier 2020 competition, organized by Japan Sommelier Association(JSA), was held on August 4 in Tokyo and Mr. Taku Iguro, sommelier of three Michelin-starred restaurant L’OSIER in Ginza Tokyo, saw off tough competition and won the championship this year.
This competition also served as a qualifying trial for the Best Sommelier of Asia Oceania 2021 competition, organized by ASI (Association de la Sommellerie Internationale), which will take place in Australia in August next year.
The winner, Mr. Taku Iguro, and runner-up Ms. Miyuki Morimoto of Conrad Tokyo, are thus qualified to represent Japan for the Best Sommelier of Asia Oceania 2021 competition. Ms. Morimoto also made history by becoming the first Japanese female representative in the competition.
The other finalists of the competition of Japan Best Sommelier 2020 are Mr. Yuya Kondo (L’écrin , Ginza), Mr. Yusuke Nakanishi (Clos Y) and Mr. Kenta Sasaki (L’AS, Minami Aoyama).
The competition of Japan Best Sommelier is held every three years. This year, the qualification procedure started on 19 February with 120 sommeliers from all over Japan. The finale was originally scheduled on 8 May, however, it was postponed to August 4 due to the Covid-19 pandemic. The finale was held without spectators, and was live-streamed.
