Amazake: The Non-Alcoholic Rice Drink Targeting the Sugar-Reduction Movement

Two amazake, two regulatory paths

The single Japanese word 'amazake' covers two genuinely different products. Buyers must distinguish them in every shipment:

• Koji amazake (麹甘酒) — made by adding koji (Aspergillus oryzae rice culture) to cooked rice. Koji enzymes convert rice starch to glucose. Naturally non-alcoholic (typically <0.1% ethanol). Categorised as a soft drink or food in Japan and most overseas markets.
• Sake kasu amazake (酒粕甘酒) — made by dissolving sake kasu (sake lees) in water with added sugar. Contains residual ethanol (typically 1–8% v/v). Categorised as alcoholic in Japan and many overseas markets above 0.5% v/v.

Where the export volume is going

Almost all overseas amazake export is the koji-based, non-alcoholic version. The clean-label / 'no added sugar' / 'natural sweetness' positioning maps cleanly to wellness retail in the US, EU, and Australia. Major Japanese producers shipping abroad include Marusan-Ai, Morinaga (Morinaga Amazake), and a growing list of regional koji-makers.

Format choices: ready-to-drink bottle (200–500 mL), concentrated paste for foodservice (1–5 kg), and freeze-dried powder for powder beverage / supplement applications.