A long-established Japanese sake brewery is attempting to make a foray into a potentially massive Indian market, following the recent addition of sake brewing skills to UNESCO's Intangible Cultural Heritage list.

Takahashi Shouten, based in the city of Yame in Fukuoka Prefecture, launched a subsidiary in India in February. The sake producer, founded in 1717, is known for such sake brands as Shigemasu.

While the Indian unit has yet to obtain a manufacturing license from local authorities, it is conducting trial production and selecting manufacturing sites in the South Asian country.