As Japan strives to preserve and pass down the traditional art of sake brewing with kōji mold, the effort has taken on renewed significance following its designation as a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage last year.

However, sustaining domestic sake consumption remains a challenge amid Japan's declining population.

To preserve the environment for sake production, some breweries are endeavoring to expand their sales channels overseas. A public-private partnership is leveraging data science to develop sake products tailored to wine culture markets like Europe and the United States.