Sake Brewed on International Space Station Arrives at Kansai Airport

Mar 08, 2026 | News On Japan

TOKYO - Sake brewed aboard the International Space Station returned from orbit and arrived at Kansai International Airport on March 6th, marking a milestone in a Japanese initiative aimed at eventually producing alcohol on the Moon.

A container carrying the "space-brewed sake" was delivered from the United States to Kansai Airport on the afternoon of March 6th.

The project was launched by a brewery in Yamaguchi Prefecture as part of efforts to develop technology for brewing sake under lunar conditions in the future. In October 2025, brewing equipment and the raw ingredients for sake were transported to the International Space Station, where brewing was conducted inside an experimental module designed to replicate the Moon’s gravity.

Astronauts added water to the brewing device, and after the mixture was automatically stirred over a period of two weeks, approximately 100 milliliters of sake was produced.

After undergoing quarantine procedures, the sake will be sent to the Yamaguchi brewery for further research. One bottle will also be offered for sale for 110 million yen, with the proceeds planned to be donated to space development initiatives.

Source: YOMIURI

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