Dewazakura Dewanosato, a sake from Yamagata Prefecture, took the top prize in its category Thursday at the International Wine Challenge, one of the world’s largest wine competitions, in London.

This is the second time Dewazakura Sake Brewery Co., based in Tendo, has won the IWC Champion Sake award since winning with Dewazakura Ichiro in 2008.

“It is extremely emotional to win because our continuous efforts over a long period of time have been recognized,” said President Masumi Nakano, 55, said at the award ceremony.

“We owe a lot to the people of Yamagata who have nurtured us with affection,” Nakano said.

The IWC created the sake category in 2007, and it has since become one of the largest sake contests outside Japan.

Amid the growing popularity of Japanese cuisine, the number of participating companies and products in the category is on the rise, with a record 346 contestants joining this year, including four from outside Japan, and a record 1,282 brands.

The competition’s Champion Sake 2016 was among nine trophy-winning brands selected at a screening event in Kobe in May.