Divers in Japan's northern prefecture of Hokkaido have recovered bottles of sake that were kept on the seabed for eight months to age the rice wine.

A group in the city of Kushiro launched the project two years ago to produce a local specialty and help businesses that have been hit by the coronavirus pandemic.

The divers left Kushiro Port on Sunday morning to recover a cage containing around 300 bottles of sake from the seabed about 4 kilometers off the coast.

The bottles, which were kept at a depth of 14 meters, were crusted with small barnacles.

Members of the project team say the undersea maturing of sake creates a milder taste as ultraviolet rays do not reach the deep sea and temperatures are low. The bottles are also gently shaken by tidal movements.

The head of the team, Matsumoto Yasuyuki, says he wants people to drink the sea-aged sake with delicious seafood from Kushiro. He adds that he hopes the project will continue so that many people can enjoy the product.

The sake will be available at souvenir shops and other places in the city from around August.