SAKE blog
Published: 2020.02.10
Last modified: 2026.10.02
Japanese Sake qualification -Schedule and detail 2020- @ February 2020
Japanese Sake used to be a traditional alcohol for Japanese culture and its technique and evaluation process was closed in the industry. Unlike wine sommeliers, the professional advisers were not acknowledged by the industries for a long time, and there were a lot of private specialist in Sake store or restaurants. Nevertheless, as time goes, the industry acknowledged 1 qualification for the public called “Kikisakeshi” in 1991.
In today’s world, as Japanese Sake is not for only Japan anymore, the presence of expert is crucial. Sake brewing method and cultural heritage is getting more aware in the world, but as the field of Sake is getting wider obscure information is spreading at the same time. Therefore, it is needed that if you are in the business of Japanese Sake you should have something to proof that you have a correct information about Sake and you need to tell about the chaos of information.
In this page, ikki will deliver the kinds of certificates and courses that will provide you correct information about Japanese Sake.
Please find the information below;
SSI International Kikisake-shi
International Kikisake-shi is one of the most famous certificate for Japanese Sake person. It is run by NPO Food & Beverage Specialist Organization(FBO) in Japan and this NPO has the other organization called Sake Service Institute(SSI). SSI International was established in 2009 as International body of SSI and now certify 3,928 International Kikisake-shi today(December 2019).
There are 3 ways to obtain the certificate, which are 1. Exam, 2. Online course and 3. at school. In any course, you will study according to the textbook issued by SSI, so please buy on the website of SSI or amazon. (By the way, the new textbook from 2019 is very nice!)
1.Exam
There is a schedule of exam available on the website of SSI International, but not yet open for international venue for 2020. Please check the website for the updates.
SSI International Exam Schedule
2.Online course
You can learn through online. If you are beginner it is not recommended. You need some fundamental experience as first step, so if time allows please learn physically with specialists.
3.at school
You can learn onsite from Sake specialists at school. There are many official recognition schools and authorized schools in China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, UK, USA, Singapore, Malaysia…etc
Please find the list of school from the link below;
List of official recognition schools and authorized schools
(Ref. SSI International)
WSET Sake
Wine and Spirits Educational Trust(WSET) is the world biggest institute for wine eduction located in London. It is established by Vintners Company in 1969, and now operated in about 70 countries in the world.
In 2014, WSET opened the course for Sake which are Sake Level 1 for beginners and Sake Level 3 for advanced.
There are many locations to take the course, so please check the WSET website for the information from the link below;
WSET course available school information
In London, there are 3 courses available in 2020 for Level 1 beginners(1 day course) as below;
17th February 2020 / 9:15~17:00 / WSET London
20th April 2020 / 9:15~17:00 / WSET London
15th June 2020 / 9:15~17:00 / WSET London
(Ref. Wine & Spirit Education Trust)
JSA Sake Diploma
Sake Diploma is also one of the famous qualification in Sake. Please visit Sake Diploma website as below;
This qualification is run by Japan Sommelier Association. It was started in 2017, and from 2018 Sake Diploma International is available and which is run by Sake Sommelier Association in London.
At the moment, information about exam in Japan is available as below;
Application deadline: 30th June 2020 at 18:00
1st exam: 20th July t0 31st August 2020 according to where the exam location is
2nd exam: 12th October 2020
Please check the further information from the website.
(Ref. Japan Sommelier Association)
There are a lot of different Sake course, certificate and qualifications in Japanese or English. ikki will deliver about the other qualifications in the next time.
President & CEO, Kobayashi Junzo Shoten Co., Ltd.
Based in Osaka, I lead Kobayashi Junzo Shoten, a sake wholesaler founded in 1890. Through the cultural richness of Japanese sake, my mission is to connect people and bring smiles to dining tables around the world.
While technology continues to make the world feel smaller, the stories and traditions behind sake brewing can easily fade into the background. I see my role as a bridge—sharing the passion of brewers, opening doors for new audiences, and delivering sake in a way that feels more approachable and relatable.
I enjoy visiting sake breweries, learning about new rice varieties and brewing techniques, and spending time with toji (master brewers) and kurabito (brewery workers) to experience the spirit of sake-making firsthand. On this blog, I’ll share those encounters, my personal insights, and tips to help you enjoy sake even more.
Thank you for reading, and I look forward to connecting with you.
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