About Sommelier of SAKE

Sommelier of Sake (International kikisake-shi) is a professional who provides and sells sake, and is a qualification to expand the range of their own activities and used in the various scenes.

“Kikisake-shi” is a sake provider and seller qualification mainly used in Japan established in 1991, and the “International kikisake-shi” is a sake provider and seller qualification mainly used around the world established in 2009, and more than 50,000 people have been certified. Those who are related to food business should definitely have this qualification.

In order for enjoying sake, it is important to be able to give advice to customers based on their abundant knowledge of how to make sake and its history, compatibility with food, characteristics of taste and aroma, and budget. Read and understand the contents of the sake label, which has many technical terms and lines of kanji and numbers, grasps and expresses the characteristics of each sake by tasting, and proposes pairing with various dishes as well as Japanese food according to your taste. You need the skills to serve sake.

If you acquire the ability as an International kikisake-shi, you will not only be able to serve sake directly, but you will also be able to disseminate sake and related information in various situations through tourism and the media.

Let’s become an International kikisake-shi (Sommelier of sake) and utilize your professional knowledge and qualifications at various stages, both as a sake provider and evangelist.

The image on the TOP page of this site contains the characters “Kikisake-shi”(唎酒師).
“Kikisake-shi” is a Chinese character expression of the Japanese qualification name “Kikisake-shi”, which refers to “Sommelier of sake”.
International kikisake-shi is a qualification to work as a professional in the provision and sale of sake in a language other than Japanese. Please remember and use the stylish Chinese characters.

The ability of the International kikisake-shi, is the planning of strategies and tactics for the sales promotion of sake overseas and for foreigners visiting Japan. It is all about the ability to contribute to “implementation”.

Knowledge, technology and attitude are required as the backbone of this ability, but all of them are for the practice of providing and selling sake that is beneficial to consumers through the planning and implementation of sales promotion from the consumer’s point of view.
To do so, we must understand that in addition to the ability to serve and sell food and drink, we also have the ability to serve and sell sake overseas.

“Product characteristics of sake” is one of the knowledge necessary for professionals who provide and sell sake overseas. This is a characteristic of sake compared to various alcoholic beverages that exist all over the world. This is the most important and first thing to grasp in all the knowledge that the International kikisake-shi(Sommelier of sake) should acquire.
In addition, it is necessary to keep in mind that the product characteristics of sake include “points that are selling points (attractiveness)” and “points to keep in mind.”

Seven points of becoming “International kikisake-shi”. 1.Insight：Identify consumer needs 2.Hospitality： Customer satisfaction 3.Knowledge of product characteristics：Not only sake but all beverages and foods familiarity with characteristics 4.Understanding the true meaning of eating and drinking：Knowledge of the effects and benefits of foods and beverages 5.Ability / technology ：Sake tasting ability, service technology 6.Proposal ability：Planning for consumers based on the above items , Proposal power in foreign languages 7.Expertise in sake：Plenty knowledge of sake

An “International kikisake-shi” certified person will be given a certificate budge, a certificate and a certification sticker as a proof of a specialist who provides and sells sake.

The certification badge is a badge type that can be attached to clothes with a magnet.
The certificate is B4 size (W257 x H364mm), which is easy to decorate in stores.

This is a qualification for conducting certification exams not only in Japanese but also in foreign languages, which was established in 2009 as a “International kikisake-shi”(Sake Service Institution certification).
This qualification has made it possible for many people to learn about the provision and sale of sake in a “foreign language”.
Also in Japan, it is used by many Japanese people as a qualification that contributes to the provision and sale of sake around the world.
Click here for the certified number 

CASE1.Restaurant   Those who work in taverns, restaurants, bars, etc. At restaurants, if you want to recommend sake that captures the hearts of each and every customer. We recommend “a cup you should drink now”, which is the real pleasure of those involved in eating and drinking. In order to build a good relationship with not only familiar customers but also first-time customers, it is important to understand from the end of the conversation to the tastes and unspoken requests and recommend alcohol and food. Based on the tasting results, we can develop an assortment of sake that matches the dishes of our restaurant and a menu that matches the sake of our specialty, making the best use of the unique ability of an International kikisake-shi. Let’s aim for hospitality that will impress our customers.

CASE2.Liquor store   For those who work in the retail / wholesale business at a liquor store, We have a well-balanced product lineup that customers want to meet with sake that they really think is “delicious!” Or whether or not we can recommend sake that suits the tastes of our customers by grasping the flavor characteristics of each sake and making use of it in our product lineup is a showcase for the sake master. It can be said that the ability of a liquor store is indispensable as an immediate force of a liquor store, such as a lecture on how to drink alcohol, creating an easy-to-understand POP for each dish to be combined, and comments that “stick” to customers at the tasting party.

CASE3. Business scene   Those who are involved in sales, public relations, secretarial work, etc. We want to build a good relationship in business with sake that touches the hearts of our customers. It is also an important point to worry about in order to build a relationship that develops. In entertainment and dinner where control of the place is important, the ability as an international liquor teacher helps to grasp the tastes of customers, and the qualification of an international liquor maker itself is one of the drawers such as creating conversation opportunities and creating topics. It can be an effective tool. If you can make a convincing choice when choosing sake as a gift for your important customers, it will help you to build a better relationship.

CASE4.Business scene  Those who are involved in the tourism industry, sake event organizers, influencers, etc. Events with the theme of sake that want to contribute to the awareness and promotion of sake are becoming more frequent around the world. Also, in Japan, there are many attempts to attract tourists with the charm of sake. It is especially popular with foreigners, women, and young people, and its unprecedented and innovative concept events, tours, and seminars are gaining popularity. International International kikisake-shi are also very active in such places as sake events and tourism, where the awareness and dissemination of sake to consumers is also great. Also, in recent years, anyone can easily carry out activities to raise awareness of sake by distributing videos and posting articles on various SNS. Some sake lovers, including such gourmet influencers, are also active as international sake masters in order to spread the appeal of sake to as many people as possible.

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