Sommelier of Shochu (Examination course)

What is Sommelier of Shochu (International Shochu kikisake-shi)?

Sommelier of Shochu (International Shochu kikisake-shi) is a “specialist of shochu” that provides customers with shochu in a foreign language in an appropriate and accurate manner.

Curriculum

・烧酒的商品特性
・蒸馏酒烧酒的历史及其特
・与烧酒有关的法规法
・烧酒的制法
・从消费者的角度看待烧酒的分类
・烧酒品鉴
・烧酒侍酒
・烧酒的销售推广

What is an Examination course?

This is a course where you can take the test at the venues of “Tokyo”, “Osaka”, and “Other areas in Japan” and receive a pass / fail judgment.

Eligibility to take the exam	Those who have reached the age at which they can drink alcohol according to the laws and regulations of the test site at the time of application
Language	Examination in Japan Chinese (* Traditional Chinese ver.)
Language	Examination at affiliated schools Chinese List of affiliated schools
Examination deadline	Within one year from the month following the application date * (* The application date refers to the date when the payment procedure is completed)

Flow of qualification acquisition

Step.1　Application
We do not accept applications over the phone, please apply from the WEB.
We will send you a set of teaching materials within 7 business days after completing your application.
* Please select your home or office at the time of application. The delivery address is limited to Japan.

Step.2　Self-study

There is no workshop. Please do self-study using textbooks. It is possible to purchase alcoholic beverages separately as learning support materials.
* Please select your home or office address when you apply. The delivery address is limited to Japan only.

Step.3　Take the exam

Please take the exam at the venue on the day designated by SSI international.

Step.4　Pass / Fail Judgment To pass procedure

About two weeks after taking the exam, we will send a pass / fail notification to the registered e-mail address.

Teaching materials

Official text
『SHOCHU NO MOTOI』
Click here for details

Exam

It is based on the “Sommelier of Shochu” (Shochu kikisake-shi) certified by the Sake Service Institute (SSI), but based on the actual market conditions of sake in other countries, as well as cultures and customs different from Japan. Ask qualities from an international perspective.

Exam time	12:30〜15:20
1st exam 12:30〜13:20 （50 minutes）	[Writing] Selection type (partially descriptive type)※ From June 1st, 2024, the exam format will be changed to multiple choice (mark sheet) ・Basic knowledge about eating and drinking including alcoholic beverages
Second exam 13:30〜14:20 （50 minutes）	[Writing] ・Specialized knowledge about shochu
Third exam 14:30〜15:20 （50 minutes）	[Writing with tasting] Descriptive formula (partial selection formula) ・ Quality evaluation and individuality extraction through tasting of shochu (including classification by flavor characteristics) ・ Questions about descriptive (partially selectable), shochu service, and sales promotion (including planning by seasonal flavor characteristics)

* Pass criteria: 70% or more correct answer rate for each exam

Exam schedule

※Not allowed to take the 「INTERNATIONAL SAKE LECTURER」 examination.
※INTERNATIONAL SAKE LECTURER will be certified the following month.
Examination will be available 3 times a month which will be arranged on weekday, Saturday and Sunday.

Year	Exam day	Venue	Certification date	Deadline
2024	Sun.Apr.21	FBO Academy Tokyo School （Tokyo）	Jun.01	Wed.Apr.17
	Wed.Apr.24		Jun.01	Thu.Apr.18
	Sat.May 25		Jul.01	Tue.May 21
	Tue.May 28		Jul.01	Thu.May 23
	Wed.Jun.26		Aug.01	Thu.Jun.20
	Sun.Jun.30		Aug.01	Wed.Jun.26
	Sat.Jul.27		Sep.01	Tue.Jul.23
	Wed.Aug.28		Oct.01	Thu.Aug.22
	Sat.Sep.28		Nov.01	Wed.Sep.25
	Sun.Oct.20 ※	Grand Cube Osaka (Osaka Prefectural International Convention Center) （Osaka）	Dec.01	Thu.Oct.17
	Wed.Oct.30	FBO Academy Tokyo School （Tokyo）	Dec.01	Thu.Oct.24
	Wed.Nov.27		Jan.01	Thu.Nov.21
	Sat.Nov.30		Jan.01	Wed.Nov.27
	Sun.Dec.15		Feb.01	Thu.Dec.12
2025	Wed.Jan.29	FBO Academy Tokyo School （Tokyo）	Mar.01	Thu.Jan.23
	Sat.Feb.15		Apr.01	Wed.Feb.12
	Wed.Mar.26		May01	Thu.Mar.20
	Sun.Apr.20		Jun.01	Thu.Apr.17
	Wed.May21		Jul.01	Thu.May15
	Sat.Jun.28		Aug.01	Wed.Jun.25
	Wed.Jul.30		Sep.01	Sun.Jul.27
	Sun.Aug.24		Oct.01	Thu.Aug.21
	Wed.Sep.17		Nov.01	Thu.Sep.11

venue

Tokyo Venue: FBO Academy Tokyo School (1-15-17 Koishikawa, Bunkyo-ku, TN Koishikawa Building 7F)
Nearest station ▶ 3 minutes walk from Toei Mita Line “Kasuga Station” / 8 minutes walk from Toei Oedo Line “Kasuga Station”
Tokyo Metro North-South 8 minutes walk from “Korakuen Station” on the line / 10 minutes walk from “Korakuen Station” on the Tokyo Metro Marunouchi Line

Osaka venue

venue

Osaka Venue: Grand Cube Osaka (Osaka Prefectural International Convention Center)
(5-3-51 Nakanoshima, Kita-ku, Osaka City, Osaka 530-0005)
Nearest station ▶ Keihan Railway Nakanoshima Line “Nakanoshima (Osaka International Convention Center) Station” ( Immediately after (Exit 2)
・ Approximately 15 minutes on foot from JR Osaka Circular Line “Fukushima Station”・
Approximately 10 minutes on foot from JR Tozai Line “New Fukushima Station” (Exit 3)
・ Hanshin Main Line “Fukushima Station” (Exit 3) About 10 minutes on foot from
Osaka Metro “Awaza Station” (Exit 1 on Chuo Line, Exit 9 on Chikazen Line) About 15 minutes on foot

venue

Osaka Venue: Reference Osaka Ekimae Dai-Yon Bldg. Meeting Room Rental
(1-11-4 Umeda, Kita-ku, Osaka City, Osaka 530-0001)
Nearest station ▶ ・Higashi-Umeda Station on the Osaka Municipal Subway Tanimachi Line Direct connection from Exit 8 or 9
・Approximately 8 minutes on foot from JR Line Osaka Station (Central Exit)
・Approximately 7 minutes on foot Osaka Municipal Subway Midosuji Line Umeda Station(Exit 14)
・Approximately 5 minutes on foot from Hanshin Line-Umeda Station.
・Approximately 10 minutes on foot from Hankyu Line Umeda Station.

Examination fee & Application

Examination fee

No official textOfficial text With【Ver. Chinese】

All versions

General：33,000JPY (reference price including tax)　*Excluding tax:30,000JPY
FBO certified member：16,500JPY (reference price including tax)　*Excluding tax:15,000JPY

*The date of the first application is from 1st April 2022.
* Includes certification fee.
* Official text is not included in the cost.

Ver. Chinese

General：37,400JPY(reference price including tax)　*Excluding tax:34,000JPY
FBO certified member：20,900JPY (reference price including tax)　*Excluding tax:19,000JPY

*The date of the first application is from 1st April 2022.
* Includes certification fee.

Retake fee

If you fail or are absent, you can take the exam by paying the re-examination fee.
In that case, the exam results that meet the passing criteria will be valid only within the exam deadline, and only the exams that have failed (eg, 1st only, 3rd only, etc.) will be taken.

General：14,000JPY(reference price including tax)　*Excluding tax:12,727JPY
FBO certified member：7,000JPY (reference price including tax)　*Excluding tax:6,364JPY

About retakeIf you fail or are absent, you will have to apply for the exam again. (There is no re-examination fee set.)
However, only the exam results that meet the passing criteria are valid and the exams that fail (eg, 1st only, 3rd only, etc.) are valid only within the examination deadline. You will take the exam.

Certificates

* Please scroll and check until the end.

I have confirmed and agreed to the “Notes” and “Application Terms”.

Intermidiate