A two-day learning experience where KIKISAKE-SHI from around the world gather for unique programs.
A special program linked with “Echigo Nagaoka Sake no Jin,” where you can learn about, taste, and enjoy sake from Niigata.
| Dates | September 18 (Fri.) – 19 (Sat.), 2026 |
| Location | Nagaoka City, Niigata Prefecture |
| Venue | Ao-re Nagaoka (1-4-10 Ote-dori, Nagaoka City, Niigata Prefecture) |
| Application Deadline | July 31 (Fri.) |
• Organized by: Sake Service Institute (SSI) / SSI INTERNATIONAL
• Supporting Organizations: Supported by Niigata Prefecture, Nagaoka City, Niigata Sake Brewers Association, Nagaoka Sake Brewers Council, and others (in no particular order)
• Learn：
Discover the appeal of Niigata sake and effective sales promotion through a keynote lecture and panel discussion.
• Experience：
Compare the aroma and flavor of about 20 Niigata sake labels at the free tasting, and enjoy Niigata sake culture by tasting sake from all breweries in the prefecture (about 90 breweries) at the reception.
• Enjoy:：
On Day 2, take part in “Echigo Nagaoka Sake no Jin” (ticket included), a must-see festival for sake fans, and enjoy a special experience.
• A simultaneous interpretation system will be introduced to provide a smooth and comfortable learning environment with no waiting time
Participation Benefits
• Certificate of Completion (A4 size)
• Pin Badge (dia. 2.5 cm)
• Ochoko Cup & Ochoko Strap
• SSI Selected Snack Set (handed out when leaving on Day 1)
| Eligibility | ※International KIKISAKE-SHI, International SHOCHU KIKISAKE-SHI, International Sake Lecturer, International SAKASHO |
| Fees | General Registration Form: JPY 66,000 (tax included) SSI Certified Member: JPY 55,000 (tax included) Partner School: JPY 55,000 (tax included) ※Up to one accompanying guest may attend at the same rate as the applicant. |
| Application Method | Other application fees are listed below. ※For applications from overseas, please apply through an affiliated school. |
September 18 (Fri.) [Day 1]
| Time | Details |
| Opening Ceremony 9:30- – |
Opening remarks by the organizers and guests, screening of an introduction video about Nagaoka City, and the official opening of KIKISAKE-SHI FORUM 2026. |
| Tasting / Workshop 10:00-12:00 (120 min.) <Instructor> Taku Nagata (SSI Director & Director of Research / Head of Sake Academy) |
Approximately 20 Niigata-designated premium sake items, including Honjozo, Junmai, Junmai Ginjo, and Junmai Daiginjo, will be available for free tasting. In addition to writing tasting comments as KIKISAKE-SHI, participants will classify each sake into four types based on flavor characteristics and also try creating a positioning map used in the higher-level SAKASHO qualification. After the tasting, the ideal position of each item and suitable serving suggestions by position, such as temperature, glassware, and pairings, will be explained. This is an excellent opportunity to understand the flavor characteristics of Niigata sake systematically and strengthen your ability to explain them to consumers. |
| Keynote Lecture “Niigata Sake: Characteristics, Present & Future” (13:00-15:00) (120 min.) Speaker: Toshio Aoki, Director, Niigata Prefectural Sake Research Institute |
Keynote Lecture “Niigata Sake: Characteristics, Present & Future” Speaker: Toshio Aoki, Director, Niigata Prefectural Sake Research Institute Mr. Toshio Aoki, Director of the Niigata Prefectural Sake Research Institute – the only prefectural institute in Japan dedicated exclusively to sake and a key contributor to the development of Niigata’s sake industry – will speak on the characteristics, current status, and future outlook of Niigata sake from a technical perspective. March 1992: Graduated from the Faculty of Agriculture, Niigata University April 1992: Joined the Niigata Prefectural Government and was assigned to the Sake Research Institute April 2023: Appointed Director of the Niigata Prefectural Sake Research Institute Since assuming his current position in April 2023, he has been engaged in technical guidance for breweries in Niigata Prefecture, establishing next-generation brewing technologies, training young toji, and strengthening the technical foundation for the global expansion of “Niigata no Sake.” |
| Panel Discussion “Effective Sales Promotion for Niigata Sake” 15:00-17:00 (120 min.) |
Panel Discussion <Main discussion themes> Organizing the distinctive appeal of Niigata sake (geographical, historical, and cultural backgrounds, etc.) |
| Final Party “Completion Ceremony” & “Niigata Sake and Food Pairing Experience” 17:30-19:15 (105 min.) |
After the “Completion Ceremony,” participants will enjoy a “Niigata Sake and Food Pairing Experience,” featuring tastings of about 90 labels from all breweries in Niigata Prefecture and pairings with a snack bento centered on Niigata specialties. |
September 19 (Sat.) [Day 2]
| Time | Details |
| 11:00-13:00 | Participation in the first session of Echigo Nagaoka Sake no Jin |
| 14:30-16:30 (tentative, Japanese only) | [Limited to the first 30 participants] Optional Tour: Yoshinogawa Brewery Visit Visit Yoshinogawa, one of Nagaoka’s representative breweries founded in 1548. This is a special opportunity to experience firsthand the atmosphere and knowledge of the brewery in a way not usually available. Meet on site / dismiss on site. Approx. 20 minutes from Ao-re Nagaoka by train and on foot. |
Panelists (in no particular order)
• Yuki Minemasa (President & CEO, Yoshinogawa Co., Ltd. / Vice Chairman, Niigata Sake Brewers Association)
• Shuntaro Saito (President & CEO, Kirinzan Shuzo Co., Ltd. / Chair, Demand Promotion Committee, Niigata Sake Brewers Association)
• Naoki Yamaguchi (President & CEO, fermata / President & CEO, Takarayama Brewery / Sakeology Lecturer)
• Yuichi Yamagishi (Representative, Sake no Yado Tamakiya, Kamasu Mori, and Ponshu Hotel Suimu / Sakeology Lecturer)
• Taku Nagata (SSI Director & Director of Research / Head of Sake Academy)
• Facilitator: Hideo Watanabe (Niigata University Sakeology Center, Social & Cultural Unit / Assistant, Faculty of Economics and Science / Sakeology Lecturer)
Included in the Fee / Notes
• Included in the fee: lunch on Day 1; reception fee (including sake for the tasting/workshop); admission ticket for the first session of “Echigo Nagaoka Sake no Jin” on Day 2; certificate of completion, pin badge, and souvenir.
• Round-trip transportation and accommodation must be arranged individually.
• Hotel rooms are difficult to book during the “Echigo Nagaoka Sake no Jin” period, so early reservations are recommended.
• For translation support for overseas participants, our association plans to use the translation app prepared by SSI, including for the keynote lecture and symposium.
If you do not use our app, we plan to recommend translation apps such as Google Translate, ChatGPT, and Gemini, or audio support features on Apple Intelligence-enabled devices such as iPhone 16 or later together with AirPods Pro 2.
Detailed instructions for use and recommended operating environments will be provided separately in the final notice to participants.
Please be sure to review the following before applying.
■ Please make sure to check our Terms of Use (including the cancellation policy) before submitting your application.
Applications must be made through the website operated by the Sake Service Institute (SSI).
International KIKISAKE-SHI Ver. English (Non-Member)
※If you obtained your qualification through an overseas affiliated school, please apply directly through that affiliated school.