Certified Sake Sommelier^®

Become a Sake Sommelier

Our flagship course, the Certified Sake Sommelier is a fantastic way to expand both your sake knowledge and sommelier skills. The Certified Sake Sommelier is accessible to both trained professionals and sake connoisseurs alike. The course provides an unbeatable level of sake education and practical knowledge － whether you are working with customers in restaurants, distributing products to clients, or impressing friends over dinner!

This multi-day course covers the broader aspects of the sake industry.

What Will I learn?

Train as a Qualified Sake Sommelier

We offer the only official Certified Sake Sommelier ® qualification.

The History and Culture of Sake

Discover sake's role in Japanese society, as well as its booming popularity in the rest of the world.

Sake Production

Learn the in-depth details about sake ingredients and how the beverage is brewed.

Sake Tasting and the Science of Umami

Practice your tasting and identification skills, with a mind on how to best pair sake with various cuisine.

How to Work with Sake

Learn from industry professionals on how best to store and purchase sake.

Train in an Interactive, Experiential, Environment with a Focus on Workshops

Our highly qualified Sake Educators pride themselves on providing a study environment where everything taught has a practical, usable, learning outcome.

Serving Etiquette

Immersive yourself in the fine-points of serving sake as a Sake Sommelier; study how to identify sake labels and learn how to introduce sake to customers or peers.

Sake Cocktails

Open your palate to the wide range of uses for sake in cocktail making.

Earn a Lapel pin and Certification

Our Certified Sake Sommelier qualifications are well known throughout the hospitality industry across the world, and passing students also receive lapel pins to proudly display their new-learnt skills.
How to Study In Person
How the academy works

Follow these steps to become a Sake Sommelier in-person
- 1. Choose your course
  
  The Sake Sommelier Academy offers the Certified Sake Sommelier in classrooms around the world.
- 2. Choose where to study
  
  Find your closest accredited Partner School.
  Our Partners offer courses in a variety of languages and across different cultures to make learning easier for you.
- 3. Receive prestudy and registration material
  
  Time to get ready for the course! You'll receive prestudy and registration materials.
- 4. Study to become a Sake Sommelier
  
  Now it's time to learn! Your educator will explain everything you need to know and what to expect so that you can ace the course exam. Good luck!
- 5. Receive your certificate and lapel pin
  
  Congratulations you are now a Sake Sommelier! You've earned your certificate and lapel pin!
How to Study Online
How the academy works

Follow these steps to become a Sake Sommelier online
- 1. Choose your course
  
  At the Sake Sommelier Academy, we offer the Certified Sake Sommelier via our online webinar.
- 2. Choose where to study
  
  Find your closest accredited Partner School.
  Our Partners offer courses in a variety of languages and across different cultures to make learning easier for you.
- 3. Receive samples and notes
  
  We make learning easy, with tasting samples mailed to your door and study notes emailed pre-course.
- 4. Study to become a Sake Sommelier
  
  Now it's time to learn! Your educator will teach you through an interactive webinar.
- 5. Take the Exam
  
  Once you've learnt everything required for the course, it's time to take the course exam! Your educator will explain everything you need to know and what to expect. Good luck!
- 6. Receive your certificate and lapel pin
  
  Congratulations you are now a Sake Sommelier! You will receive your Certified Sake Sommelier certificate and lapel pin in the post!

Sake Sommeliers will be eligible to apply to one of our famous Sake Challenges as tasting judges as well as enter the coveted Sake Sommelier of the Year competition.

We offer the Certified Sake Sommelier course in person and online. Our Sake Educators offer courses in a variety of languages and across different cultures to make classroom or remote learning easier for you.

The Certified Sake Sommelier course is a registered trademark ®

"A collection of shots and interviews from some of our first ever
Certified Sake Sommelier courses!"

The SSA courses carry a level of prestige, and focusses more on the history and culture of sake. It’s more about telling the story of nihonshu and would suit fans of Japanese culture. As someone who enjoys storytelling, I found the SSA course to be a great fit for me.

Jamie Ryder

In this class, I learned so much so fast and didn’t feel like I could ask a dumb question. I really enjoyed the open environment, while still being challenged to learn and expand my point of view. It was nice to feel challenged and welcome at the same time!

Laura Vogel

The two very beautiful days, with the two trainers which are passionate and very educational. Very complete training, both on the manufacturing techniques and on the history of this wonderful drink, its service, in the rules of the art and for us sommeliers, how to use it in our restaurants, and on our menus. I recommend these two beautiful days full of surprises.

Xavier Thuizat

I really enjoyed this sake course. The content and the delivery was excellent. The sake selection outstanding. I’m really excited about learning more about sake. This course is very comprehensive and covers history, sake production, vocabulary, sake styles, food pairing, understanding labels and developing tasting skills. I highly recommend this course to anyone really interested in learning about sake. They also make it fun to learn which is a huge plus!

Federico Sanchez

Very comprehensive, a perfect introduction to start in the world of sake, even for Japanese people these lessons can be useful

Naoko Hirobe Philippot

This is a great class with great teacher. Really brings you into the world of sake in all ways. So much so planning my trip to Japan soon!

Jason Morey

I had heard great things about the CSS course from people who had taken it before, but I didn’t realise how lucky I was to secure a place on it until the terrific two-day course came round.
The course was taught in a convivial atmosphere, and over the two days I and my fellow students were given a thorough and enjoyable training about the fundamentals of sake. The presentations were informative and entertaining, and on the practical side there was an awesome tutored tasting for the whole group in the in the first day’s meal, enabling us all to train our palates while becoming fast friends. At the end of the course the traditional ceremony they put on is a wonderful touch and a fitting way to end the programme.

Jim Piertrkovsky

Certified Sake Sommelier®

Become a Sake Sommelier

What Will I learn?

How to Study In Person

How the academy works

1. Choose your course

2. Choose where to study

3. Receive prestudy and registration material

4. Study to become a Sake Sommelier

5. Receive your certificate and lapel pin

How to Study Online

How the academy works

1. Choose your course

2. Choose where to study

3. Receive samples and notes

4. Study to become a Sake Sommelier

5. Take the Exam

6. Receive your certificate and lapel pin

Push the limits and reach the peak of sake service

A challenge of the finest quality

Become a Sake Sommelier

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