Sake Sommelier Forum | October 10 – 11, 2025
The Sake Sommelier Forum is a special event hosted by Sake Service Institute (SSI Japan) where participants can enjoy learning more about Sake in conjunction with Japan’s sake festival of Saijo. This exclusive event will go on from Friday, October 10 to Saturday, October 11.
Overview
| Dates | Friday, October 10 – Saturday, October 11, 2025 |
| Eligibility | No prerequisites for general participants. |
| Capacity | 150 Participants |
| Venue | Saijo, Higashihiroshima City, Hiroshima Prefecture |
| Application Period | Tuesday, April 1 until Sunday, August 10, 2025 or when reservations are full. |
*Interpretation services are available in Japanese, English, and Chinese.*
For more information, please click on this link from SSI.
Program Curriculum
☙ Program ❧
(1) Satake Rice Milling Tour: “Shingin” and the Future of Sake Brewing
- View a 100-year old rice mill that contributed to the birth of Ginjo grade sake and the latest equipment for milling (for table rice).
- Learn more about the critical role of rice polishing in sake making and innovative potential of “Shingin”, the Latest Flat (Aspherical) Rice Polishing Technology in milling.
(2) Visit to the National Research Institute of Brewing: Discover the Charm and Characteristics of Sake
- Learn about the Scientific sensory evaluation techniques for sake from the leading experts.
(3) What Is Sake Brewing in Hiroshima – A Technological Prefecture?
- A special lecture presented by Dr. Noriyuki Odoi, Director of the Hiroshima Prefectural Food Industry Technology Center.
(4) Included: A Ticket to Japan’s Largest Sake Event: “Saijo Sake Festival”
- A must-attend festival for sake lovers, immerse yourself in this festivity and experience an unforgettable moment.
(5) Grand Networking Party: Deepening Connections through Sake
- Connect, and share your love for sake with sake enthusiasts from around the world! Fostering meaningful and deep connections in a special setting, and celebrating cultural diversity.
Supporting Organizations (in no particular order):
National Research Institute of Brewing, Satake Corporation, Kamoizumi Sake Brewery, Imada Sake Brewery, Hakubotan Sake Brewery, Kamoizumi Sake Brewery, Saijo Tsuru Brewing, Karakuchi Sake Brewery, Sanyotsuru Sake Brewery, Kirei Sake Breweey, Fukubijin Sake Brewery, Kanemitsu Sake Breweery.
Disclaimer: Please note that any portion of the content will be subject to change without prior notice.
Schedule
♦ Schedule ♦
October 10 (Fri): Site Visits, Seminars & Networking Party
| Time | Content | Presenter |
| 8:30 AM | Meet at Saijo Station | |
| 9:00 AM | Depart from Saijo Station | |
| (Bus – approx. 5 min) | ||
A: 9:15 – 10:30 AM B: 12:00 PM – 1:15 PM | Satake Rice Mill Tour |
|
| Bus Transfer (20 min) |
| |
A: 11:00 AM- 1:00 PM B: 9:30 AM – 11:30 AM | Visit to National Research Institute of Brewing (NRIB): Lecture & Sensory Evaluation Training |
|
| Bus Transfer (20 min) | Higashihiroshima Chamber of Commerce | |
| 1:30 PM – 2:30 PM | Lunch (Bento) at Rabbit’s House | Higashihiroshima Chamber of Commerce |
| 2:30 PM – 4:00 PM | Special Lecture by Do. Odoi (30 min) – Intro to 10 Higashihiroshima Breweries & Tasting Panel | Higashihiroshima Chamber of Commerce – Brewery Reps, Mr. Nagata, Mr. Michael |
| 15 minute break | ||
| 4:15 PM – 6:15 PM | Tasting & Panel Discussion with 10 Local Breweries | Higashihiroshima Chamber of Commerce – Brewery Reps, Mr. Nagata, Mr. Michael |
| Move to Venue | ||
| 8:30 PM – Finish | Free time (Exploring Saijo, etc.) | Venue: Saijo HAKUWA Hotel (link) |
| 8:30 PM – Finish | Free time (Exploring Saijo, etc.) |
October 11 (Sat): Experiencing the Saijo Sake Festival (Festival Ticket Included)
| Time | Activity |
| 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM |
|
| After the event | Travel individually to your accommodation. |
Traveling arrangements are handled by: Shinto / Shiki Kanko Co. Ltd. (Tokyo Governor Registered Travel Agency No 3-7383)
Disclaimer: Schedule is subject to change at any time.
Prices
♦ Admission Prices ♦
General Admission
- $630 USD per person with no prior certification.
Alumni
- Must possess the following qualifications: International Kikisake-shi, International Shochu Kikisake-shi.
- $560 USD per person
Included Amenities
- Certification of participation and completion
- Transportation via bus.
- Day 1 networking party lunch
- Networking Party (including sake from 10 breweries, food, and water. *Soft drinks not included)
- Saijo Sake Festival admission ticket
Please provide the following information below when submitting payment.
- Full Name (Legal name)
- Date of Birth
- Email Address
- Kikisake-shi Certification Number (If applicable)
Cancellation Policy (Please Read)
- Any cancellations made before September 10, 2025 will be charged a 5% cancellation fee.
- Cancellations on or after September 10, 2025 will NOT be issued a refund.
*You MUST be age 21 or over to participate in the event*
Important Notes
- All participants MUST MEET at Saijo Station on Day 1.
- Round-trip transportation to Saijo station must be arranged individually.
- Accommodations are self-arranged.
- Shuttle buses operate from Saijo Station to all program venues.
- After the Day 1 networking party, buses will return participants to Saijo Station.
Purchase Here
Sake Sommelier Forum
$630.00
150 in stock
The Sake Sommelier Forum is a special event hosted by Sake Service Institute (SSI Japan) where participants can enjoy learning more about Sake in conjunction with Japan’s sake festival of Saijo. This exclusive event will go on from Friday, October 10 to Saturday, October 11.
To receive an Alumni discount of $560, please provide the following information in the Memo section on the checkout page.
- Full Name (Legal name)
- Date of Birth
- Email Address
- Kikisake-shi Certification Number (If applicable)
Imaging Rights
Sake School of America and Mutual Trading retains ownership and all other rights to submitted photographs are subject to the following: By entering the Event, each entrant grants rights to the SSA a non-exclusive, irrevocable license to reproduce, publish, and display submitted images directly relating to the competition in all media throughout the world in perpetuity. This includes but is not limited to use in the context of the Sake School of America website and social mediate sites, the exhibition of winning images* at the School and Mutual Trading, and all promotional and Marketing materials regarding the Event. In other circumstances, commercial opportunities may exist for awarded photographers to benefit from the use of their images.
