Sake Education
Sake Certifications
If you have caught the sake bug and want to go deeper, you are not alone. A growing number of organizations offer structured sake education and formal certification, ranging from beginner-friendly introductions to rigorous professional qualifications that include blind tasting exams. Whether you work in hospitality, retail, or just want a credential to match your obsession, there is a path for you.
This is not an exhaustive list of every sake course in the world, but it covers the four main certification bodies recognized internationally. We completed the Certified Sake Professional through the Sake Education Council in April 2026, and we are planning to pursue the Advanced Sake Professional course. That said, every organization here has something genuinely worth considering depending on your goals and your budget. And the majority of sake professionals have credentials from more than one organization, and sometimes all.
Comprehensive, English-Language
Sake Education Council
The Sake Education Council (SEC) is the first primarily English-language organization created to promote sake education outside of Japan. It was founded by John Gauntner, one of the foremost sake educators in the world and author of The Sake Handbook and Sake Confidential: A Beyond-the-Basics Guide to Understanding, Tasting, Selection, and Enjoyment. The SEC offers two levels of certification: Certified Sake Professional (CSP), and Advanced Sake Professional (ASP).
Certified Sake Professional
The entry-level certification and the one we pursued. To qualify, applicants must complete a SEC-approved course and pass a 75-question multiple-choice examination covering terminology, classifications, production, and culture. The course is offered online and in person several times a year. Those certified will have their name added to the Certified Sake Professional reference page on their website—this is currently sitting at nearly 3,000 named individuals.
Advanced Sake Professional
The ASP course is only held in Japan and includes lectures, industry speakers, behind-the-scenes visits at actual sake breweries, and extensive sake tastings to develop a formative understanding of styles and quality levels. The ASP examination is in-person and requires significant preparation.
Wine & Spirit Professionals
Wine & Spirit Education Trust
Wine & Spirit Education Trust (WSET) is the largest global provider of wine, spirits, and sake qualifications, established in London in 1969 and operating in more than 70 countries. Their sake qualifications follow the same progressive level structure as their well-known wine programs, making them a natural fit for anyone already working within the WSET ecosystem. All three levels are taught through a network of approved course providers worldwide rather than directly by WSET itself.
WSET Level 1 Award in Sake
A beginner-level qualification requiring a minimum of six guided learning hours and a closed-book exam. A solid introduction to sake basics, grades, styles, storage, service, and food pairing.
WSET Level 2 Award in Sake
An intermediate qualification covering production techniques, styles, labeling terms, and tasting methodology in more depth. Approximately 16 hours of study time, assessed by a closed-book exam of 50 multiple-choice questions.
WSET Level 3 Award in Sake
An advanced qualification requiring a minimum of 42 hours of study assessed by a closed-book multiple-choice and short answer exam, and a blind tasting of two sakes. A two-week online pre-study program is required before attending.
Hospitality Professionals
Sake Sommelier Association
Founded in London in 2000 by sommelier Xavier Chapelou and sake expert Kumiko Ohta, the Sake Sommelier Association was the first organization outside Japan to offer professional sake education. They operate through a network of partner schools and educators across more than 30 countries with courses available online and in person in multiple languages. They offer five levels of certification:
Introductory Sake Professional
A two-hour introductory course covering sake history, production, etiquette, and tasting basics.
Certified Sake Sommelier
The SSA’s flagship certification, designed originally for wine professionals but open to anyone. Covers sake knowledge, tasting, food pairing, and service. Typically two days of instruction followed by an exam.
Advanced Sake Sommelier
An intensive course that takes place in Japan, similar in scope to the SEC’s Advanced Sake Professional.
Master Sake Sommelier
A high-level certification requiring previous SSA training. Covers expert-level skills including sake serving techniques, restaurant etiquette, and the art of buying and selling sake, with 60 sakes tasted during the intensive course.
Master of Sake
The pinnacle of the SSA certification ladder.
Japanese Certification
Sake Service Institute
The Sake Service Institute was founded in Tokyo in 1990 and is the world’s leading organization for the training and certification of sake professionals in Japan. The domestic Kikisake-shi certification is the professional standard for sake service in Japan, held by more than 40,000 people. The international program, launched in 2012, brings that same rigorous training to English, Korean, French, and Chinese speakers outside Japan. Courses are available through a network of accredited providers worldwide.
Kikisake-shi
The domestic Japanese certification, the professional standard for those working in the sake industry in Japan. Conducted in Japanese and primarily relevant for those living and working in Japan.
International Kikisake-shi
The internationally recognized equivalent of the Kikisake-shi, conducted in English and other languages. A three-day course covering sake history, production, tasting, service, food pairing, and label reading, followed by a three-part exam covering sake characteristics, production processes, and blind tasting. Requires 10 to 18 hours of self-study using the official SSI textbook before attending.
International Sake Lecturer
An advanced qualification for those who wish to teach and educate others about sake professionally.
What’s Next
Which One is Right for You?
We’re excited that you want to dive deeper into the world of sake. If you’re exploring your options, below is our honest take on the student each course would align to best, that said, you can always collect them all.
- If you are a curious enthusiast who wants the most thorough English-language sake education available, the SEC’s Certified Sake Professional is where we would point you first.
- If you work in hospitality or wine service and want a credential that fits naturally alongside existing WSET qualifications, the WSET sake pathway is a logical and globally recognized choice.
- If you work in restaurants or retail and want a certification with a strong service, sales, and food pairing focus, both the SSA’s Certified Sake Sommelier and the SSI’s International Kikisake-shi are well respected and widely recognized in the industry.
Whatever path you choose, the most important thing is that you start. A little structured education goes a long way toward making every bottle more interesting.
Sake Education
A Note on Romanization
Yukibie, yuki-hie, futsu-shu, futsushu. Why the same word ends up spelled so many ways.
