Japan Sake & Shochu Academy

The Japan Sake & Shochu Academy is an official educational course organized and hosted by the Japan Sake and Shochu Makers Association in Japan. The course material is prepared with the support of the National Tax Agency, National Research Institute of Brewing, and Brewing Society of Japan. The course is designed to teach advanced knowledge and skills regarding Japanese traditional alcoholic beverages, sake and shochu, which are also called “國酒” (Kokushu), or national drinks.

Academy Courses

Lectures: Lessons on the history, culture, and production processes of sake and shochu. These include explanations of the ingredients.

Tasting: Demonstrations that include explanations of different styles, description of the flavor characteristics, and where the flavor comes from.

Sample: Taste-testing sessions of approximately 70 items (40 sake and 30 shochu brands).

Excursion: Tour visits to sake breweries and shochu distilleries that include detailed teachings on the process of shochu production.

Supplementary Lessons: Visits to various sake, shochu, awamori bars, and restaurants.

Academy Lecturers

With support from the National Research Institute of Brewing and Brewing Society of Japan, the academy provides lecturers with expertise in the field of tasting and making sake and shochu.

Academy Location

The Red Brick Brew House, the birthplace of the National Research Institute of Brewing.
2-6-30, Takinogawa, Kita-ku, Tokyo, JAPAN 114-0023.

Academy Certificate

After completing all lessons, participants will be issued a certificate of course completion by the National Research Institute of Brewing and Japan Sake and Shochu Makers Association.

Course Language

English

How to Join the Course

For more information, please refer to the official page.