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SARIKA SAKE:

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Japanese Sake

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On a Mission to Preserve our 2000-year-old Art of Sake 

 

 

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Ciao! I'm Sarika

 

Lovely to meet you! I'm a United Nations Official turned Entrepreneur, on a mission to share the beauty of Japanese SAKE, in support of our precious 2000-year-old craft, focusing on mindful drinking, women in Sake, and sustainability.

Did you know that this beautiful craft is in a decline in Japan right now? It's hard to imagine now, but I never liked SAKE before. But 'discovering' the beauty of SAKE by coincidence changed the course of my life...!  I went from United Nations to Sake. I know it’s a rather unusual career change!

As I learned the current realities of SAKE in my ancestral town of Nagano (a major historical SAKE production area) that our precious craft is in a serious decline, I wanted to do something. Hence, my mission above!

I’m also the Founder of the Sake Beaty Balm, a Sake-infused cosmetics brand, awarded the 2024 European Natural Beauty Awards, Influencers Choice of the Year.

If you’re a Sake novice and want to discover SAKE, you’re in the right place!

 

SAKE is such an incredibly delicious craft that elevates the soul. It will add magic to your life. Join the Sake revival with me!

 

 

Sarika Sake Credentials

 

Official Competition Judge for:

 

World Sake Sommelier Competition Judge 2025 第6回世界きき酒師コンクールきき酒師審査員

Tokyo Whisky & Spirits Competition, Japan 2024

Féminalise World Wine Competition, France 2025, 2024, 2023, 2022

Japan Women’s Sake Awards, Japan 2024

 

 

Clients include:

Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) Japan Program

Harvard Business School - Asian American Business Association

Polish Vodka Museum

11,000+ students enrolled in Sarika’s online courses

 

 

Sake Certifications Awarded:

SSI Official Sake & Shochu Lecturer 日本酒学講師

Official Sake & Shochu Lecturer, Sake Academy, Tokyo, Japan

Official Lecturer, Food & Beverage Organization, Japan

Certified Sake Scholar

Sake Competition Judge

Master Sommelier of Sake

Doburoku Ambassador

Sake Pioneer, Sake Sommelier Association

Graduate, Sake & Shochu Academy, Japan Sake & Shochu Makers Association (JSS) 

 

FREE Japanese Sake Masterclass

In 30 Minutes, Go from SAKE Virgin to SAKE Savvy, Fun & Fast!

By Sarika,  Certified Sake Scholar

Watch Here!

Go from Sake Novice to Sake Connoisseur, Fun and Fast!

Sake Programs

 

 

 

Sake Accelerator!

 

Online Course | Instant Access

Certification Optional

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In-Person | Private Sake Education & Tasting

 

  Certification Optional

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Sake Education Lecture 

 

Certification Optional

Online or In-Person

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 My Sake Story

 

Actually, I never really liked Sake all my life! (even though I loved all other kinds of alcohol!). That was until I tasted a local brew in Fukushima back in 2009. It was so completely different from anything I've tasted before. It was rather shocking to learn that Sake was this good! I had been missing out all these decades, declining Sake, simply based on my prejudices from a few bad earlier Sake experiences.

Since then, I quietly started my own sake studies, unofficially (visiting breweries and meeting brewers) and unofficially (obtaining Sake certifications). The more I learned and tasted, the more I did not understand (!), but I became so much more fascinated by Sake. 

Then, I learned that the domestic consumption of Sake is steeply declining and breweries are having to close every year. In fact, Sake, our 2000-year-old 'national alcohol', only occupies 7% of the whole alcohol market share in Japan! Quite a shock. It did not seem like this reality was doing justice to Sake.

I also became fascinated by women and women masters (toji) who work in this largely male-dominated industry. At present, only about 25 out of 1200 Sake breweries are headed by women tojis.

I wanted to share the beauty of Sake to my friends and others while also supporting women who work in Sake.

 

 

Sake | Shochu Certifications

  • 日本酒学講師 (No.000456) Official Lecturer | Certified Master Sake Sommelier, Sake Service Institute, Japan

  • Official Lecturer, Food & Beverage Specialists Organization (FBO), Tokyo, Japan

  • Judge, Féminalise World Wine Competition, Paris, 2022, 2023, 2024

  • Judge, Japan’s Women Sake Award 2023

  • Judge, Tokyo Whiskey & Spirits Competition 2024

  • Appointed as Doburoku Ambassador

  • 2019 Graduate, Sake & Shochu Academy, Japan Sake & Shochu Makers Association (JSS) 

  • Certified Sake Scholar

  • Sake Pioneer, Sake Sommelier Association

  • 国際利酒師 (No.116451) Certified International Sake Sommelier Kikisake-Shi (English)

  • 日本酒利酒師 (No.031523) Certified Sake Sommelier Kikisake-Shi (Japanese) 

  • Certified Sake Professional, Sake Education Council

  • 日本酒品質鑑定士 Certified Sake Quality Evaluation Expert

  • 焼酎利酒師 (No.030172) Certified Shochu Sommelier

  • 焼酎品質鑑定士 Certified Shochu Quality Evaluation Expert

  • Certified Spanish Wine Scholar, Wine Scholar Guild

  • Certified in Wine Level 1, Wine & Spirit Education Trust (WSET)