EDUCATION
The Sakeology lectures offer Interdisciplinary Study that takes advantage of Niigata University’s strengths as a comprehensive university, and Selfmotivated Problem-solving Study that incorporates practical training and seminars at breweries and sake stores. Through them, we foster international human resources who have a broad perspective that goes beyond conventional brewing and fermentation studies, and who can acquire knowledge and education about sake, a traditional Japanese culture, by learning about it from various perspectives, and who can disseminate them both domestically and internationally.
Sakeology Lectures
Sakeology lectures (Sakeology A, B, and C) are offered as liberal arts programs for undergraduate students.
Sakeology A (Introduction) 350 places (FY2026)
Lectures on the fundamentals and development of a wide range of cultural and scientific disciplines related to sake
| Date | Content | Lecturers |
|---|---|---|
| Class 1 April 8 |
Greetings from the Vice director of the Sakeology Center | HIRATA Dai (Ph.D., Vice Director, SCNU; Professor, Faculty of Agriculture, Niigata University) *SCNU: Sakeology Center, Niigata University |
| Special course 1 | SOMEYA Toshiyuki (M.D., Ph.D., President, Niigata University) |
|
| Special course 2 | ODAIRA Shunji (Chairman, Niigata Sake Brewers Association) |
|
| Origins of Sakeology | KISHI Yasuyuki (Ph.D., Director, SCNU; Professor, Faculty of Economic Sciences, Niigata University) |
|
| Course guidance | WATANABE Hideo (Faculty Member, SCNU; Assistant, Faculty of Economic Sciences, Niigata University) |
|
| Class 2 April 15 |
Sake fundamentals 1: World liquor brewed from rice | HIRATA Dai (Ph.D., Vice Director, SCNU; Professor, Faculty of Agriculture, Niigata University; Vice Chairman, Niigata Sake Brewers Association) |
| Class 3 April 22 |
Sake fundamentals 2: Production method basics | AOKI Toshio (Ph.D., Director, Niigata Prefectural Sake Research Institute) JOH Toshio (Ph.D., Cooperating Faculty Member, SCNU; Professor, Faculty of Agriculture, Niigata University) |
| Class 4 April 27 |
Economics and Management of Sake | ITO Ryoji (Ph.D., Cooperating Faculty Member, SCNU; Assistant Professor, Faculty of Agriculture, Niigata University) KISHI Yasuyuki (Ph.D., Director, SCNU; Professor, Faculty of Economic Sciences, Niigata University) |
| Class 5 May 13 |
Sake and tax | KAKUDA Kyosuke (Professor, Faculty of Economic Sciences, Niigata University) |
| Class 6 May 20 |
Alcohol and the brain | TAKEI Nobuyuki (Ph.D., Cooperating Faculty Member, SCNU; Part-time Lecturer, Brain Research Institute, Niigata University) |
| Class 7 May 27 |
History of sake | GOTO Nami (Ph.D., Vice President, Managing Director, Research and Development, Brewing Society of Japan / Former President, National Research Institute of Brewing) |
| Class 8 June 3 |
Mid-term examination (Exams on session 2~7) | WATANABE Hideo (Faculty Member, SCNU; Assistant, Faculty of Economic Sciences, Niigata University) |
| Class 9 June 10 |
How to convey sake to the world | WHITAKER Andrew (Ph.D., Cooperating Faculty Member, SCNU; Associate Professor, Faculty of Agriculture, Niigata University) TANAKA Yosuke (Founder Brewer, Lagoon Brewery Inc.) |
| Class 10 June 17 |
The Global Expansion of Japanese Cuisine and Sake: Case Study of Sake Exports from Niigata | MIYAO Masahiro (Chief Director,Niigata Office Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO)) |
| Class 11 June 24 |
To understand the sake brewing process *Online via Zoom |
FUKUDA Hisashi (Former President, National Research Institute of Brewing) |
| Class 12 July 1 |
Sake palatability and food pairing *Online via Zoom |
FUJITA Akiko (Ph.D., Deputy Director, Department of Quality Evaluation Research, National Research Institute of Brewing) |
| Class 13 July 8 |
Learn from comparison with beer | ITO Noboru (Company Friend, Suntory Holding Limited) |
| Class 14 July 15 |
Culture of ryotei and kagai in relation to sake | OKAZAKI Atsuki (Ph.D., Cooperating Faculty Member, SCNU; Professor, Faculty of Engineering, Niigata University) |
| Class 15 the 4th week of July |
Sake etiquette *Video Streaming |
WATANABE Hideo (Faculty Member, SCNU; Assistant, Faculty of Economic Sciences, Niigata University) MURAYAMA Kazue (Associate Professor, Niigata Seiryo University Junior College) |
| Class 16 July 29 |
End-term examination (Exams on session 9~15) | WATANABE Hideo (Faculty Member, SCNU; Assistant, Faculty of Economic Sciences, Niigata University) |
* Please search for “Sakeology” (Course Title) on the Niigata University Syllabus Search Site for the latest lecture information.
* The class format for FY2026: face-to-face (partially online)
Photos of Sakeology A Lectures (FY2026)
Sakeology B (Practical) 25 places (FY2026)
Lectures on practices related to sake for students who are 20 years of age or older and have earned credits for Sakeology A
| Date | Content | Lecturers |
|---|---|---|
| Day 1 August 4 |
Sake tasting Pairing of sake and food |
AOKI Toshio (Ph.D., Director, Niigata Prefectural Sake Research Institute) |
| Basic taste identification Sake tasting explanation: Taste of sake Identification of taste and taste concentration difference |
SATO Keigo (Ph.D., Expert Researcher, Niigata Prefectural Sake Research Institute) |
|
| Sake tasting explanation: Aroma characteristics of sake Memorization and identification of aroma characteristics Matching test of 5 types of commercially available sake |
SUGAWARA Masamichi (Ph.D., Senior Researcher, Niigata Prefectural Sake Research Institute) |
|
| Practice in pairing of sake and food | NAKAJIMA Yuka (Culinary Researcher) |
|
| Day 2 August 5 |
History and initiatives of Kirinzan Co., Ltd. -Staying close to the community, staying close to daily life. Sake brewery tour |
SAITO Shuntaro (President, Kirinzan Brewery Co., Ltd.) ITO Yasuhiro (Leader of sake brewing department, Kirinzan Brewery Co., Ltd.) |
| Regional revitalization through sake 1: From agriculture to sake brewery tourism | HIRASHIMA Takeshi (Vice Chairman, Niigata Sake Brewers Association) |
|
| Regional revitalization through sake 2: The city of brewery and fermentation, Nagaoka Settaya | MINEMASA Yuki (Vice Chairman, Niigata Sake Brewers Association) |
|
| Discussion | Facilitator: HIRASHIMA Takeshi (Vice Chairman, Niigata Sake Brewers Association) Discussion: ODAIRA Shunji (Chairman, Niigata Sake Brewers Association) HIRASHIMA Takeshi (Vice Chairman, Niigata Sake Brewers Association) MINEMASA Yuki (Vice Chairman, Niigata Sake Brewers Association) SAITO Shuntaro (President, Kirinzan Brewery Co., Ltd.) HIRATA Dai (Ph.D., Vice Director, SCNU*; Professor, Faculty of Agriculture, Niigata University; Vice Chairman, Niigata Sake Brewers Association) *SCNU: Sakeology Center, Niigata University |
|
| Sake drinking etiquette | HIRATA Dai (Ph.D., Vice Director, SCNU*; Professor, Faculty of Agriculture, Niigata University; Vice Chairman, Niigata Sake Brewers Association) |
* Please search for “Sakeology” (Course Title) on the Niigata University Syllabus Search Site for the latest lecture information.
* The class format in FY2026: face-to-face
Photos of Sakeology B Lectures (FY2026)
Sakeology C (Practical examples of research) 100 places (FY2026)
Lectures on the latest research in various academic fields related to sake by faculty members of the Sakeology Center, etc.
| Date | Content | Lecturers |
|---|---|---|
| Class 1 June 10 |
Guidance/ A Plant Nutritional Study of Sake Rice | MIYAMOTO Takuji (Ph.D., Faculty Member, SCNU / Associate Professor, Faculty of Agriculture, Niigata University) *SCNU: Sakeology Center, Niigata University |
| Class 2 June 17 |
Microbes Involved in Sake Brewing | NISHIDA Ikuhisa (Ph.D., Associate Professor, SCNU) |
| Class 3 June 24 |
Types of Local Alcoholic Beverages Consumed Around the World and Their Roles | SUNANO Yui (Ph.D., Cooperating Faculty Member, SCNU / Assistant Professor, Faculty of Sousei, Niigata University) |
| Class 4 July 1 |
Considering the value of sake in the market | ISHIZUKA Chikako (Ph.D., Cooperating Faculty Member, SCNU / Associate Professor, Faculty of Economic Sciences, Niigata University) |
| Class 5 July 8 |
The Relationship Between Alcohol and Brain Functions and Disorders | YAMANAKA Tomoyuki (Ph.D., Cooperating Faculty Member, SCNU / Associate Professor, Brain Research Institute, Niigata University) |
| Class 6 July 15 |
Methods for food texture evaluation | AKAZAWA Takashi (Ph.D., Cooperating Faculty Member, SCNU / Assistant Professor, Faculty of Agriculture, Niigata University) |
| Class 7 July 29 |
How Sake Connects People | KAMEOKA Maki (Ph.D., Assistant Professor, SCNU) |
| Class 8 August 5 |
Reading and Visualizing Sake Culture in Edo | HATA Yuki (Ph.D., Associate Professor, Faculty of Foreign Studies, Meijo University) |
* Please search for “Sakeology” (Course Title) on the Niigata University Syllabus Search Site for the latest lecture information.
* The class format in FY2026: face-to-face
Photos of Sakeology C Lectures (FY2026)
Sakeology D (Comparative Alcoholic Beverage Studies: Sake, Wine, and Shochu) 150 places (FY2025)
【No classes in FY2026】
Lectures on Japanese alcoholic beverages—sake, wine, and shochu—teach their characteristics through sessions provided by experts from each university.
| Date | Content | Lecturers |
|---|---|---|
| February 9 3rd period | Guidance Sakeology Sake Brewing |
HIRATA Dai (Ph.D., Vice Director, SCNU / Professor, Faculty of Agriculture, Niigata University) *SCNU: Sakeology Center, Niigata University |
| February 9 4th period | Fermentation Microbiology of Shochu | TAMAKI Hisanori (Ph.D., Director of Education and Research Center for Fermentation Studies / Professor, Faculty of Agriculture, Kagoshima University) |
| February 9 5th period | The history and production method of shochu | TAKAMINE Kazunori (Ph.D., Education and Research Center for Fermentation Studies / Professor, Faculty of Agriculture, Kagoshima University) |
| February 10 1st period | Wine: what is a wine-grape? | SUZUKI Shunji (Ph.D., Director of the Institute of Enology and Viticulture / Professor, Faculty of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Yamanashi) |
| February 10 2nd period | Basics of Wine Microbiology and Winemaking | OTOGURO Misa (Ph.D., Professor, Faculty of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Yamanashi) |
| February 10 3rd period | Strategies for Value Creation in Sake | KISHI Yasuyuki (Ph.D., Director, SCNU / Professor, Faculty of Economic Sciences, Niigata University) |
| February 10 4th period | Sake brewing and microorganisms | NISHIDA Ikuhisa (Ph.D., Associate Professor, SCNU) |
| February 10 5th period | Course Summary and Report Writing | KISHI Yasuyuki (Ph.D., Director, SCNU / Professor, Faculty of Economic Sciences, Niigata University) |
Photos of Sakeology D Lectures (FY2025)
Graduate School Sakeology Program
The Sakeology program is offered at the Graduate School of Modern Society and Culture and the Graduate School of Science and Technology.
The center imparts education and conducts research that integrates specialized domains in the humanities and sciences with a focus on the subject of sake, thereby adopting content that provides a bird’s eye view of diverse fields, which ranges from raw materials and production to the sale and consumption of sake as well as culture, history, tradition, and health in addition to the students’ areas of specialization.
- Graduate School of Integrated Arts and Sciences
- Graduate School of Modern Society and Culture
- Graduate School of Science and Technology
* Please search for “Sakeology” (Course Title) on the Niigata University Syllabus Search Site for the latest lecture information.
* The class format in FY2024: face-to-face, online and hybrid
Certificate Program
Sakeology Professional Program (Sakeology-P1)
Sakeology Professional Program (Sakeology-P1) is offered to train professionals involved in sake brewing as Sakeology evangelists.
For more details, please visit the Certificate Program page.
Online International Education Platform
JV-Campus
Lecture videos of Sakeology in English are available on “Japan Virtual Campus (JV-Campus),” an online international education platform originating in Japan, a project of the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT).
