Toshio Ueno

Certified Master Sake & Shochu Sommelier, Jizake Educator. Born in Japan where his family has grown Japanese wine grape, Koshu, for generations, Toshio grew up helping the business from a young age. Following his college education in the US and employment at an international trading company in Tokyo, Toshio joined Chateraise, a pastry and wine company as Director of Sales. There, he was put in charge of overseeing the personal wine collection of the company’s president, which intrigued him to enter the world of wine stewardship and research. Toshio joined Mutual Trading Company in 2002, where he is Director of Sake Specialist Division in marketing Japanese foods, Jizake, and Shochu to the mainstream American trade. With his passion and expertise in Jizake, Shochu, and Wine, Toshio aims to further promote Japanese food and Sake cultures to new, international audiences. Since 2010, he has been Vice President & Executive Instructor at Sake School of America.

Other Credentials:

酒匠 Master of Sake, SSI

日本酒学講師 Certified Sake Educator, SSI
WSET Certified Sake Educator
南部杜氏協会 研究科生 Nanbu Toji Guild Pre-Toji Candidate
Certified Sommelier, Court of Master Sommeliers
French Wine Scholar, French Wine Society
Advance Certificate, WSET
Certified Specialist of Wine, Society of Wine Educators
Certified Shochu Sommelier, SSI
Cetified Beer Adviser, FBO
Los Angeles International Wine Competition Judge
Los Angeles International Spirits Competition Judge
International Wine Challenge Sake Judge
Texsom International Wine Awards Judge
San Francisco International Wine Competition Judge 2020
San Francisco World Spirits Competition Judge 2020
International Wine and Spirits Competition Judge 2020
CINVE Spain Wine and Spirits Judge 2020