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About...

 
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Cindy Bissig created Sake Nomad because she believes in sharing the love of Japanese sake one cup at a time. She is interested and curious to meet people from all over the world and share her passion for Japanese sake and Doburoku with them. Because "Nihonshu", Japanese Sake, is so much more than just a beverage—it is the passion and dedication of people that she wants you to meet.

Having been in the hospitality industry for more than 20 years, Cindy has worked for high-end hotels, venues, and restaurants internationally, and spent an amazing time in Ireland, where—besides her busy job in a travel start-up—she also introduced the lively Dublin pub scene through custom-made tours. However, she always had a love for Japan...

Among other things, she studied hospitality management, including food and beverage, at the prestigious Institute César Ritz in Switzerland, which she left with honors—and where she discovered a passion for wine. However, her real love, she discovered later, is with Japanese sake. This is why she decided to pursue it as a career. Cindy Bissig is a certified SSI International Kikisake-shi, SSA Certified Sake Sommelier, and has completed many other courses, such as the coveted Sake Professional Course run by “the sake guy” and founder of Sake World, John Gauntner.

In terms of hands-on experience, she has joined Gakkogura, organized by Obata Shuzo on Sado Island, for a week, as well as spent a weekend making sake at Miyoshikiku Brewery on Shikoku Island so far...

These days, she works mainly behind the sake scenes—promoting local sake tourism and sake breweries, as well as creating content surrounding them. She is the founder of Sake Unplugged, part podcast, part sake event series, and is a producer and regular host of Sake On Air, the world's first podcast dedicated to sake, shochu, and awamori. She has been appointed a "Doburoku Ambassador" and serves as head judge at the Singapore Sake Challenge.

 

Cindy Bissig is the chairman of the Tokyo Sake Challenge, a global competition held in Japan under the theme “Re‑Discovering Sake.” Through the Tokyo Sake Challenge and her work with Japan Life, she aims to highlight just how diverse sake can be—creating new opportunities for breweries and giving sake sommeliers and brewers a platform to connect and share their craft in an international setting.

If that wasn’t enough, Cindy writes for a variety of publications including Travel + Leisure, Sakegeek, and Senpai Japan—culinary and travel magazines that showcase the culture and beauty of Japan. She is also an accomplished photographer, specializing in brewery life, travel, and food. Her photography has been exhibited both in Japan and internationally, offering a unique look into the world of sake craftsmanship.

And yes—when she does get a chance or receives a special request—she still enjoys guiding tours or giving workshops around (surprise!) sake and local Japan. Between all of that, you’ll likely find her traveling around the country, enjoying the local cuisine, culture, and, of course, drinking sake.For updates and news, make sure to follow Sake Nomad on Instagram.

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©2022 by Sake Nomad

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