Aki Shidaka: The Power of Continuous Learning Made Me a Sommelier

2025/05/28

I entered the workforce in the midst of the employment ice age, without a clear goal of what to aim for. I chose the profession of SE (System Engineer). However, I couldn't find fulfillment in my daily work, and I only felt a growing sense of regret that I should have studied more during my student days. Then one day, I changed jobs to a specialized wine import trading company I found in a job magazine, which was my first encounter with wine.

At the time, the only thing I knew about wine was the difference between "red" and "white." However, after I started studying because I was encouraged to obtain a sommelier certification, I became captivated by the depth of wine. I realized that the "fun of systematically accumulating knowledge" I gained while studying law also existed in the world of wine. Completely different flavors are born depending on the grape variety, soil, climate, and producer. The more I learn about this world, where history, culture, and even law are intertwined in the background, the more endless it seems. I want to know more, I want to learn more deeply. With that thought, I continue to challenge myself with overseas certification exams and competitions. Continuous learning is the driving force of my life as a sommelier.

Then, I received an invitation to become an instructor from a wine school called Académie du Vin. My parents expressed concern that it was a subcontracting agreement rather than a full-time position, but I moved forward without hesitation into the work of "conveying the charm of wine."

The "ability to think logically" that I learned at the Juku continues to be a great support in my work as an instructor. People often think of wine as a world of sensibility, but to convey its charm, explanations tailored to the other person's understanding are essential. I logically construct how to convey complex things simply and what the students are looking for. I feel that the "ability to structure" I honed in the Faculty of Law is truly the pillar that shapes who I am today.

Looking back, my studies during my student days and the encounters with my mentors and friends are the foundation of my life. It is because of that period that I now truly feel the joy of continuous learning.

My life as a sommelier is still a work in progress, but I want to continue traveling through the world of wine, carrying with me the "ability to think through" that I cultivated at the Juku. And if I can convey the joy of wine to as many people as possible, I couldn't be happier.

*Affiliations and titles are as of the time of this magazine's publication.