Hello! My name is Arline Lyons, a translator and interpreter fascinated by Japanese language and culture for nearly three decades. I am the person behind Taste Translation, where I offer specialised Japanese to English translation for fine food and drink, in particular for Japanese sake.

Specialised translation requires not just the ability to communicate in both languages, but also a thorough understanding of what you are talking or writing about.

I started studying Japanese sake with the Wine and Spirits Educational Trust (WSET) Level 3 Award in Sake in March 2017, passing with distinction, followed by Sake Service Institute (SSI) International Kikisake-shi in September 2018 and Certified Sake Professional with John Gauntner’s Sake Education Council (SEC) in January 2019. I continued to develop my knowledge of sake with the Japan Sommelier Association (JSA) Sake Diploma (October 2019), SEC Advanced Sake Professional course (February 2020), Sake Scholar course (April 2022), and Japan Sake and Shochu Makers Association (JSS) Academy (Feb/Mar 2023). I also became a member of the Brewing Society of Japan (BSJ) in June 2022.

I keep an eye on news about sake in Japan, which is largely unknown outside of the country, and share my learnings through the Sake News posts on this site and an occasional newsletter (free, you can subscribe here).

I have studied chocolate through the level 1 and level 2 courses offered by the International Institute of Chocolate and Cacao Tasting (IICCT) (2017), coffee with an SCAE Introduction to Coffee course held at Union Coffee in London (2017) and the London School of Coffee Cupping and Sensory course (2017), tea through the UK Tea Academy Tea Champion course (2017), and cheese with the Academy of Cheese Level 1 Associate qualification (2021).

My BSc in biology allows me to understand brewing processes right down to the microbiological, molecular and genetic levels. I also translate a wide range of texts relevant to food and drink production, quality and safety, such as material safety data sheets, manufacturing audits and food safety inspections, as well as technical and educational material around sake production, handling, packaging, quality, analysis and shipping.

On the language side, I started studying Japanese 30 years ago and lived in Japan for two years, one year in the countryside of Gifu Prefecture and one year studying full-time in a language school in Aichi Prefecture. I passed of the (old) Japanese Language Proficiency Test Level 1 in 2003 and started working as a localisation project manager before graduating from the MA Advanced Japanese Studies from the University of Sheffield in 2010. After setting up my own translation business, I passed the qualified membership exam for the Institute of Translation and Interpreting (ITI) in 2013 and was accepted as a Fellow of ITI in September 2024 based on my commitment to continuous professional development and contribution to the association’s language and subject networks.

I’m based in Zürich, Switzerland, where I hold regular introductory sake workshops and tastings, and can frequently be found at sake events in London, Paris and other European cities (pandemics permitting). I normally spend one month a year in Japan, visiting clients and breweries, learning more about sake and keeping my language skills strong.