Ukai passed the 4th Sake Sommelier Certification Exam in 1994. Later she became involved in selecting the sakes served in the First Class cabin on flights departing from Kansai International Airport. She started writing a column in the evening edition of the Sankei Shimbun Newspaper in September 1999 and resumed the column in April 2003. In May 2003, her 1st Book The Flying Sake Sommelier was published. Today, Ukai helps educate passengers about sake, especially pure rice sake (junmai-shu), and is an active member of the Association of Sake Brewery Owners.