Izakaya Alley Crawls in Japan: 15 Sorted by What They Cost

1.Best of Shinjuku: Izakaya Food Tour (4 Stops, 14+ Tastings)

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 1,863 reviews · from $92Our pick

Spend 3.5 hours eating through Shinjuku with a bilingual local guide such as Taiga, Yusuke, Nobu, or Chi. Visit four izakayas for 14+ tastings, three drinks, and dishes ranging from sashimi and grilled skewers to Japanese comfort food. Walk through Kabukicho, Golden Gai, and Omoide Yokocho in a small group of up to 10.

“We had an amazing time on the food tour! Our guide, Taiga, was lovely to talk to and very accommodating to our dietary restrictions. The tour in general was a great way to see more of the city, and we had some really excellent food. I would hRead more”

Dates, prices, availability →Our full review →

2.Shinjuku Local Bar and Izakaya Guided Walking Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 1,794 reviews · 3 hours · from $34

Join an English-speaking local guide such as Nao, Naoya, Toshi, Kei, or Shota for three hours around Shinjuku. Walk through Omoide Yokocho, Kabukicho, and Golden Gai, visit local izakayas and bars, try sake and other drinks, and finish with karaoke. Admission is included, but food and drinks cost extra.

“A great experience to experiment going out like a local . Toshi is great your guide that went with us in 3 nice places . I totally recommend!”

Dates, prices, availability →Our full review →

3.Shinjuku Local Bar & Izakaya Crawl Tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 890 reviews · from $39

Spend about three hours walking through Omoide Yokocho, Kabukicho, and Golden Gai with an English-speaking guide. Expect local izakaya food, sake, bar-hopping, and often karaoke. Guides such as Rika, Nao, Ken, Yoshi, and Kota help with ordering and introductions, while food and drinks are paid separately.

“Great fun, especially with the Karaoke at the end! Who knew mr.brightside could be so fun! Great tour with lots of hidden spots”

Dates, prices, availability →Our full review →

4.Izakaya Bars Guided Walking Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 815 reviews · 3 hours · from $25

Join an English-speaking local guide such as Moto, Taiga, Mia, or Lyou for three hours around Kyoto’s Kawaramachi and Kiyamachi districts. You’ll walk narrow streets, visit local izakayas and bars, taste Japanese drinks and food at your own cost, and finish at a tucked-away bar. Groups usually number 5 to 10 people.

“Taiga was our guide and he did such an amazing job showing us around the izakayas while giving us a nice background about the drinks and Kyoto!! So much fun!!!”

Dates, prices, availability →Our full review →

5.Izakaya Bars Guided Walking Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 385 reviews · 3 hours · from $19Best value

Join an English-speaking guide such as Taiga, Seina, Kosuke, or Naoko for three hours through Dotonbori, Namba, and Uranamba. Visit local izakayas and small bars, try sake and Japanese drinks, sample food such as takoyaki, and finish with karaoke or a late-night drink. Groups usually have 5 to 10 people.

“We recently took the Osaka Pub Crawl, and it was a fantastic, memorable evening. Our guide, Kosuke, was great and deserves five stars for his hospitality. The tour itself was a wonderful journey through Osaka’s nightlife, offering far more than just drinks. We got to sample a great variety of beverages, from delicate rice wine tastings to smooth Japanese whiskey. The inclusion of delicious food at the first two stops was a perfect start and really appreciated. What made this tour exceptional was Kosuke. He was incredibly fun and attentive, making sure every single person in our group felt welcomed and included.”

Dates, prices, availability →Our full review →

6.Local Bar & Izakaya Crawl

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 354 reviews · 3 hours · from $29

Meet an English-speaking guide at Mizuho Bank in Shibuya and spend three hours visiting three local bars and izakayas. You may sample Japanese food, several sake styles, and finish with karaoke. Guides such as Tomomi, Shota, Yushi, Miyabi, and Asato adapt the route to dietary needs and drink preferences. Bring cash, since food and drinks cost extra.

“It was all good. Berry well managed. Rest all depends on the group ig”

Dates, prices, availability →Our full review →

7.Hiroshima Izakaya Food and Drink Night Tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 297 reviews · from $110

Meet your local guide at 7 p.m. near Fukuya Hacchobori, then eat Hiroshima-style okonomiyaki in Okonomimura before visiting two izakayas in Nagarekawacho. Guides such as Kaku, Yoko, Yuji, Hika, and Bikky add local food tips, nightlife help, and historical context. The group is small, but food restrictions and English ability can vary.

“Had a fun night exploring a few restaurants and enjoying some drinks with new fellow travelers . Our guide Yuji made us all feel very comfortable.We loved our first stop - one of the best okonomyaki in our 2 weeks in Japan . The drinks included in the price were reasonable also. Thanks for a fun time.”

Dates, prices, availability →Our full review →

8.Afternoon Japanese Izakaya Cooking Class

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 241 reviews · 3 hours · from $67

Spend three hours at Cooking Sun in Kyoto’s Funayacho kitchen, preparing several Japanese home and izakaya dishes with English-speaking instructors such as Yumi and Yumiko. You cook, eat, and return to the stove for a second round, with ingredients, utensils, an apron, and recipes provided.

“Excellent cooking class. Great instruction fantastic food. Highly recommend”

Dates, prices, availability →Our full review →

9.The Best of Izakaya in Shinjuku Food & Cultural Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 221 reviews · 3 hours · from $129

Spend about 3 to 3.5 hours exploring Shinjuku with an English-speaking guide such as Joe, Max, Chizuru, or Nobu. Walk through Golden Gai, Kabukicho, and Omoide Yokocho, then settle into local izakaya for 14 or more dishes, sashimi, skewers, croquettes, sake, and other drinks. Dietary requests can be arranged in advance.

“It was very funny but also educational about the history of sumo”

Dates, prices, availability →Our full review →

10.Izakaya Style Cooking Class

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 219 reviews · from $71

Spend three hours at Cooking Sun Kyoto learning dashi, sauces, knife work, and seasonal izakaya dishes with an English-speaking chef. You will cook several recipes, then sit down for dinner and take the recipes home. Keiko and her team are known for clear instruction, careful organization, and friendly help with dietary needs.

“This Izakaya cooking class was one of our absolute favorite activities for our two week trip to Japan. The hosts were incredibly kind and fun to learn from. We got to learn a ton about the culture and food was cooking very easy to follow recipes that we will definitely be making at home! I would give them a 6th star if I could!”

Dates, prices, availability →Our full review →

11.Shibuya Local Bar & Izakaya Crawl Tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 218 reviews · from $39

Start near Shibuya Crossing at 8 p.m. and follow an English-speaking guide through Miyashita Park and Center-gai. You will visit local bars and izakaya, with possible sake tasting, food, and karaoke. Admission and photos are included, but drinks and food cost extra. Groups are limited to 16 people.

“Kota was absolutely awesome, couldn’t not wish for a better person to lead this experience. Was skeptical of the booking until I met kota”

Dates, prices, availability →Our full review →

12.Shinjuku Izakaya and Golden Gai Bar Hopping Tour (2h)

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 67 reviews · 2 hours · from $96

Join a local English-speaking guide for two hours of food, drinks, and night streets in Shinjuku. You will try three alcoholic drinks and six to eight foods while visiting Omoide Yokocho, Kabukicho, and Golden Gai. Guides such as Hiro, Ryota, Shuji, and Ash have led this lively small-group walk.

“Thanks for a fantastic night - excellent tour guide and an awesome group of people. I can’t recommend this tour highly enough :-)”

Dates, prices, availability →Our full review →

13.Izakaya Food Tour in Nagano

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 60 reviews · from $111

Meet Masa, Robin, or another local guide at Starbucks in Nagano Station, then visit two or three izakaya and a noodle stop in Gondo. Expect yakitori, gyoza, soba or ramen, two drinks, local stories, and a final bar. Photos are taken during the evening, and the tour ends within easy walking distance of the start.

“We visited three spots in Nagano with Masa, our amazing & knowledgeable guide. We tried several skewers, tofu, the soba noodles (a must in Nagano) and tasty gyozas. The tour was both insightful and relaxed, we had a great time. We highly recommend Masa and this tour.”

Dates, prices, availability →Our full review →

14.In Fukuoka! Guide to an izakaya only 100% locals know/Bar Hopping

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 43 reviews · from $264

Meet your guide at Kego Park in Tenjin at 7:30 p.m. and visit two local izakaya, one focused on fresh fish and one on yakitori. Your guide helps with ordering, explains Fukuoka drinking customs, and selects dishes locals enjoy. The tour lasts about three hours, welcomes up to 30 people, and ends back at the meeting point.

“Brilliant experience, had a wonderful time tasting local food and getting to know about the area, and other areas from a local. Local guide, knew the area, was easy to talk to and ask questions.”

Dates, prices, availability →Our full review →

15.Shinjuku Bar and Izakaya Hopping Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 31 reviews · 3 hours · from $25

Spend three hours walking Shinjuku with a local English-speaking guide such as Yoshi, Momoko, Ken, or Toshi. Visit local bars, try Japanese food and sake, and finish with karaoke. The $25 price covers the guide, walking tour, venue admission, and tour photos. Food and drinks cost extra, so bring cash and WhatsApp.

“Just do it. Marcus was such a great guide. He always made sure everyone in the group was involved. The tour selection was also perfect. Thank you!”

Dates, prices, availability →Our full review →