Sake Tasting in Japan: The 15 Best Brewery Visits

Drinking Tours, Drinking Tours in Kyoto, Food & Drink, Food Tours, Food Tours in Kyoto, Kyoto Tours, Sake Tasting, Sake Tastings in Kyoto, Tour Reviews, Tours

Kyoto Night Foodie Tour in Gion (9+ dishes + 6 Sake tastings)

1.Kyoto Night Foodie Tour in Gion (9+ dishes + 6 Sake tastings)

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 1,762 reviews · from $163Our pick

Spend about three and a half hours walking through Gion, Pontocho, Kawaramachidori, and along the Kamo River while eating 9-plus Kyoto dishes and sampling sake. A guide such as Jimmy, Kumi, Emma, Rika, or Yuki leads the small group into local restaurants and bars. Expect a full evening meal, cultural stories, and up to six sake tastings.

“Value for money and fun Kyoto experience with our guide Yuma. Highly recommend this food and drink experience - something for everyone.”

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1-Day Tours, Day Trips in Nagano, Drinking Tours, Drinking Tours in Nagano, Food & Drink, Nagano Tours, Sake Tasting, Snow Monkey Tours, Temple & Shrine Tours in Nagano, Temples & Shrines, Tour Reviews, Winter Activities

1-Day Snow Monkeys, Zenko-ji Temple & Sake in Nagano

2.1-Day Snow Monkeys, Zenko-ji Temple & Sake in Nagano

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 1,020 reviews · from $151

Spend about eight hours with an English-speaking guide at Zenko-ji Temple, a Nagano sake brewery, and Jigokudani Snow Monkey Park. Guides such as Tom, Kieran, Nadine, and Endo have helped make the day informative and easy to follow. Lunch, transport, sake tasting, and park admission are included. Expect a forest walk and icy footing in winter.

“This excursion surpassed our expectations and added cultural experiences to our day. We were leaving Japan the next day so it really enhanced our trip.”

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3-Hour Kyoto Insider Sake Brewery Tour with Tastings & Pairings

3.3-Hour Kyoto Insider Sake Brewery Tour with Tastings & Pairings

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 917 reviews · from $84

Spend three hours in Kyoto’s Fushimi sake district with a certified sake sommelier. Visit the Gekkeikan Okura Sake Museum, then taste 10 sake styles in a private room with traditional otsumami pairings. Guides such as Kyoko, Miyuki, Momo, Mai, and Shogo explain labels, brewing choices, and flavor differences in clear English.

“WOW! Our guide Kyoko was so friendly and cared so much about helping us learn about sake. The museum tour was very interesting and gave us a good base level of understanding before we tasted so much sake! The way the tasting waRead more”

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Arashiyama Bamboo, Temple, Monkeys, or Secret Sake Brewery

4.Arashiyama Bamboo, Temple, Monkeys, or Secret Sake Brewery

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 886 reviews · 5 hours - 330 minutes · from $87

Walk from Saga-Arashiyama Station through the bamboo grove, Nonomiya Shrine, Okochi Sanso Garden, Tenryuji Temple, and Arashiyama’s shopping streets. You’ll see koi ponds, Kimono Forest, Togetsukyo Bridge, and macaques at Iwatayama. Depending on the option, finish with monkey-park views or a local lunch and sake tasting at Tanzan Brewery.

“Amazing tour!!! Francis was such an awesome guide. I loved the monkeys and the zen garden. 😊🦧”

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Nagano: Snow Monkeys, Zenkoji Temple & Sake Day Trip

5.Snow Monkeys, Zenkoji Temple & Sake Day Trip

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 833 reviews · 8 - 12 hours · from $135

Spend a full day exploring Nagano with guides such as Dylan, Brent, Tom, or Hiroshi, depending on your departure. Visit Zenkoji Temple, sample several sakes, enjoy a generous local lunch, then walk 1.6 km through a forest trail to Jigokudani Snow Monkey Park. Transport, entry, lunch, and sake tasting are included.

“I had a brilliant time exploring Zenkoji Temple and seeing the snow monkeys! Hishiro and Shin were brilliant!”

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Kyoto: Insider Sake Brewery Tour with Sake and Food Pairing

6.Insider Sake Brewery Tour with Sake and Food Pairing

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 704 reviews · 3 hours · from $87

Meet an English-speaking sake expert at Gekkeikan Okura Sake Museum in Fushimi. You’ll tour the brewery museum, compare 10 or more sake styles, learn to read labels, and taste sake with otsumami. Guides such as Kyoko, Miyuki, Momo, and Chika bring a friendly, clear teaching style to this three-hour experience.

“The best ever we had great tour thanks to miyomi 🙏🏿🙏🏿🤗”

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Kyoto Sake Brewery & Tasting Walking Tour

7.Kyoto Sake Brewery & Tasting Walking Tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 623 reviews · from $98

Walk through Fushimi with a certified MagicalTrip guide, visit the Gekkeikan Okura Sake Museum and Kappa Gallery, pass historic Teradaya, then compare up to 18 Kyoto sakes at a local sake restaurant. Guides such as Matt, Rika, Kumi, and Yukari add clear explanations and friendly local advice.

“Great guide & wonderful tour that gives you an understanding of how significant Sake is to this area in particular. Awesome tour for both the beginner & experienced Sake fan.”

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1.5-Hour Kyoto Insider Sake Experience with 7 Tastings & Pairings

8.1.5-Hour Kyoto Insider Sake Experience with 7 Tastings & Pairings

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 297 reviews · from $68

In Kyoto’s Fushimi sake district, a certified sommelier guides you through seven sake tastings and Japanese otsumami pairings in a private room. You’ll compare styles, learn how brewing changes flavor, and leave with tasting notes and a handy ordering guide. Sessions last about 90 minutes and allow up to 14 people.

“Great experience. We were taught all the basics of sake and it really helped our understanding and we even received a little card which we used throughout our trip to pick our sake. I would really recommend this experience!”

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Cooking Classes, Cooking Classes in Tokyo, Drinking Tours, Drinking Tours in Tokyo, Food & Drink, Ramen & Noodle Tours, Ramen Tours in Tokyo, Sake Tasting, Sake Tastings in Tokyo, Sushi Experiences, Sushi Experiences in Tokyo, Tokyo Tours, Tour Reviews, Workshops

Ramen and Sushi Cooking Class with Sake Pairing Set in Tokyo

9.Ramen and Sushi Cooking Class with Sake Pairing Set in Tokyo

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 291 reviews · from $79

At HAUS Tsukishima, Sato, Ryushi, Alex, Taka, Kaori, and their team guide you through sushi making, ramen broth, and sake pairing in about three hours. You get hands-on instruction, a meal made with the class, cooking tips for home, and a small-group setting capped at eight people.

“Taking the "Ramen Cooking Tokyo" class was truly unforgettable. I’d struggled before to learn sushi at home with YouTube videos, always ending up frustrated and confused, but this class changed that completely. From the start, Sato Read more”

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Sake Tasting Masterclass in Shinjuku (8+ Varieties with a Pro)

10.Sake Tasting Masterclass in Shinjuku (8+ Varieties with a Pro)

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 271 reviews · from $72

Meet a sake sommelier in Nishishinjuku for a two-hour lesson on brewing, labels, styles, and food pairings. You will sample at least six varieties, often nine or ten, with snacks in a group capped at eight. Guides may include Max, Joe, Tadashi, Megan, Andrea, or Hawaii Joe.

“This was a great experience, sampling and learning about sake! Make sure to eat beforehand, we got to tast 10 different types of sake! We were also taught about how sake was made. Along with sake, we were provided some delicious snacks. I would definitely do this again!”

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Kyoto: Insider Sake Experience with 7 Tastings and Snacks

11.Insider Sake Experience with 7 Tastings and Snacks

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 266 reviews · 1h 30m · from $66

In a dedicated Kyoto tasting room, an English-speaking sake expert such as Mayo, Kotaro, Kiyomi, or Greg guides you through seven pours, food pairings, brewing basics, and bottle-reading practice. You compare dry, sweet, crisp, and fruity styles, then leave with a cheat sheet for ordering sake in Japan.

“We loved the sake tasting and food pairing experience. Our sake sommelier Kotaro was very knowledgeable and a great teacher. We now know which type of sake we prefer, how to order it, and what to pair it with. I definitely recommend this to anyone visiting Kyoto!”

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Sake Omakase in Tokyo: Guided Tasting by Certified Sommeliers

12.Sake Omakase in Tokyo: Guided Tasting by Certified Sommeliers

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 239 reviews · from $79

At Sake Studio in central Tokyo, certified sommeliers such as Eric, Aaron, Frank, and Phillip guide a six-person tasting through seven Japan-exclusive sakes. Over two hours, you compare rice styles, temperatures, infusions, and drinking vessels with small bites at four themed courses.

“If you want to know why you like the sake you already like, this is the education you need. It is so fun!”

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Osaka Sake Tasting with Takoyaki Cooking

13.Osaka Sake Tasting with Takoyaki Cooking

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 156 reviews · 2 hours · from $70

At MOMO to SAKE near Osaka Namba, Momo, an English-speaking sake sommelier and former brewer, leads a two-hour small-group class for up to six people. You will cook takoyaki with octopus, wagyu beef, cheese, and other fillings, then taste selected Japanese sakes while learning about brewing, flavor, and sake culture.

“Momo is the best! Thank you so much for such a wonderful experience is Osaka! This has been our highlight for our Japan trip!”

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KOBE Sake Tasting Tour at Breweries (tasting fee included)

14.KOBE Sake Tasting Tour at Breweries (tasting fee included)

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 154 reviews · from $109

Spend 3.5 hours walking Kobe’s Nada Gogo district with an English-speaking guide such as Hiro, Romi, Aki, or Aya. Visit breweries and sake museums, taste several styles including seasonal pours, stop at a local tofu shop, and enjoy cooling breaks. The route may change with brewery hours, so expect a small, flexible group rather than a fixed museum circuit.

“Hiro , our guide , was amazing ! We had the best time ever . She is very knowledgeable about sake and organized , she brought brochures , explained with pictures. She brought water , sun umbrellas for everyone . Fully recommend the experience !”

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Tasting All Types of Sake with Sommelier

15.Tasting All Types of Sake with Sommelier

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 151 reviews · from $62

Meet sommelier Aki at 4 p.m. near Shinjuku San-chome for a friendly introduction to sake, then walk to a small bar beside Louis Vuitton Shinjuku. Over about 90 minutes, taste six to seven styles, including sparkling, sweet, dry, hot, pasteurized, and unpasteurized sake. Aki explains production, labels, serving methods, and food pairings in English.

“Aki is amazing and so knowledgeable. We sampled many different sakes. As a sake lover, it was so fun to try varieties that are not available in the United States due to difficulty shipping unpasteurized sake. I loved the sake bar and enjoyed Read more”

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