3-Hour Kyoto Insider Sake Brewery Tour with Tastings & Pairings
Recommended by 100% of travelers
Kyoto, Japan
- 3 hours (approx.)
- Mobile ticket
- Offered in: English
Why travelers loved this
·
Overview
What's Included
- 10 carefully selected sake, chosen by a certified Sake Sommelier to help you discover your own taste
- Guided by a certified Sake Sommelier with clear, friendly explanations for all experience levels
- A private sake tasting room where you can relax, focus, ask questions, and taste at your own pace
- Traditional otsumami food pairings that show how Japanese people naturally enjoy sake with food
- Admission and guided visit to the Gekkeikan Okura Sake Museum, adding cultural context to tasting
- A sake cheat sheet and tasting notes to help you confidently choose and enjoy sake after the tour
- Transportation to/from attractions
- Hotel pickup and drop-off
Meeting and Pickup
Meeting point
- 697 Motozaimokuchō, Fushimi Ward, Kyoto, 612-8043, Japan
Meeting point : Gekkeikan Okura Sake Museum (Meet the guide inside the museum) 25 min from JR Kyoto Station : Take a train on Kintetsu Line to Momoyamagoryo-Mae Station then walk about 10 min. 20 min from Gion-Shijo Station : Take a train on Keihan Line to Chushojima Station then walk for 5 min.
End point
- Kyoto Insider Sake Experience271-1 Kurumamachi, Fushimi Ward, Kyoto, 612-8365, Japan
Itinerary
1
Gekkeikan Okura Sake Museum
1 hour 30 minutes • Admission Ticket Included
2
Kyoto Insider Sake Experience
1 hour 30 minutes • Admission Ticket Included
Additional Info
- Confirmation will be received at time of booking
- Not wheelchair accessible
- Near public transportation
- Not recommended for travelers with back problems
- Not recommended for pregnant travelers
- No heart problems or other serious medical conditions
- Most travelers can participate
- A small amount of walking is involved; comfortable walking shoes are recommended
- Legal drinking age in Japan is 20; customers under 20 years of age will only be served non-alcoholic drinks
- For safety and legal reasons, alcohol will not be served to guests who arrive by car or bicycle (non-alcoholic drinks available). No refunds if unable to participate in the sake tasting.
- Sake breweries generally do not allow visitors to enter the production area for health and safety reasons. We will explain the production process during our tour of the brewery museum
- Guests without a reservation (including children and non-drinkers) will not be allowed to join the tour
- Vegetarian option for snacks is available, please tell your guide on site
- Recommended to have your lunch or brunch prior to the tour.
- Our 3-hour sake tour has limited availability and often fills up weeks in advance. We recommend booking early to ensure your preferred date.
- This tour/activity will have a maximum of 12 travelers
Supplied by
Cancellation Policy
This experience is non-refundable and cannot be changed for any reason. If you cancel or ask for an amendment, the amount you paid will not be refunded.
Traveler Photos
Featured review
Lis_B
We are now Sake fans! Everything about this tour was great! We learned so much. Who would of thought the sake making process to be so fascinating. We really enjoyed the sake samples and food pairing. Our guide was very knowledgeable and friendly. We totally recommend this tour.
Reviews
5.0
based on 1,023 reviews
Sort by: Most insightful
JeffJ_S, Aug 2026
Knowledge based, great excitement. Our tour guide was great and enthusiastic. We would recommend it without hesitation
Volker_D, Jul 2026
We learned a lot about the process of sake making and the different varieties. The tasting session exposed us to the differences that different sales have and how to choose specific taste profiles. Our guide - Chika a was simply amazing!
Julie_e, Jul 2026
This was one of the best and most informative experiences we've ever enjoyed. Our host Chika was energetic, knowledgeable and an expert on the history, production and types of sake. We learned a ton and tried many types of sake during our tasting. Wouid highly recommend this experience in Kyoto.
Kenneth_K, Jul 2026
The two guides were extremely knowledgeable and enthusiastic with their job and it showed! I never knew there was so much to know about Sake.
Matthew_J, Jun 2026
Absolutely excellent experience. I learned more about sake than I ever expected. If you ever wanted to demystify sake and know what you’re ordering and how to pair it with different food, this is the activity for you. The guides were excellent - friendly and knowledgeable. And answered all the questions we had.
Garry_G, Jun 2026
The tour is very informative, particularly the second part of the tour involving more extensive tastings and food pairing.
Tracey_Z, Jun 2026
Fantastic experience from start to finish. Our two guides were true sake sommeliers, they were highly knowledgeable, made it great fun, and helped us to understand the different types and tase profiles of Saki. The distillery tour gave a clear, behind‑the‑scenes look at how sake is crafted, and the tasting was fantastic. We tried 10 different styles, explored food pairings, and learned how to spot our own flavor preferences; they even gave us a wallet card to help us to choose on our own!
Fun, flavorful, and educational. Highly recommend.
Carolina_M, May 2026
Learned a lot and all the sake tasting was very good!! Better than expected and great value!! Loved it!!
Marissa_M, May 2026
This was a very informative tour! You get an in-depth lesson on nihonshu and how to pair it with food. The guides were great people!
Miranda_M, May 2026
We absolutely loved this tour with our amazing guide Kyoko. She was so knowledgeable, friendly, and engaging! The tour was a great length with lots of information, and the tasting was fun and plenty. It was great to be in the traditional sake neighborhood of Fushimi, and we also enjoyed exploring it before the tour. Would definitely recommend!
Alejandro_P, May 2026
This was a ton of fun and we learned a ton! Kotoro was a great guide and teacher and we all left with a deeper understanding and appreciation for Nihonshu!
Margaret_S, May 2026
Kyoko and Nanase were excellent guides. We learned so much about sake and enjoyed the museum as well as the tasting. Thank you!!
Robert_H, May 2026
Great value and very informative. Good for novices as well as those who already enjoy sake. Eat something first as the pours are generous.
Jacob_S, May 2026
Shogo was the sommelier extraordinaire leading this exhibition. It started out with an 1.5 hour walkthrough of the museum (+3 sake taste tests as part of the museum tour). Normally museum tours can be quite boring, but I found the whole process very interesting. Granted I also knew minimal of the the sake process. You also get to learn about the history of the building and brand.
After you walk 5 minutes to the separate tasting room and try at least another 7-9 sake shots. You also get little snacks like daikon, cream cheese, and edamame to pair with the sakes.
It was a great experience. I've done brewery, vineyard, and distillery tours all over the world and this definitely stands in the top percentile.
Sara_C, Apr 2026
Very good and informative experience, highly recommended! The guide Mayo was great and very entertaining
Julius_N, Apr 2026
It was a wonderful experience. Our tour guide Mayo did a really great job. Informative, friendly, funny and exciting to know more about nihonshu. We even could practice our knowledge afterwards.
Lauree_H, Apr 2026
Very informative tour about sake Our guide told us about the sake making process, how this affects the taste and how to choose a sake that you would like . Food pairing with sake was a bonus. All done in a professional & entertaining manner
Giulia_B, Apr 2026
Our guide Kotaro was so knowledgeable! We walked trough the Sake museum and learned about the Sake brewing, then we proceed to the tasting experience. We had so much fun and feel more confident about choosing our sake! This is a must do tour if you are in the Kyoto area!
Thank you so much Kotaro!
Edgardo_R, Apr 2026
We had a very enjoyable and informative experience with the Kyoto Insider Sake Experience, especially the visit to the Gekkeikan Okura Sake Museum and the guided tasting session that followed.
The level of knowledge shared throughout the experience was impressive—there is no question that you will walk away far more informed about sake, from production methods to how professionals evaluate flavor, balance, and aroma. That said, the amount of information can feel overwhelming at times. For us, we found ourselves taking in everything but naturally focusing on the aspects that interested us most, rather than trying to absorb every detail. I imagine some guests may prefer that depth, while others—like us—will pick and choose what resonates.
The sake tasting itself was excellent, and the food pairing was a real highlight. The selection of otsumami (Japanese snacks) was thoughtfully chosen and truly enhanced the tasting experience. It was an eye-opener to see how different flavors complemented specific types of sake—it added a practical, enjoyable dimension to everything we had just learned.
Overall, this is a well-organized and worthwhile experience that delivers exactly what it promises: a deep dive into the world of sake. If you’re open to a lot of information and willing to take away what matters most to you, you’ll leave with a much greater appreciation and understanding of sake.
Natalie_M, Apr 2026
Absolutely recommend this fantastic tour, the three hours flew by and we really enjoyed it. My husband is a sake fan and so this was a must do for him while visiting Japan. I tagged along with a limited expectation as I didn't like sake at all - turns out my husband has been drinking cheap cooking sake in Australia so no wonder I didn't like it! I'm now fully converted and drank sake every night in Japan after the tour. The hosts were very knowledgable and welcoming and the tour included a history of sake, how it is processed, the differences, how to read a sake label (what to look out for) and a series of tasting (with some food) which meant all guests left knowing their own personal taste preference. My husband carried around the little card sized cheat sheet we were given and it was invaluable when ordering sake in restaurants and buying from stores. Sign up, you won't regret it.
Michael_S, Apr 2026
The Sake Tasting & food pairing at Gekkeikan distillery was an extremely well laid out experience with a Fantastic & Knowledgeable guide. We had a group of 12 people from all over. Guide met us outside early to ensure all customers were present. The history of the distillery was easy to understand & learn about. The sampling was tailored so that the various taste buds could be accommodated & rated appropriately. Was surprised to learn theat they have a distillery in California & that 3 other distilleries have facilities in my home state of Georgia USA.
Lynn_C, Apr 2026
Great guides! Super knowledgeable! Super fun! Really transformed my understanding of sake and how to pair it with food.
Sheila_C, Mar 2026
This was an amazing experience! We got to tour the Gekkeikan Okura museum, learn about how sake is made, then we got to go taste a bunch of sakes with snacks while we were told all about the different kinds of sake. Would def do again!
Terrilyn_Z, Mar 2026
This was so much more than just tasting sake! You learned a lot about the process, the categories, chose your preferences and even learned how to distinguish it on a menu or reading a bottled label it was awesome. Kyoko was fantastic!!!
annette_n, Mar 2026
We learned so much. The samples given were very generous. We highly recommend. The guide was very informative and friendly. Thanks for expanding our knowledge of sake.
Kymberly_K, Mar 2026
It was really interesting! Momoko was fun and informative! The sake tour museum was fascinating and the tasting itself was intimate and dleightful.
mindy_b, Mar 2026
It was great! Very generous in the number of sales we got to taste. They also paired the sake with food.
Lisa_M, Mar 2026
Learned so much about sake, even understanding how to read the bottles in Japanese! Kyomi was extremely knowledgeable. Great tour well worth the time and money.
Mackenzie_M, Mar 2026
Very fun experience! Our guide Mai was super knowledgeable and made the experience very interactive!
Veronica_L, Feb 2026
Had an amazing time learning all about sake! From the tour to the tasting it was an incredible experience. Our guides Kiyomi and Kyoko were knowledgeable and friendly. Would recommend to anyone coming to Kyoto!
From $87.78
per person-You will not receive a refund if you cancel.
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