Tours/Kyoto/Kyoto Sake Brewery Tour with Lunch
Viator · group up to 10 pax

Kyoto Sake Brewery Tour with Lunch

4.7(12)Kyoto1 hour
VIATOR3.0(1)TRIPADVISOR4.8(11)

Description

Step into the heart of Fushimi, one of Japan’s most renowned and oldest sake regions, where centuries of craftsmanship and passion flow like the clear, pristine waters that give life to its legendary brews. Guided by a local expert, you’ll wander through charming streets and modern tasting rooms, each with its own story to tell. As you explore, breathe in the fragrant aroma of fermenting rice, a scent that has lingered in the air for over 400 years. Listen to the tales about dedicated brewers who have perfected their craft through generations, their hands shaping each batch with precision and care. Visit a variety of sake breweries, both historic and contemporary, and uncover the delicate balance of art and science behind Japan’s beloved national drink. Prepare your palate for an unforgettable tasting experience, sampling a range of sake styles, from crisp to luscious and aromatic.

Tour Options

Kyoto Sake Brewery Tour with Lunch

Itinerary

5 min

Meeting Point - in front of Softbank in Otesuji Shotengai. Then join our 3-hour tour of Fushimi district, Kyoto’s Sake district.

Pass by

Fushimi Inari Taisha

30 min

During the tour, you will eat a seasonal lunch in a local restaurant before heading out to the Gekkeikan Okura sake museum where a brief history of Japanese sake can be understood.

Pass by

Ending Point - Bar

Pass by

Chokenji temple

Pass by

Fushimi Park

Pass by

Teradaya

Pass by

Daigo-ji

Highlights

Several Sake tastings
Local English speaking guide.
Local lunch in restaurant

What's included

Included
Several Sake tastings
Local English speaking guide.
Local lunch in restaurant
Not included
Hotel pickup and drop-off
Gratuities
Food and drinks, unless specified
Transportation costs.

Traveller Ratings

4.7
12 reviews
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0
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Important Information

  • Public transportation options are available nearby
  • Travelers should have at least a moderate level of physical fitness
  • Minimum drinking age is 21 years old
  • Actual active brewing areas are inaccessible
  • For solo travelers, please email us
  • Changes to tours and spots we visit may occur due to schedules of restaurants, public holidays, weather conditions and other unforeseen circumstances. Applicable substitutions will be made in this case.
  • Vegan, Vegetarian, Pescetarian, Gluten-Free friendly

Reviews(12)

T
tom_freer
November 8, 2024
Great experience

A great experience, learning about Sake and tasting Sake. Eduardo was an excellent guide, showing us around the area and pointing out areas of historical interest, like the ‘Cowboy’ Samurai. I would highly recommend the tour.

Operator response

Thank you for your kind words! We're delighted to hear you had a great experience learning and tasting sake with Eduardo. It’s wonderful that you enjoyed the historical insights, especially the intriguing story of the ‘Cowboy Samurai.’

B
Brianna V
April 6, 2024
Excellent experience!

We had an excellent time on our Sake Brewery tour! We learned a lot about different types of sake and how they are made. Sae our tour guide was wonderful and very knowledgeable. I would recommend this tour to anyone!

Operator response

We're thrilled to hear you enjoyed the Sake Brewery tour with Sae and was able to walk away with a deeper appreciation for the craft! Sae truly loves sharing her knowledge, and we're glad it made the experience so much more memorable. Thanks for this kind review and recommending us!

P
pfk721
August 7, 2023
A great Sake tasting and education

I cannot say enough about our tour with Sae - she was such a pleasure to be with on our tour. We received so much information about sake and the differences between gingo etc. - she provided such great insight to enhance our experience. We have done a fair amount of sake drinking but this was by far the best. Great to see a part of Kyoto where we could never have visited on our own!

J
joeyl977
May 3, 2023
Fantastic tour!!

Our guide Sae was wonderful — so knowledgeable and kind — and taught us so much about Sake! The tour was so fun and the lunch was delicious. My husband and I chose the tour on our honeymoon and it was definitely a highlight! We learned about Japanese customs, manners, sake, and more, and Sae was a perfect guide, adding helpful and interesting info as we strolled place to place. Definitely recommend for any trip to Kyoto!!

E
elizabethdM8143IL
May 1, 2023
Kyoto Sake Tour - great for sake enthusiasts!

Me and my two friends ended up being the only people on our Sake Tour, so we unintentionally got a private tour. Sae was an amazing guide, she had so much knowledge but was also so friendly and easy to talk to! The Gekkeikan Museum was super informative, I learned so much about the brewing process that I didn't know before - we were really curious about the production process and both Sae and the museum staff were wonderful about answering our questions. Throughout the stops we sampled around 15 different kinds of sake, and Sae went above and beyond, asking us each which types we liked best and making sure we could read the labels and know the terms to ask for the kinds of sake we wanted. The tasting with a sake sommelier at the end of the tour was also a highlight. An amazing tour, 10/10 would recommend!

M
MagentaHobart
March 22, 2023
Kyoto Sake Tour

Thank you Sae for a wonderful introduction to the history of sake brewing in Kyoto. You were extremely informative and we thoroughly enjoyed every sip of Sake which warmed the soul! I will forever look out for the green cedar balls and head straight to that bar or restaurant.

Operator response

Thank you for this lovely review. So glad you enjoyed and we hope this will help others find our yummy sake tour!

U
untetheredtogether
July 22, 2019
Amazing/informative/delicious sake tour!

My husband and I were led by our amazing guide, Hiroe and her assistant, Ayaka, through the neighborhood of Fushimi via back alleys and along waterways. We've been on tours about tequila, beer, wine, etc, but it was truly amazing to learn about the history and see the process that goes into making sake. There was a bit of walking involved, but nothing strenuous. We also tried several of the local spring waters around, which of course is a huge part of the flavor and creation of sake brewing. Our lunch was delicious and came with a sake flight that paired nicely with all the different aspects of our deluxe bento box. We also visited a food stall restaurant where we were able to try 18 (!!!!!) select sakes from the 20 breweries in the area along with some traditional (and delicious!) snacks and finished up at our favorite stop -- a local brewery where we were able to purchase sake that we watched them pour into a bottle straight from the tap! The tour was a great combination of tiny local places, trendy places, more manufactured places, and a palatable version of the history and sake making process. 10/10 would recommend!!

1 people found this helpful
Operator response

Thank you for this fabulous review. We will be sure to pass on your kind words to Hiroe and Ayaka. I love fushimi area and we are so proud to offer this comprehensive Sake tour! That 18 sampler box is Amazing! Thank you for your review as it helps other future guests find us.

Z
Zanzibar747
May 2, 2019
The Saki Story

We had a really relaxed, informative and enjoyable tour with our guide, Mana. She shared with us the importance of the water used, the quality of the rice, the manufacturing process and the different tastes of the finished product. It was really interesting to see how saki was made at the museum. Our lunch was excellent and we had the opportunity to taste a range of different sakis - even saki ice cream - delicious! Mana was really helpful answering our questions and gave us some brilliant ideas for seeing other interesting parts of Kyoto.

Operator response

So glad you enjoyed the tour and thank you so much for the great review! We love to show Fushimi area and try the amazing sake from the Kyoto region with guests. So happy you had fun. We will pass on your comments to Mana and I am sure it will make her so happy.

N
Nataliaorlo
April 17, 2019
Sake tour in Kyoto

Had a lovely time with Russ in Kyoto! My boyfriend and I decided to stop in Kyoto for 2 nights and really wanted to make the most of our time there. Booking a tour with a knowledgeable guide was definitely the best decision. The food was delicious, Russ was fun and informative and I ended up finding my new favorite sake. 10/10.

1 people found this helpful
J
JK9024
January 16, 2019
Below average tour

I was initially very excited about this tour however that changed as the tour progressed. The Fushimi area was beautiful, the museum was nice, and tasting different Sake, unfortunately that's where it ended. Our tour guide was nice but we felt she was not enthusiastic as a guide should be, nor confident in what she was explaining - she kept referring to her notes, unfinished explanations of the process, and was very vague. The whole purpose of the tour was to get a comprehensive understanding from a local Japanese guide on Sake making and its origin. We did not get this. In addition this tour promised a 7 course lunch this was definitely not the case and we waited over half an hour just to be seated for lunch which wasted a lot of time. During the tour we were told that we would visit one of the famous sake bars which we didn't even visit. For the price paid and for what we got out of it we actually could've explored this area on our own without a guide. Some of the other tours with this company may be good but this one overall was very disappointing!

Operator response

Hello, thank you so much for the feedback and we are sorry that there were various misunderstandings on the tour. We are speaking with the guide to get more information. One thing I think was a mix-up, our Nishiki Market tour has a 7 course lunch but the sake tour has a lunch in a local restaurant with various dishes not a course meal. We will try to make sure this is more clear for everyone on our site. Sorry again for the confusion. Our Sake tour has been very popular but we will consider how to make sure we explain clear expectations for the stops and tastings on the tour. We take all feedback seriously and we appreciate your sharing your feedback. It is always our goal to share what we love about Japan.

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