JAPAN
Japan's classics.
The 15 most popular sake tasting in Japan. What each one is really like, who runs it, and what you will pay.
Kyoto night food and sake in Gion. Small-group walk through backstreets, 9+ dishes, and 6 sake tastings for a full meal experience.
“J is a great tour guide! He is super knowledgeable about Kyoto, especially the Gieko districts and the local architecture. He provided great recommendations and conversation. He was the reason the tour was really fun! Thanks, J!”
A full-day Nagano mix of Zenko-ji, sake tasting, and Jigokudani snow monkeys, with lunch and winter-ready guidance.
“Although there is alot of walking on snow in winter, don’t let it put you off. You can purchase crampons at the gate which gives you better grip if it’s icy. The whole tour was exceptional. Jens and the team managed 40 of us will no probelms, keRead more”
Learn sake basics at the historic Gekkeikan Okura Museum, then taste 10 sakes with otsumami pairings and label tips in Kyoto.
“I’m so glad that I joined this tour, and I highly recommend it to anyone who is visiting Kyoto with time to spare. Kyoko was an incredible guide, and she made the experience such a joy. We began with a tour of the Gekkeikan Okura Sake museum where we learned about the brewery’s history, sakes…”
A Kyoto walking tour through the Arashiyama Bamboo Grove, Okochi Sanso garden, Tenryuji Temple, and Iwatayama Monkey Park, with two options.
“Tom was a fantastic guide and knew so much about Kyoto. My husband and I had a great time. We loved the gardens and the temple. Even though the tour is 5 hours, there are plenty of breaks for matcha and snacks. He even made a stop for us to try make a I said…”
Zenko-ji, local bites, sake tasting, and hot-spring snow monkeys at Jigokudani from Nagano or Hakuba, guided with lunch.
“The trip was incredible! Totally worth the trek out to Nagano from Tokyo. Guides were very informative and accommodating. Would absolutely recommend!”
Expert-guided Kyoto sake tasting in Fushimi with museum visit, 10+ styles, and food pairing. Learn labels and order confidently.
“Chika was an amazing guide! We started off with an hour long tour of the sake museum and she explained the entire process. The sake tasting after was phenomenal and she provided great recommendations for different food pairings. I’m glad I did not plan anything afterwards because I needed time to unwind and enjoy the…”
Kyoto Fushimi sake tasting walking tour with the Gekkeikan Okura Sake Museum and an 18+ pour lineup, small group, 3 hours.
“Absolutely an amazing experience! Would highly recommend to anyone. Rika was wonderful and a great guide. We really enjoyed spending time with her. She made us feel very welcomed.”
Kyoto’s Fushimi sake workshop in 90 minutes: 7 tastings with food pairings, led by a certified sommelier, plus a cheat sheet.
“Very educational and fun! The staff was excited to share information and very friendly! Got to try different types of saki and how it tastes with different foods.”
Tokyo sushi and ramen cooking class with sake pairing. Small group up to 8, hands-on sushi and ramen broth, enjoy your meal in 3 hours.
“This experience was absolutely wonderful! My brother and I attended this class a few weeks ago and it was so much fun. Great atmosphere and great food.”
2-hour Shinjuku sake masterclass with 6+ tastings, paired snacks, and pro tips on sake labels and ordering. Small group.
“Max was very engaging and entertaining. Educational experience with a certified sake sommelier. Highly recommend.”
Kyoto Insider Sake Experience: 90 minutes with 7 tastings, otsumami pairings, and expert help reading sake bottles so you can order confidently.
“Interesting and practical information shared, very varied selection of sake and now I know which one I prefer!”
Tokyo sake omakase with multilingual sommeliers. Seven Japan-exclusive sakes, unlimited refills, and snack pairings in a Showa-era room.
“Eric lead us through our 7 sake tasting. He is extremely knowledgeable, thorough and easy going. The pairing with snacks was great. Learning about the sake was enlightening.”
Private tea ceremony and matcha in a 300-year samurai home in Kyoto, with optional sake or whisky tasting and kimono-katana photos.
“Wonderful, very personalized tea ceremony in a historic family home. We also had a sake and whiskey tasting. I cannot say enough good things about this experience. Highlight of Kyoto. They also gave us beautiful gifts that we will treasure forever.”
Osaka sake tasting with a hands-on takoyaki cooking lesson, led by a sake sommelier. Small group, 10+ sake types, easy Namba access.
“Such a fun and interesting activity. Momo was so knowledgeable and friendly. We loved learning all about different sake and the cooking!”
Walk Kobe’s Nada Gogo with an English guide, visit historic breweries and museums, and taste unfiltered and seasonal sake styles.
“The entire experience was great, close and informative. Hiro was an excellent host and made us feel really welcome and excited for the sake breweries. Visited 4 different sake breweries and a tofu shop at a moderate pace, great energy throughout.”
