Kyoto · KYOTO SAKE TASTINGS

Top 15 Kyoto Sake Tastings

39 tours  ·  from $7 a head

Morning slots in Kyoto go first, above all in blossom and maple season. Here are 15 kyoto sake tastings to choose between, priced and timed so the choice takes minutes.

Kyoto Night Foodie Tour in Gion (9+ dishes + 6 Sake tastings) - Through Gion Shirakawa and toward Pontocho
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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 and Pontocho, stopping for Kyoto dishes such as obanzai and for sake at a standing bar. A guide leads a group of no more than seven, adding local food and neighborhood context along the way. The tour is priced at $163.49 per person and starts and ends by the Statue of Izumo-no-Okuni.

“Hide was an excellent guide. He is very good with conversation and showing and recommending us spots for the rest of our trip in Kyoto”

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3-Hour Kyoto Insider Sake Brewery Tour with Tastings & Pairings - Learn to taste more than sweet or dry
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3-Hour Kyoto Insider Sake Brewery Tour with Tastings & Pairings

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

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

Spend three hours in Fushimi learning sake basics at the Gekkeikan Okura Sake Museum, then tasting ten styles with traditional otsumami in a private room. Certified sommeliers, including guides such as Kyoko, Miyuki, Mai and Shogo, explain brewing, flavor, pairings and how to read labels. Your guide may vary.

“Greg and Mai were very knowledgeable about both the sake making process (at the museum) as well as the tasting. They were particularly good at talking and explaining what we were enjoying in a sake, and in teaching how to identify sake for ourselves.”

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Arashiyama Bamboo, Temple, Monkeys, or Secret Sake Brewery - Bamboo, shrine and garden
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Arashiyama Bamboo, Temple, Monkeys, or Secret Sake Brewery

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

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

Spend about five hours on foot in Kyoto’s Arashiyama district, with a guide such as Karim, Tom, Francis or Toru. Visit the bamboo grove, Nonomiya Shrine, Okochi Sanso Garden and Tenryuji Temple, then choose between the monkey park route and a sake brewery option. Expect cultural context, scenic stops and a steady walk.

“We had a fantastic time Tom is an excellent guide. He was so knowledgeable and took everything at a nice easy pace. We had the benefit of a small group, so it was able to answer all our questions . The tour covered some lovely areas and we saw things that we definitely would have missed. I would definitely recommend it to anybody visiting Kyoto .”

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Kyoto: Insider Sake Brewery Tour with Sake and Food Pairing - Learn what changes the flavor
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Kyoto: Insider Sake Brewery Tour with Sake and Food Pairing

4.Insider Sake Brewery Tour with Sake and Food Pairing

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

Meet an English-speaking sake expert at the Gekkeikan Okura Sake Museum in Fushimi. Learn how brewing and rice polishing shape flavor, then compare 10 or more sakes with otsumami in a dedicated tasting room. Guides have included Kyoko, Miyuki, Momo, and Chika. You’ll leave with a pocket-size sake guide and a clearer idea of what to order.

“Kyoko, our guide, was so lovely and sweet. We learned so much about Sake and actually got to love it!! It was an amazing experience into the sake world, big thank you to Kyoko for that. We had a fun time and left with so much more knowledge for the "daily life" when it comes to Sake.”

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Kyoto Sake Brewery & Tasting Walking Tour - Kappa Gallery: a folklore stop, not another brewery
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Kyoto Sake Brewery & Tasting Walking Tour

5.Kyoto Sake Brewery & Tasting Walking Tour

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

Walk through Fushimi with a certified guide, visit the Gekkeikan Okura Sake Museum, pass historic Teradaya, and stop at the Kappa Gallery before a tasting of 18 sakes. Guides have included Matt, Rika, and Ayu, but assignments vary. The three-hour tour starts at Chushojima Station and ends near Fushimi-Momoyama Station.

“Amazing tour! We had so much fun and learned a lot from Ayu. You also get so much sake on this tour - 21 tasters!”

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1.5-Hour Kyoto Insider Sake Experience with 7 Tastings & Pairings - Otsumami show why the snacks matter
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1.5-Hour Kyoto Insider Sake Experience with 7 Tastings & Pairings

6.1.5-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 snack pairings in a private tasting room. Learn how styles differ, find what suits your palate, and take home a cheat sheet for ordering. The 90-minute session has several departure times and a maximum of 14 participants.

“Just the right amount of time for a little sake education, tasting, and food pairing. Our sake sommelier, Kiyomi, kept us engaged and had a great sense of humor. I would definitely recommend this. It’s not hard to find at all, using Google Maps.”

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Kyoto: Insider Sake Experience with 7 Tastings and Snacks - See how rice and brewing shape the taste
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Kyoto: Insider Sake Experience with 7 Tastings and Snacks

7.Insider Sake Experience with 7 Tastings and Snacks

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

Join an English-speaking sake expert in a dedicated Kyoto tasting room for a 90-minute introduction to brewing, flavor, bottle labels, serving temperatures, and food pairing. Compare dry, crisp, sweet, and fruity styles with otsumami, then use a take-home cheat sheet to help choose sake in Japan. Guides have included Mayo, Kiyomi, Kotaro, and Shogo.

“Kiyomi was so enthusiastic and knowledgeable! We learned so much about the intricacies of sake and how the differences in brewing can be tasted. Highly recommend”

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Private Tea Ceremony and Sake Tasting in Kyoto Samurai House - What happens during the tea ceremony
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Private Tea Ceremony and Sake Tasting in Kyoto Samurai House

8.Private Tea Ceremony and Sake Tasting in Kyoto Samurai House

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 163 reviews · from $99

At Kyoto Samurai House, an English-speaking host and tea master welcome your private group into a 300-year-old family home near Kyoto Station. Learn the matcha ritual, then choose hands-on whisking, five sake pours, or two Japanese whisky pours. There is also time for photos with a katana and kimono.

“So much tradition in this experience. Gracious hosts who welcome you into their home that is 300 years old. We thoroughly enjoyed and highly recommend it.”

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Advanced Kyoto Insider Sake Tasting Experience - What the unusual brewing methods can teach you
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Advanced Kyoto Insider Sake Tasting Experience

9.Advanced Kyoto Insider Sake Tasting Experience

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 44 reviews · from $74

In Kyoto’s Fushimi Ward, a certified sake expert guides you through 10 distinctive sakes in a dedicated tasting room. Compare ancient brewing methods, experimental fermentation and sake made with local wood, then practise reading the labels you’ll see in restaurants. The two-hour session covers fundamentals, but its main appeal is for curious drinkers ready to go beyond the basics.

“I recommend this tour to anyone who likes and drinks sake(nihonshu). You get an opportunity to learn from the best about how it's created and the different types. 10 out 10 would recommend.”

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Kyoto: Gion Evening Walk with Hidden Gems, Geisha & Sake - Hanamikoji Street and Gion’s geisha culture
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Kyoto: Gion Evening Walk with Hidden Gems, Geisha & Sake

10.Gion Evening Walk with Hidden Gems, Geisha & Sake

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 41 reviews · 1h 30m · from $32

This 90-minute, English-language walk takes you through Gion, past Yasui Kompira-gū, Hōkan-ji’s Yasaka Pagoda, Ninenzaka and Yasaka Shrine. A guide such as Shumpei or Nick leads a group of up to 10, shares local stories, helps with photos and serves a cup of local sake.

“Really cool guide, funny and interesting tour we could also learn a lot from him, I’ll recommend this!!”

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Private Nara Tour and Sake Tasting (Departing from Kyoto/Nara) - Tōdai-ji: the Great Buddha is the day’s main event
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Private Nara Tour and Sake Tasting (Departing from Kyoto/Nara)

11.Private Nara Tour and Sake Tasting (Departing from Kyoto/Nara)

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 40 reviews · from $165

Visit Kofuku-ji, Tōdai-ji and its Great Buddha, Nara Park, Kasuga Grand Shrine, and more on a private morning walking tour. Your English-speaking guide helps you cover the sights efficiently, shares local context, and takes photos along the way. Sake tasting at Harushika Brewery is optional and costs ¥700.

“Absolutely incredible day with Ikki. Hes bright and so thorough. Learned a ton. Very efficient day and covered a LOT of ground. Recommend him highly.”

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Kyoto: Gion Geisha District & Sake-in-Hand Walking Tour - What the price buys, and what it does not
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Kyoto: Gion Geisha District & Sake-in-Hand Walking Tour

12.Gion Geisha District & Sake-in-Hand Walking Tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 37 reviews · from $27Best value

Trace Gion’s backstreets and Higashiyama’s shrine-and-temple lanes with a local guide, finishing at Yasaka Shrine. Expect stories about geisha culture, samurai, and Zen, plus a sake tasting. Groups are capped at 10, and guides such as Mune and Shumpei have been praised for answering questions and sharing local insight.

“Fun touring all the backstreets of Gion. Guide was very knowledgeable. And great to enjoy local sake along the way. Excellent trip great value.”

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Kyoto: Fushimi Sake Brewery Tour - 18 Tastings in 2.5 Hours - Kizakura’s Kappa Museum brings a lighter note
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Kyoto: Fushimi Sake Brewery Tour – 18 Tastings in 2.5 Hours

13.Fushimi Sake Brewery Tour – 18 Tastings in 2.5 Hours

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 36 reviews · 2h 30m · from $93

Spend 2.5 hours with an English- or Japanese-speaking guide at Gekkeikan’s sake museum, Kizakura’s Kappa Museum, and Fushimizu Sake Brewery Alley, where 18 sakes are available to taste. Guides such as Yoshi, Masa, Akino, and Kaito have led lively tours that mix brewing basics with local history. Sake tastings and admission are included; food is not.

“Together with my partner we selected private sake tasting for a little extra charge and I must say it was worth it! Mr Yoshi our guide was punctual, very professional, knowledgable about the process of making sake, as well as history of Japan - adding few historical facts made this tour very immersive, allowing us to appreciate Japanese culture even more. This tour was entertaining and educational - taught us about differences between sake types which allowed us to choose the perfect gifts for our friends and family. Mr Yoshi's professionalism is truly outstanding, his approach was very respectful, always making sure our needs are accomodated and our questions answered.…”

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Private Sake Tasting in Central Kyoto with Sake Sommelier - Learning sake without a classroom feel
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Private Sake Tasting in Central Kyoto with Sake Sommelier

14.Private Sake Tasting in Central Kyoto with Sake Sommelier

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 32 reviews · from $85

Join certified international sake sommelier Kenji at a standing bar in central Kyoto for a private, two-hour sake tasting. Your group of one to four will sample several hand-selected sakes from across Japan, enjoy traditional snacks, and learn about brewing, styles, and how to taste.

“The experience was great Kenji explain my wife and me all about the production of sake, types, materials, etc. Without let out any detail, and answering the questions we made, that were a few. The tasting also great, he explain how to taste and the types we tried to have a great experience, definitely 100% recommended! Thank you Kenji!”

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Private Pewter Sake Cup Experience with a Kyoto Artisan - Meet Kanako in a quieter corner of Kyoto
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Private Pewter Sake Cup Experience with a Kyoto Artisan

15.Private Pewter Sake Cup Experience with a Kyoto Artisan

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 31 reviews · from $144

At Craft Gallery SALUK in Kyoto’s Sakyo Ward, artisan Kanako guides your private group through shaping and finishing a pewter cup. Choose hammers, tap a pattern into the metal, and add letters or a date to the base. The workshop lasts about 2.5 hours, and you take home a cup made by hand.

“Kanako was a patient and skilled instructor and we thoroughly enjoyed our pewter experience. She made sure our sake cups turned out perfect, even after a couple of mistakes by us students! While the workshop is a little way out of Kyoto (1hr by scenic train from Kyoto Station), the beautiful surroundings (complete with babbling stream!) and the workshop experience are worth it. Kanako and her husband even dropped us off at a more convenient train station to get home, cutting our return journey to 20 mins. Highly recommend!”

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New in Kyoto Sake Tastings

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