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

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Overview

Available languages

English

3 hours

Mobile ticket

Uncover the little-known sake culture of Fushimi, Kyoto on a 3-hour insider brewery visit + sake tasting and food pairing session with an expert.

Deepen your knowledge of sake making process and a bit of history of its production at Gekkeikan Okura Sake Museum.  Enjoy the samples of different types of sake as well as leaning details and varieties and personalized attention from your guide on this small-group tour.

This is a fun and educational experience to change your way of enjoying sake.

If you love sake but don't know what to select or want to know more about sake, join us and let's deep dive into the world of sake.

After you experienced this, you will know which type of Sake actually you like, and you will be able to select your favorite Sake from labels or restaurant's menu even if they are all written in Japanese.

Additional Info

Public transportation options are available nearby

Not recommended for travelers with spinal injuries

Not recommended for pregnant travelers

Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health

Suitable for all physical fitness levels

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.

Cancellation Policy

All sales are final. No refund is available for cancellations.

What‘s Included

Otsumami (traditional Japanese appetizers) for food pairing

Dedicated private sake tasting room

Guided by a certified Sake Sommelier

Gekkeikan Okura Sake Museum - admission fee and guided tour

Sake cheat sheet and tasting note to help you choose your preferred sake

Sake tasting (10+ types selected by a sake sommelier)

Transportation to/from attractions

Hotel pickup and drop-off

What To Expect

1

Gekkeikan Okura Sake Museum

・ Join a certified Sake Sommelier for a guided tour of the Gekkeikan Okura Sake Museum ・Learn about the history of Gekkeikan, and the ingredients and making process of sake ・Sake tasting (3 types) from Gekkeikan

1 hour 30 minutes • Admission Included
2

・Sake tasting (7+ types chosen by a Sake Sommelier) ・Otsumami (traditional Japanese appetizers) for food pairing ・Discover your sake preferences, and learn how to choose your preferred bottle

1 hour 30 minutes • Admission Included

Options

10am - 1pm Sake Experience

Insider Sake Brewery Tour & Expert Sake Tasting + Food Pairing

3pm - 6pm Sake Experience

Insider Sake Brewery Tour & Expert Sake Tasting + Food Pairing

1PM-4PM 3H Sake Experience

Insider Sake Brewery Tour & Expert Sake Tasting + Food Pairing

2PM-5PM 3H Sake Experience

Insider Sake Brewery Tour & Expert Sake Tasting + Food Pairing

Reviews

4.98

873 reviews

Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor

858
14
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  • 10/10 Highly Recommend

    elizabethm675,

    Nov 7, 2025

    - Review from Tripadvisor

    5.00

    We have been on many whiskey, wine, and beer tasting tours. This was one of the most informative and engaging alcohol tasting tours we have experienced. Kyoko was our guide and she was amazing. They start the tour in the Geikkekan Sake museum and discuss the sake production process and how each step influences the sake. You then get to taste three samples of Geikkekan sake. This is followed by a short walk to a tasting room where you sample an additional 10 different sake and includes food pairing for each type of sake. You are able to rate each sake and food pairing and everyone receives a useful tasting card to take with you that explains the different types of sake and their flavor profile. For anyone interested in sake I would highly recommend this tour.

  • Engaging and delicious!

    alissac845,

    Nov 6, 2025

    - Review from Tripadvisor

    5.00

    This is a great experience for couples and friends alike who are curious about what they think they know about sake. Because for me at least, there was so much more to sake brewing, sake types (not just hot vs cold), and food pairings that I had never thought about before this experience. Our guide (Kyoko) was fun, easy to follow, and the other people in the group were equally enthusiastic and engaged about the experience. Kyoko, thank you so much for the wonderful memories! - Alissa & Josh (CA, USA)

  • Great time!

    O7509XMmichelled,

    Nov 5, 2025

    - Review from Tripadvisor

    5.00

    Overall great experience, Miyuki was a great guide and very knowledgeable. We learned so much about sake and what types of sake we like! Would recommend to anyone.

  • Wonderful world of Sake

    B4430KNfranciscod,

    Nov 5, 2025

    - Review from Tripadvisor

    5.00

    Without a doubt, one of the best experiences of my trip to Japan. Momo and Kiyomi were excellent and charming hosts who, with profound knowledge, introduced us to the vast world of sake. It was a truly enriching experience to taste and pair various sakes with food, all with very detailed technical explanations – a perfect combination of flavor and specialized knowledge.

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  • Understanding the basics of Sake

    markluering,

    Oct 22, 2025

    - Review from Tripadvisor

    5.00

    I am a passionate Sake drinker. As I mentioned in my introduction at the tour, I say I drink a lot of Sake compared to friends and family around me. I even have a consistent stock of Sake at home with my wines, usually based on sake I have tasted in a restaurant or elsewhere and then purchased off the internet. I never really understood what gives the various sake their respective flavours, what to look out for when buying sake or what makes the price difference. Lastly which sake pairs best with which foods. After this tour under the guidance of very knowledgeable Kotaro, our guide, I feel totally enlightened and have a good idea what to look and go for when buying sake in future. You get taken through some sake history at the museum, where one gets an introduction into the basics of sake production, including rice polishing, the essential koji mould, yeast etc, which is brilliant to get an understanding of what makes the difference in taste and in price. Then you come to the "fun" part: the tasting and food pairing 😃 We tried a total of 11 different Sake giving you a full circle of the sake varitied and ranges. We even tasted a 12 year aged sake. These were also paired with various foods and flavours including sweets/desserts. The tour took about 3 hours and our group consisted of 12 guests and one guide. Our guide Kotaro was brilliant. If I have an opportunity I will be doing the "advanced tour". Definitely recommend doing this tour, not only for sake fans, but also those who enjoy having the occasional glass of wine!

  • Excellent, knowledgeable tour followed by a very enjoyable tasting.

    Jordan H,

    Oct 21, 2025

    - Review from Tripadvisor

    5.00

    We had a wonderful time, guided expertly around Gekkeikan Sake Brewery by Kyoko. We received a detailed history of the brewery, as well as a very knowledgeable explanation of the sake brewing process and it's unique Japanese quirks. Following the tour we enjoyed a preliminary tasting in the brewery itself, where we were able to try 日本酒 (Nihonshu) that is only available to taste or purchase directly on site. After the tour, we were then treated to a very professional tasting session where the different types of 日本酒 we're explained to us as we tasted, and eventually each was also paired with a variety of Japanese おつまみ, or drinking snacks. All in all, a phenomenal experience. きょうこさん、教えてくれてありがとうございました!

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  • Great way to spend an afternoon

    nichola n,

    Oct 21, 2025

    - Review from Viator

    5.00

    The experience was excellent Momo our guide was so professional and insightful with her knowledge. She had a great personality and helped us get to understand Japanese Sake and how to identify the ones we liked. Great afternoon spent and learnt so much without it being formal. A fun and informative afternoon with lots of tasting

  • A great afternoon and insight into sake

    jwroblewsk,

    Oct 21, 2025

    - Review from Tripadvisor

    5.00

    What a great afternoon, the tour of the brewery with information about how sake is made through to a wonderful, tasting session. The tasting was incredibly well done, crossing referencing across types and then also comparing with food. This was incredibly professional and well done. Do I understand sake, no, but I certainly know a lot more now than I did before and am prepared to order on my own. The two guides we had were excellent.

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  • A wonderful journey learning about Sake in Kyoto

    294mitchn,

    Oct 21, 2025

    - Review from Tripadvisor

    5.00

    It was amazing!!! The whole experience was enjoyable, very educational and Miyuki was so well prepared everything was Perfect!!! I highly recommend this and I am looking forward to her advanced Sake experience.

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  • So much fun! Thanks, Kyoko!

    Daniel T,

    Oct 21, 2025

    - Review from Viator

    5.00

    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 role in Japanese culture, and the general process of sake production from rice grain selection all the way to bottling. We then sampled a dozen types of sake (Nihonshu) with and without food pairings to identify personal preferences. I can now identify a few important kanji on sake bottles for better selection, and I also have an improved understanding of sake in general. I look forward to showing off to my friends back home with a sake charcuterie night! Thanks, Kyoko!

From ¥13,300

4.98
873 reviews