Fushimi Walking Tour: Sake Tasting & Canal Boat Ride

Fushimi's temples, canals and sake in one morning

This 3.5-hour walking tour of Kyoto's Fushimi district includes a boat ride through willow-lined canals, entry to Chokenji Temple, a sake tasting at Gekkeikan Brewery, and time in a nostalgic café housed in a former merchant house. An English-speaking guide leads the route. The boat fee and tasting are included. Small group and private options are available, with or without the boat ride.

Step-by-step itinerary

Explore Fushimi district and sake culture

• Visit Chokenji Temple
• Boat ride on Fushimi canals
• Tour Gekkeikan Sake Brewery
• Savor sake tasting experience
• Relax in nostalgic café

The experience

Fushimi sits south of central Kyoto and has been the heart of sake brewing for centuries. The tour starts with Chokenji Temple, a quiet spot away from the main crowds, then moves to the canal where you board a traditional Jikkoku-bune boat. The ride glides past willow trees and the old warehouse buildings that line the water: the physical layout of the district reveals itself from the boat in a way walking alone would not. The boat section is included in the small group and private options. Two of the four purchase choices skip it if you prefer to stay on foot.

Gekkeikan Brewery is the centerpiece. You walk through a museum of historical brewing tools and techniques, then taste several of Kyoto's sakes. The tasting is structured, not a casual pour, and gives you a sense of how the brewing traditions here differ from other regions. After the brewery, the tour ends at a café inside a former merchant house, a place to sit and absorb the old Kyoto atmosphere before heading back into the modern city.

The whole route is walkable and paced for a morning. You'll move between temple grounds, canal paths and the brewery building, so comfortable shoes matter. The guide speaks English throughout and can answer questions about what you're seeing: the spiritual role of the temple, why the warehouses are built the way they are, how the sake tastes change from one bottle to the next.

What’s included

• English-speaking guide throughout the route.
• entry to Chokenji Temple.
• boat ride through Fushimi's canals on a traditional Jikkoku-bune (included in Small Group Tour and Private Tour options).
• museum entry and sake tasting at Gekkeikan Brewery.
• time to rest at a café in a former merchant house.

Options for this experience

4 options

Small group tour without the boat rideGuide in English · Available from 25 Oct 2027This option leaves out the Fushimi Jikkokubune boat ride. In its place, you get a complimentary drink and sake ice cream.

Private tour without the boat rideGuide in English · 09:00This option leaves out the Fushimi Jikkokubune boat ride. In its place, you get a complimentary drink and sake ice cream.

Small Group TourGuide in English · 09:00

Private TourGuide in English · 09:00Private Tour

You'll see the exact price of each option when you check availability.See dates and prices

Before you book

Days and timesTuesday to SundayDeparts at 09:00

AgesUp to age 65

GroupUp to 9

Live guideEnglish

Meeting point and pickupNo hotel pickup: you go to the meeting point. Ends at a different place from where it starts.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Prices and times updated 3 days ago

Good to know

Low physical effortPublic transport nearbyNot recommended during pregnancyNot recommended with heart problemsNot recommended with back problems

Operated by TripGuru

Is this one for you?Choose the small group option if you want to meet other travelers and share the cost. Pick private if you prefer to move at your own pace and ask the guide questions without a group listening in. The boat ride is the most distinctive part of the route. If you're drawn to the canal scenery and the perspective it gives, book one of the options that includes it. If you'd rather keep moving on foot and spend more time at the temple and brewery, the walking-only versions give you the same cultural stops without the water.

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Top questions

What happens if it rains?

It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund. Free cancellation up to 24 h before the start.

Can I do this tour without the boat ride?

Yes. Two of the four purchase options exclude the boat ride (Private Tour without Boat Ride and Small Group without Boat Ride), so you can walk the full Fushimi route and still visit the temple, brewery and café.

What exactly happens during the sake tasting at Gekkeikan?

Gekkeikan Sake Brewery includes a museum tour of historical brewing tools and techniques, followed by a curated tasting of several of Kyoto's finest sakes. The tasting is part of the brewery experience and is included in all options.

Is this tour private or in a group?

You can choose: Small Group Tour and Small Group without Boat Ride run with other travelers. Private Tour and Private Tour without Boat Ride are just you and your guide. All four options include an English-speaking guide.

What's included in the tour price?

The sake tasting, boat fee (if your option includes the boat), entry to Chokenji Temple, and the English-speaking guide are all included. The café at the end is on your own. Hotel pickup and personal expenses are not covered.