Fushimi Sake Brewery Tour Kyoto: Tastings & Lunch

Walk Fushimi's sake streets, taste several styles, eat lunch in a local restaurant

A three-hour guided tour of Fushimi, Kyoto's historic sake district, led by an English-speaking guide through breweries and tasting rooms, with seasonal lunch at a local restaurant and entry to the Gekkeikan Okura Sake Museum. The tour covers charming streets and both historic and contemporary sake makers, ending at a bar. Minimum age is 21; meet in front of Softbank in Otesuji Shotengai.

Step-by-step itinerary

Kyoto Fushimi Sake Brewery Tour

• Meet in front of Softbank
• Join 3-hour Fushimi district tour
• Pass by Fushimi Inari Taisha
• Eat seasonal lunch in local restaurant
• Visit Gekkeikan Okura Sake Museum
• Pass by Chokenji temple
• Pass by Fushimi Park
• Pass by Teradaya
• Pass by Daigo-ji
• End tour at bar

The Experience

Fushimi has been making sake for over 400 years, and the tour starts by walking you through the district where that history still lives in the streets. You'll meet your English-speaking guide in front of Softbank in Otesuji Shotengai and spend three hours moving between breweries, tasting rooms and landmarks — Fushimi Inari Shrine, Chokenji temple, Fushimi Park, Teradaya and Daigo-ji are all part of the route. The actual brewing areas stay off-limits, but you'll pass through the spaces where brewers work, and the air carries the smell of fermenting rice that has lingered there for centuries.

Midway through the tour, you'll eat a seasonal lunch at a local restaurant, then head to the Gekkeikan Okura Sake Museum, where the guide walks you through the history of Japanese sake and how the craft has evolved. After that comes the tasting — you'll sample several sake styles, from crisp to aromatic and luscious, learning how the balance of ingredients and technique shapes what ends up in your cup. The tour wraps up at a bar.

The route depends partly on restaurant schedules, public holidays and weather, so the exact stops may shift, but the guide will make substitutions that keep the day intact. You'll need a moderate level of fitness for walking; public transportation is nearby if you need it. The tour accommodates vegan, vegetarian, pescatarian and gluten-free diets.

What’s included

• Several sake tastings.
• seasonal lunch at a local restaurant.
• entry to the Gekkeikan Okura Sake Museum.
• English-speaking local guide for the full three hours.

Good to know

Moderate physical levelPublic transport nearby

Operated by Arigato Japan KK

Is this one for you?Choose this if you prefer a guided group experience where a local expert sets the pace and route through Fushimi's breweries and tasting rooms, rather than navigating and selecting stops on your own.

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Top questions

What exactly do I taste during the Kyoto sake brewery tour?

You sample several sake styles during the tour, ranging from crisp to luscious and aromatic varieties. The tasting happens after you visit the Gekkeikan Okura Sake Museum, where the guide explains the history and craft behind each style.

Is Fushimi Inari Shrine included in the Kyoto sake tour?

Fushimi Inari Shrine is one of the stops on the three-hour route through Fushimi district. The tour also passes through Chokenji temple, Fushimi Park, Teradaya and Daigo-ji as you move between breweries and tasting rooms.

Can I see the actual sake brewing process on this tour?

The active brewing areas inside the breweries are not accessible to tour groups. You'll walk through Fushimi's streets and visit tasting rooms and the Gekkeikan Okura Sake Museum, where you learn how sake is made, but the working brewery floors themselves stay closed to visitors.

What's included in the lunch during the Kyoto sake tour?

A seasonal lunch at a local restaurant is included in the tour and happens midway through the three hours. The restaurant accommodates vegan, vegetarian, pescatarian and gluten-free diets.

Do I need to arrange my own transportation to the meeting point?

You'll meet the guide in front of Softbank in Otesuji Shotengai in Fushimi. Public transportation options are available nearby to reach the meeting point; the tour itself is on foot through the district.

What's the minimum age for the Kyoto sake brewery tour?

You must be at least 21 years old to join the tour, as it includes sake tastings.