Kyoto Sake Brewery Tour: Learn to Choose Sake with a Sommelier

Taste like a sommelier and choose sake with confidence on this expert-led tour.

A 3-hour sake tasting and brewery visit in Kyoto led by a certified Sake Sommelier at the Gekkeikan Okura Sake Museum. You taste 10 carefully selected sakes paired with traditional Japanese snacks, learn how sake is made and how professionals evaluate it, and leave with a cheat sheet and the confidence to choose sake anywhere in Japan. The tasting happens in a private room at your own pace, with clear explanations for all experience levels.

Step-by-step itinerary

Kyoto Sake Brewery Tour and Tastings

• Explore Gekkeikan Okura Sake Museum
• Learn sake brewing and culture
• Taste selected Gekkeikan sakes
• Join expert-led sake tasting session
• Sample Japanese snacks with sake

The experience

Most sake tastings stop at "sweet or dry" and leave you guessing. This one teaches you how to actually taste. A certified Sake Sommelier walks you through 10 sakes chosen to show you the range (different brewing techniques, rice varieties, water sources), and explains what you're tasting and why it matters. You learn how professionals evaluate flavor, balance and aroma, so the next time you see a bottle, you know what to look for instead of picking by label.

The Gekkeikan Okura Sake Museum is where the tasting starts. Gekkeikan shaped modern sake culture, and the museum shows you how: the ingredients, the brewing process, the philosophy behind each bottle. A guide walks you through the collection, then you move to the private tasting room. There, the Sommelier pours each sake, explains what's in the glass, and you taste at your own pace. Between sakes, you eat otsumami (the traditional Japanese snacks that naturally accompany sake), so you see which flavors and foods work together. A vegetarian option is available if you need it.

By the end of three hours, you'll know which type of sake you actually prefer and how to identify it. You leave with a sake cheat sheet and tasting notes, so you can use what you learned throughout your time in Japan and after you get home. The tour runs in English, and public transportation reaches the museum easily. Book early: the limited spots fill weeks in advance.

What’s included

• Admission and guided visit to the Gekkeikan Okura Sake Museum.
• 10 carefully selected sakes chosen by a certified Sake Sommelier.
• traditional otsumami food pairings showing how Japanese people naturally enjoy sake with food.
• a private tasting room where you can taste at your own pace.
• a sake cheat sheet and tasting notes to keep.
• guidance from a certified Sake Sommelier in English with clear explanations for all levels.
• vegetarian snack option available upon request.

Options for this experience

3 options

10 AM to 1 PM Sake ExperienceGuide in English · 10:00Sake experience from 10 am to 1 pm: insider sake brewery tour plus expert sake tasting with food pairing

Sake Experience from 3 PM to 6 PMGuide in English · 15:00Sake experience from 3 pm to 6 pm: insider sake brewery tour plus expert sake tasting with food pairing

3-hour Sake Experience from 1 PM to 4 PMGuide in English · 13:00Insider sake brewery tour with expert sake tasting and food pairing

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

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDepartures at 10:00, 13:00 and 15:00Last departure this season: 27 Dec

Book up to1d before

AgesAdult (18 and older) · Child (under 18)

GroupUp to 12 · max 6 per booking

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 refundsNo refund if you cancel.It may be canceled due to bad weather or if the minimum number of travelers isn't reached. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Prices and times updated today

Good to know

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

Operated by Add Stories Co.,Ltd.

Is this one for you?Book the time slot that fits your schedule: morning, early afternoon, late afternoon or early evening all work the same way. The private room and expert guidance mean you're not rushing through a group tasting. You taste at your own pace, ask questions, and leave with knowledge you can actually use, not just a memory of flavors you can't name.

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Top questions

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Child (under 18).

What happens if it rains?

It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund. No refund if you cancel.

How many different sakes do I get to taste on this tour?

You taste 10 carefully selected sakes, each chosen by the Sommelier to show you different brewing styles and help you discover which type you prefer. Each tasting comes with an explanation of what you're tasting and how to evaluate it.

What is the Gekkeikan Okura Sake Museum, and what will I see there?

Gekkeikan is one of Japan's most influential breweries, and the museum tells the story of how it shaped modern sake culture. You'll explore the collection with a guide, learning about ingredients, brewing techniques, and the philosophy behind different sakes before moving to the tasting room.

Will I eat anything during the tasting, or is it just sake?

You'll be served otsumami, traditional Japanese snacks that accompany sake, so you can taste how different foods and flavors pair with each type. A vegetarian option is available. Just let your guide know when you arrive. It's recommended to have lunch or brunch before the tour.

What time slots are available, and how long does the whole experience take?

The tour runs for 3 hours and offers four departure times: 10am–1pm, 1pm–4pm, 3pm–6pm, or 2pm–5pm. Choose the slot that fits your day, and book early since availability fills weeks in advance.

Will I get anything to take home, or is this just for the day?

You leave with a sake cheat sheet and tasting notes that you can use to confidently choose and enjoy sake throughout Japan and at home. These are practical guides you can reference on menus and bottle labels long after the tour ends.

Do I need any experience with sake to join, or is this for beginners?

The tour is designed for all experience levels, with clear and friendly explanations from the Sommelier. Whether you've never tasted sake or you drink it regularly, you'll learn how professionals evaluate it and discover your own preferences.