Kyoto Sake Tour in Fushimi: 18 Tastings & Historic Breweries

Eighteen different sake varieties in three hours, tasted at the source in Japan's second-largest brewing region.

A 3-hour sake tour in Fushimi, Kyoto's historic brewing district, where you taste 18 premium local sake varieties at traditional breweries and the Gekkeikan Okura Sake Museum with a certified English or Japanese-speaking guide. The tour includes museum admission and tasting set. Travelers under 20 receive food and snacks instead of sake. You walk the peaceful, willow-lined canals of Fushimi, away from central Kyoto's tourist crowds.

Step-by-step itinerary

Kyoto Fushimi Sake Brewery Tour

• Start Kyoto Sake Brewery & Tasting Tour
• Visit Gekkeikan Okura Sake Museum
• Pass by Teradaya historic site
• Explore Kappa Gallery and Kizakura Memorial Hall

The experience

Eighteen tastings means you move through the range: dry to sweet, light to full-bodied, everyday brews to exclusives you cannot find outside Japan. The Gekkeikan Okura Sake Museum anchors the morning: your guide walks you through the brewing process using exhibits and models, so the tasting that follows makes sense. You learn how to taste like a professional, what the flavor profiles mean, and why Fushimi earned its place as Japan's second-largest sake-producing region. The museum itself carries over 380 years of Gekkeikan's history.

The route threads through Fushimi's quieter side: willow-lined canals, wooden buildings, and the kind of street where sake shops and small breweries sit next to each other. You pass Teradaya, a reconstructed inn tied to a pivotal moment in Edo-period history, and stop at the Kappa Gallery, where sake-making tools and brewing models sit alongside the folklore of the kappa creature. The guide fills in the context, so the walk becomes the story of how this district built its reputation. Three hours total, which means the pace stays unhurried.

Admission to the Gekkeikan Okura Sake Museum is included, as is the tasting set itself. Bring a full stomach: the operator recommends eating lunch before you arrive, since 18 tastings on an empty stomach is not the plan. Travelers under 20 receive food and snacks in place of the sake tasting set. Additional food and drinks are available for purchase at various stops. The tour operates in English or Japanese with a certified guide, and public transportation options are nearby if you need to reach the starting point.

What’s included

• 18 sake tastings at a traditional brewery and restaurant.
• admission to the Gekkeikan Okura Sake Museum.
• instruction on sake-making and professional tasting techniques from a certified guide.
• photos taken during the tour.
• food or snacks for travelers under 20 in place of the sake tasting set.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery day except TuesdayDeparts at 13:30

Book up to2d before

AgesAdult (20 and older) · Child (4 to 19 years) · Infant (under 4): free

GroupUp to 7 · max 6 per booking

Live guideEnglish and Japanese

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 yesterday

Good to know

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

Operated by MagicalTrip Inc.

Is this one for you?Book this tour if you want to taste the full range of what Fushimi produces in one morning rather than bar-hopping on your own: the 18 tastings, the museum context, and the guided walk through the brewing district all fit into three hours because the stops are arranged and the guide handles the transitions.

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Top questions

What languages is the tour guided in?

Live guide in English and Japanese.

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Child (4 to 19 years); Infant (under 4): free.

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.

What exactly do I taste during the 18 sake tastings?

The tasting set includes 18 different types of premium local sake, ranging from dry to sweet and light to full-bodied varieties, with exclusive brews you cannot find outside Japan. Your guide teaches you how to taste like a professional and explains the flavor profiles of each.

Is the Gekkeikan Okura Sake Museum visit included in the tour price?

Yes, admission to the Gekkeikan Okura Sake Museum is included. You learn about the brewing process through exhibits and models, and observe over 380 years of Gekkeikan's history before the tasting portion of the tour.

What is Fushimi known for in Kyoto?

Fushimi is Japan's second-largest sake-producing region and is known for its historic breweries, willow-lined canals, and wooden buildings. It sits away from central Kyoto's crowded tourist areas, making it a quieter place to explore the city's sake culture.

How long is the tour and what areas do we walk through?

The tour runs 3 hours and takes you through Fushimi's historic district, including the Gekkeikan Okura Sake Museum, past Teradaya (a reconstructed inn with Edo-period significance), and through the Kappa Gallery. You walk along peaceful canals and past traditional wooden buildings.