Sake Brewery Private Tour in Nagano: Ichinoya Tasting & Lunch

Watch sake made by hand at a UNESCO-recognized brewery, then taste it over lunch in a centuries-old building.

A private sake brewery tour in Nagano takes you through Ichinoya, a brewery founded in 1865 and designated UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage in 2024 for its hand-based production methods. You observe the brewing process, taste multiple sakes at the brewery bar, then move to Wachigai restaurant, a traditional Edo-period building, for a lunch course paired with Ichinoya selections. The tour runs from 11am and lasts about three hours including lunch. Groups are capped at six people, and an English-speaking guide leads throughout. You're free after lunch to explore on your own.

Step-by-step itinerary

Sake brewery tour and lunch experience

• Walk to Ichinoya Sake Brewery
• Tour the brewery and learn Sake making
• Taste various Ichinoya Sake
• Have lunch at Wachigai restaurant
• Shop for Sake and local products

The experience

Ichinoya sits a ten-minute walk from Shinano-Omachi Station, so if you've just arrived in Nagano or have a free afternoon, the timing works without a long transfer. The brewery's exterior looks as it did in 1865, but inside you'll watch the sake-making process (still mostly done by hand, with minimal machinery) unfold in real time. Even if you've never tasted sake before, seeing how it's made gives you a reason to care about the flavors you're about to try. At the end of the brewery section, you taste a range of Ichinoya's sakes at the bar and pick out the ones that suit you.

Lunch happens at Wachigai, a restaurant in its own historic Machiya-style building from the late Edo period. The kitchen reimagines traditional local ingredients with a modern approach, and your course pairs with a sake tasting set from Ichinoya's brewery. The restaurant also has a shop where you can buy bottles to take home. After lunch, the tour ends and you're on your own for the rest of the day.

The brewery is sensitive to enzymes, so if you've eaten kimchi or natto that morning, you won't be allowed inside. Plan your breakfast accordingly. Dietary restrictions like vegetarian, vegan or gluten-free can be accommodated if you mention them when you book. The minimum age is 20, and the tour is not recommended for pregnant travelers or anyone with cardiovascular concerns.

What’s included

• Sake tasting at Ichinoya brewery.
• lunch course with local ingredients at Wachigai restaurant paired with Ichinoya sake selections.
• in-person English-speaking guide throughout.
• shopping time at both the brewery and restaurant.

Before you book

Days and timesThursday and FridayDeparts at 11:00

AgesAdult (20 to 80 years) · Under 20: can't be booked

GroupPrivate

Live guideEnglish

Meeting point and pickupNo hotel pickup: you go to the meeting point. Ends back at the starting point.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.

Prices and times updated yesterday

Good to know

Low physical effortInfant seats availablePublic transport nearbyNot recommended during pregnancyNot recommended with heart problems

Operated by Yuka's Japanese Culture Tour

Is this one for you?The tour runs three hours including lunch and involves walking through the brewery and restaurant, so it suits an afternoon with moderate activity and no early start. If you've eaten kimchi or natto that morning, you'll need to reschedule. The brewery's fermentation process is sensitive to those enzymes.

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Top questions

What exactly do I see at Ichinoya Sake Brewery?

Ichinoya's brewing process, which is still largely done by hand despite the brewery's 160-year history. You walk through the brewery's interior, observe the equipment and methods, and then taste a selection of their sakes at the bar to find flavors you prefer.

Is lunch included in the tour, and what kind of food is it?

Yes, lunch is included at Wachigai restaurant. The meal is a course built from traditional local ingredients reimagined with modern techniques, paired with a sake tasting set from Ichinoya. The restaurant building itself is a traditional Machiya structure from the late Edo period.

How long does the whole tour take, and when does it start?

The tour starts at 11am and takes about three hours including lunch. You're free after that to spend the rest of your day however you like.

Can I buy sake to take home?

Yes. Both Ichinoya and Wachigai have shops where you can purchase Ichinoya's sake and other local products. There's time built into the tour to browse and shop.

How many people can join this tour?

The tour is private and takes a maximum of six people. It's held once a day at 11am.

Do I need to arrange my own transport to the brewery?

Ichinoya is a ten-minute walk from Shinano-Omachi Station, so public transportation gets you there easily. Private transportation can be arranged if you prefer. Let the operator know when you book.