Sake tasting tour in Nara: Four breweries and a historic shop

Four stops through a thousand years of sake-making tradition

A three-hour guided sake tasting tour in Nara visits four locations: Nara Kasugayama brewery at the foot of Mt. Kasuga, Imanishi Seibei Shoten near Sarusawa Pond, Ogawa Matabee Shoten in the old Naramachi townhouse district, and Yagi Brewery's tasting shop inside JR Nara Station, with an English-speaking guide explaining the history and craft behind each brew. The tour covers working breweries using local spring water and traditional techniques, a beloved sake shop with generations of community ties, and seasonal varieties at a modern tasting room.

Step-by-step itinerary

Sake tasting tour in Nara

• Visit Nara Kasugayama brewery
• Explore Imanishi Seibei Shoten brewery
• Shop at Ogawa Matabee Shoten sake shop
• Taste sake at Yagi Brewery shop

The experience

Nara's sake story begins with Buddhist monks over a thousand years ago, and this tour traces that lineage through four distinct stops. You start at Nara Kasugayama, nestled at the foot of Mt. Kasuga, where the brewery uses pure local spring water and traditional methods to produce sake with a clean, crisp profile. The guide walks you through how the sacred landscape shapes the drink itself, not as metaphor, but as a direct result of the water source and the brewers' choices.

The second stop is Imanishi Seibei Shoten, operating since 1884 just steps from Sarusawa Pond in the heart of Naramachi. Here you taste sake built on Yamato rice and soft brewing water, the kind made to pair with kaiseki cuisine. From there, you move to Ogawa Matabee Shoten, a traditional townhouse sake shop in the old town where locals have shopped for generations. This is not a brewery but a curated collection. Every bottle carries a story and a sense of place. The final stop is Yagi Brewery's tasting room inside JR Nara Station, a modern counterpoint where you sample seasonal and limited-edition varieties, seeing how Nara sake continues to evolve.

Your guide shares the stories of monks and master brewers (tōji) across these four locations, helping you understand the regional flavors and the techniques that separate a crisp sake from a rich, mellow one. The tour moves through Nara's timeless streets and connects you directly to local producers, not as a visitor passing through, but as someone learning the heritage behind every sip.

What’s included

• Sake tastings at three working breweries and one historic sake shop.
• guided tour of Nara's sake districts.
• visits to four tasting locations including Nara Kasugayama, Imanishi Seibei Shoten, Ogawa Matabee Shoten, and Yagi Brewery's tasting room at JR Station.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery day except Tuesday7 departure times: the first at 12:00, the last at 15:00

Book up to3h before

GroupPrivate

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.

Prices and times updated 9 days ago

Good to know

Easy physical levelStroller friendlyPublic transport nearby

Operated by DeepExperience

Is this one for you?The tour moves at a walking pace through Nara's streets and between four tasting stops over three hours, so you'll be on your feet but not rushing: ideal if you want to absorb the history and flavors without a strenuous itinerary.

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Top questions

What languages is the guide in?

Live guide in English and Japanese.

How much walking is involved in the sake tasting tour through Nara?

The tour covers Nara's sake districts on foot, moving between four locations across the city. The pace is moderate, and public transportation options are available nearby if you need them. The route is suitable for all physical fitness levels.

What styles of sake will I taste at the four stops?

You'll sample a wide range across the breweries and shops, from crisp and dry varieties at Nara Kasugayama to elegant, smooth brews at Imanishi Seibei Shoten, plus seasonal and limited-edition selections at Yagi Brewery's tasting room. Ogawa Matabee Shoten offers a handpicked selection representing the diversity of Nara sake.

What makes Nara the birthplace of Japanese sake?

Buddhist monks in Nara developed sake-brewing techniques over a thousand years ago, establishing the traditions and methods that shaped Japanese sake culture. The region's pure spring water and the spiritual roots of the practice remain central to how Nara breweries work today.

Can I bring children or use a stroller on this tour?

Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller during the tour. The route through Nara's districts is accessible for strollers, though you'll be moving between four tasting locations on foot.

Is the guide fluent in English?

Yes, the tour is led by a live guide who speaks English and Japanese, sharing stories of the brewers, regional flavors, and the history behind each sake you taste.