Shinjuku: Wagyu & Sake Pairing Dinner with Multi-Course Menu

★★★★★★★★★★ 4.96 (174 reviews) 98% rated it 5 stars

Free cancellationExcellent quality

1/9

Duration3h

GroupUp to 8

LanguagesEN · JA

Mobile ticketAccepted

Wagyu beef meets Japanese sake in a cozy Shinjuku evening

You’ll slip into a cozy spot in Shinjuku for an 8+ course wagyu & sake pairing dinner led by locals who know their stuff. Taste rare cuts prepared different ways, sip craft sake (including cocktails), and swap stories around the table as you learn what makes Japanese beef so special. It’s intimate, warm, and full of little surprises you’ll remember long after.

Step-by-step itinerary

Wagyu and sake tasting experience

Arrive at restaurant in Shinjuku
Enjoy unique Japanese aperitif drinks
Learn about wagyu and sake history
Taste small appetizers
Try grilled wagyu beef tongue with sake cocktail
Sample wagyu chuck flap tataki with warm sake
Eat seasonal local vegetable salad
Enjoy wagyu sirloin steak with nigori sake
Have wagyu chuck hotpot with unpasteurized sake
Eat wagyu dashi udon
Finish with dessert paired with sake

The Experience

I almost missed the entrance — it’s tucked between a ramen shop and one of those neon-lit arcades in Shinjuku. My umbrella dripped all over the floor when I walked in (June rain, you know?), but nobody seemed to mind. Instead, our host just grinned and handed me a warm towel before pouring the first aperitif. I didn’t expect to feel so instantly at ease — maybe it was the way he explained the difference between Niigata and Kagoshima wagyu with this quiet pride, or just the smell of grilled beef already drifting from the kitchen.

We started with these tiny appetizers — honestly, I still have no idea what one of them was, but it tasted like spring and umami at once. Then came the wagyu beef tongue, paired with an original sake cocktail that was both sweet and sharp. Our guide (I think his name was Tatsuya?) laughed when I tried to pronounce “shabu-shabu” properly. He told us about how each region’s wagyu has its own story — apparently, some cows get beer massages? Not sure if he was joking or not. The shabu-shabu itself arrived bubbling hot; dipping those thin slices in for just a second felt weirdly meditative.

The sirloin steak — paired with this cloudy nigori sake — had this texture that’s hard to describe without sounding dramatic. Melted isn’t right; more like it disappeared before I could even chew. Someone at my table said they’d never tasted anything like it outside Japan. By dessert (which came with a “surprise” sake), we were all a little giddy from both the drinks and just… being there together, swapping stories with people we’d only met two hours ago.

If you’re looking for a wagyu & sake pairing in Shinjuku that feels less like a formal tasting and more like being welcomed into someone’s kitchen, this is probably it. I left smelling faintly of smoke and sesame oil, which wasn’t ideal for karaoke after — but honestly, worth it.

What’s included

Your evening includes an 8+ course full meal featuring multiple cuts of premium wagyu beef prepared several ways—steak, shabu-shabu hotpot, tataki—and paired with carefully selected Japanese craft sakes (including original cocktails). A local guide hosts you throughout dinner in Shinjuku’s heart; accessibility needs can be accommodated if arranged ahead of time.

Good to know

Easy physical levelWheelchair accessibleStroller friendlyInfant seats availablePublic transport nearby

Operated by Ninja Food Tours