Takayama Sake Tasting Tour: Three Breweries

Each brewery in Takayama makes sake differently, from refined and polished to fruity and casual to rich and traditional.

A guided sake tasting tour through Takayama visits three historic breweries (Harada, Funasaka, and Hirase), where you taste signature brews and learn how local mountain water and rice shape Hida sake's clean flavor. The tour starts at Nakabashi Park, includes tasting fees at all three breweries, and ends at the Hida Local Sake Store. An English-speaking guide leads the group through 2.5 hours. Minimum age is 20.

Step-by-step itinerary

Guided tour of Takayama sake breweries

• Start at Nakabashi Park
• Visit Harada Sake Brewery
• Visit Funasaka Sake Brewery
• Visit Hirase Sake Brewery
• Explore Hida Local Sake Store

The experience

What makes Takayama sake different? The region's climate, water, and local rice create a clean, polished taste that sets Hida brews apart. This tour builds that knowledge from the ground up, beginning at Nakabashi Park where your guide explains the sake culture and ingredients that define the region before you step into any brewery.

The three breweries show you the range. Harada is refined and traditional, crafting award-winning sake with pure mountain water. You'll taste clean, polished flavors and browse premium bottles in the shop. Funasaka takes a modern approach, offering casual tastings of fruity junmai and rich daiginjo alongside sake-inspired treats. Hirase holds the classic "Kusudama" label and brews in the traditional Takayama style, with rich, well-balanced flavors rooted in centuries of craft. At each stop, you taste and explore the shop at your own pace.

The tour wraps at the Hida Jizake Brewery Main Store, a curated shop stocked with sake from all the local makers: junmai, daiginjo, regional wines and spirits. You'll have seen the breweries and tasted their work, so you know what you're looking at when you browse. Public transportation runs nearby if you need it to reach the starting point.

What’s included

• Tasting fees at three sake breweries (Harada, Funasaka, and Hirase).
• English-speaking guide for the full 2.5 hours.
• access to the Hida Local Sake Store at the end of the tour.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery day10 departure times: the first at 09:30, the last at 14:00

Book up to22h before

AgesAdult (20 to 75 years) · Under 20: can't be booked

GroupPrivate

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

Prices and times updated yesterday

Good to know

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

Operated by DeepExperience

Is this one for you?Book this if you want to taste three distinct brewing styles in one morning and need a guide to navigate between Harada, Funasaka, and Hirase breweries: the fixed route covers all three plus the sake store in a single outing.

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Top questions

What's the difference between the three breweries on this tour?

Harada is a refined, traditional maker known for award-winning, polished sake; Funasaka is modern and casual, offering fruity and rich brews in a lively setting; Hirase brews in the classic Takayama style, with rich, well-balanced flavors and the famous "Kusudama" label. Each one shows a different side of Hida sake-making.

How much sake will I actually taste on this tour?

You taste at all three breweries during the 2.5-hour tour. The guide leads you through tastings at Harada, Funasaka, and Hirase, and you can sample more at the Hida Local Sake Store at the end. Tasting fees at the three breweries are included.

Do I need to know about sake before I book this?

No. The tour starts at Nakabashi Park with an explanation of the region's sake culture, local ingredients, and what makes Hida sake clean and distinctive. Your English-speaking guide walks you through the breweries and brewing techniques, so you learn as you go.

Is there food on this tour, or should I eat beforehand?

The tour focuses on sake tasting and does not include meals. Some breweries have sake-inspired treats available in their shops, but food is not part of the itinerary, so plan to eat before or after.

How do I get to Nakabashi Park where the tour starts?

Public transportation options are available nearby. The tour begins at Nakabashi Park at multiple times throughout the day, so you can choose a start time that works with your schedule and take a local bus or taxi to the meeting point.