The 15 Best Sake and Food Tours in Japan

Best of Shinjuku: Izakaya Food Tour (4 Stops, 14+ Tastings) - Kabukicho adds street life and another local stop

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 1,863 reviews · from $92Our pick

Join a local guide such as Taiga, Yusuke, Nobu, or Chi for 3.5 hours of food and walking through Shinjuku. You’ll visit four izakaya stops, try 14 or more tastings, enjoy three drinks, and pass through Kabukicho, Golden Gai, and Omoide Yokocho.

“Tiaga was a great host. Great mix of food and a walk around Shinjuku. Food was really tasty and met a nice group of people. Was recommended to us by friends.”

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Kyoto: Insider Sake Brewery Tour with Sake and Food Pairing

2.Kyoto: Insider Sake Brewery Tour with Sake and Food Pairing

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 704 reviews · 3 hours · from $87

Meet an English-speaking sake expert at Gekkeikan Okura Sake Museum in Fushimi. Explore the brewing process, then taste 10 or more sake styles in a dedicated room with otsumami pairings. Guides such as Kyoko, Miyuki, Momo, and Chika explain labels, serving temperatures, flavor, and food matches.

“Kyoko was an excellent tour guide. Not only was she extremely knowledgeable about all things sake, she was a very kind and funny tour guide. Learned so much about sake, its history, and what kind exactly that I would like. Definitely would recommend this tour if you’re interested in sake and its history.”

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Düsseldorf: Sushi, Sake & Japanese Lifestyle Tour

3.Düsseldorf: Sushi, Sake & Japanese Lifestyle Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.6 · 539 reviews · 2 hours · from $41

Meet at Clayton Hotel Düsseldorf for a two-hour German-language walk through Immermannstraße. Patrizia, Julia, or another guide leads you to Japanese food shops, bakeries, bookshops, manga, and four vegetarian-friendly samples, including sushi and sweets.

“Organisatorisch verlief die Tour planmäßig, und Patrizia war freundlich, doch der Informationsgehalt reichte nicht aus, um einen fundierten Einblick in die japanische Kultur Düsseldorfs zu vermitteln. Viele wichtige Details wurden ausgelassen oder unzutreffend dargestellt, wodurch die Tour leider enttäuschend wirkte. Es gab zudem falsche Aussagen. Ich selbst war bereits im Nagya essen und kann bestätigen, dass die Behauptung, man zahle dort 700 € pro Person, nicht stimmt. Themen wie japanische Friseure, Schneidereien und Wäschereien wurden oder gar nicht behandelt. Beim Matcha Café Wakaba, dem ersten reinen Matcha-Café der Stadt (gegründet ca. 2017/2018), fehlten Hintergrundinformationen. St...”

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Ramen and Sushi Cooking Class with Sake Pairing Set in Tokyo

4.Ramen and Sushi Cooking Class with Sake Pairing Set in Tokyo

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 291 reviews · from $79

At Sushi Making Tokyo in Tsukishima, Sato, Alex, Kaori, Taka, or another class leader guides you through sushi, ramen broth, and sake pairing. The three-hour class includes ingredients, drinks, and your meal, with a maximum of eight people and a river-facing setting.

“An excellent experience. We’ve never done anything like this before but our hosts made us feel immediately at ease. Informative and laid back - they took us from being sous-chefs to sushi masters within a couple of hours. The ramen was less hands on though more customisable - both tasted great. Some good sake choices too.”

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Kyoto: Insider Sake Experience with 7 Tastings and Snacks

5.Kyoto: Insider Sake Experience with 7 Tastings and Snacks

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 266 reviews · 1h 30m · from $66

Meet an English-speaking sake expert in a dedicated Kyoto tasting room for seven guided pours, Japanese otsumami, brewing basics, and hands-on bottle reading. Guides such as Mayo, Kiyomi, Kotaro, Greg, and Shogo explain hot versus cold sake, food pairing, and how to order with confidence.

“Kiyomi was so enthusiastic and knowledgeable! We learned so much about the intricacies of sake and how the differences in brewing can be tasted. Highly recommend”

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Sake Omakase in Tokyo: Guided Tasting by Certified Sommeliers

6.Sake Omakase in Tokyo: Guided Tasting by Certified Sommeliers

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 239 reviews · from $79

At Sake Studio in central Tokyo, certified sommeliers such as Eric, Aaron, Frank, and Phillip guide you through seven Japan-exclusive sakes across four themed courses. Compare rice styles, temperatures, infusions, and glassware while enjoying pickles, cheese, cured meats, and dessert in a group of six.

“Wonderful - highly recommended. I wanted to understand more about saki and objective definitely achieved!”

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Tokyo: The Best of Izakaya in Shinjuku Food & Cultural Tour

7.Tokyo: The Best of Izakaya in Shinjuku Food & Cultural Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 221 reviews · 3 hours · from $129

Spend an evening with an English-speaking guide such as Joe, Max, Chizuru, or Ayaka, walking through Shinjuku before eating 14 or more Japanese dishes at local izakayas. Expect sashimi, chicken skewers, croquettes, sake, and enough food for dinner in a group of no more than 10.

“Sabian was a great and hilarious guide! highly recommend tour to anyone interested!”

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[1 Group Only] Osaka Street Food Tour for Family

8.Osaka Street Food Tour for Family

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 208 reviews · from $66

Spend three hours with a private guide such as Ben, Bao, Mizuki, or Taro, exploring Shinsekai and Namba by foot. You’ll visit local eateries, try takoyaki and kushikatsu, enjoy one drink, and use your guide’s English translations to order beyond the tourist menu.

“Ben was amazing! We definitely visited places we would never have seen or experienced on our own. One of a kind.”

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[1 Group Only] Tokyo Shinjuku Food Tour for Family

9.Tokyo Shinjuku Food Tour for Family

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 147 reviews · from $66

Spend three private hours in Shinjuku with a local guide such as Yosuke, Akari, Ken, or Atsu. Make okonomiyaki and monja-yaki, sample yakitori, visit Omoide Yokocho and Golden Gai, play arcade games, take Purikura photos, and add sake tasting for adults.

“An awesome insight into local secrets of Shinjuku. Great food and company. Rimu our tour guide was the very best!!”

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Wagyu & Sake Pairing in Shinjuku – Steak, Shabu-Shabu & More

10.Wagyu & Sake Pairing in Shinjuku – Steak, Shabu-Shabu & More

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 112 reviews · from $148

Join Ninja Food Tours at 6 pm for a three-hour wagyu and sake dinner in Shinjuku. Your host, possibly Joe, Andrea, Chi, Tadashi, or Miyuki, explains beef grades and sake styles before serving a full course of wagyu, hotpot, udon, cocktails, and dessert.

“The Wagyu and Sake were all amazing. Each prepared dish and drink was phenomenal. Andrea was a great host!! Sharing the meal with others was very unique as well.”

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Tokyo Wagyu & Sake Pairing Tasting Experience with Local Flavors

11.Tokyo Wagyu & Sake Pairing Tasting Experience with Local Flavors

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 108 reviews · from $151

At Enjoy Meat Club near Tokyo Skytree, host Mike and the chef guide you through a small-group Wagyu dinner with sake pairings. Expect several beef cuts, traditional Japanese flavors, seasonal ingredients, and careful explanations in about two hours. Nonalcoholic craft juice is available.

“Everything was perfect. The set up, the preparation, the wagyu, the sake, and the presentation. You don’t want to miss this experience.”

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Osaka Authentic Local Izakaya Hopping Experience: Food & Drinks

12.Osaka Authentic Local Izakaya Hopping Experience: Food & Drinks

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 99 reviews · from $39

Join English-speaking guide Tetsu for a three-hour walk through Namba, Dotonbori, and Ura-Namba. In a group of no more than three, you’ll visit three or four small izakayas, bars, or food stalls, try local dishes and drinks, and learn the unwritten rules of Osaka nightlife.

“I was traveling solo and am so happy I decided on this tour! Tetsu was so friendly and helpful. I even got to explore some less touristy neighborhoods and try many new dishes. Everything I tried was absolutely delicious! I loved meeting the frieRead more”

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Tokyo: Sushi and Ramen Cooking Class with Sake Pairing Set

13.Tokyo: Sushi and Ramen Cooking Class with Sake Pairing Set

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 81 reviews · 3 hours · from $129

In Tsukishima, learn ramen broth, chashu pork, and nigiri sushi in a friendly three-hour class led by English-speaking instructors including Sato, Haruko, and Risa. You’ll taste three selected sakes, receive recipes and chopsticks, and enjoy a small group capped at eight people.

“This experience was very intimate and fun. Misa and Luna were so informative and kind. They gave us a pop quiz which encouraged us to work together. I recommend this to everyone looking for a great meal made from actual locals!!”

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Cozy Tokyo Class: Ramen, Sushi, Sake Pairing & Cultural Exchange

14.Cozy Tokyo Class: Ramen, Sushi, Sake Pairing & Cultural Exchange

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 74 reviews · from $79

At Ramen Cooking Tokyo in Tsukishima, you’ll spend about three hours making ramen and sushi, with optional gyoza, alongside English-friendly hosts including Umi, Kou, Komi, Alissa, Risa, or Namiko. The small class includes sake, beer, soft drinks, cultural conversation, and take-home recipes.

“An amazing, intimate experience! The three chefs were incredibly fun and nice and answered all of our questions. They also shared the recipes with us after so we can make it at home! Would absolutely do it again.”

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Wagyu Beef and Sake Pairing Foodie Tour in Tokyo

15.Wagyu Beef and Sake Pairing Foodie Tour in Tokyo

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 71 reviews · from $218

Meet your certified MagicalTrip guide at Shimbashi at 5 p.m. Learn about Japanese sake, sample 20-plus varieties, then grill all-you-can-eat Wagyu with two drinks before dessert and a Ginza night walk. Guides such as Ken, Kazu, and Fuji have led this small-group experience.

“Ken Take took us around to a few places. He did a great job explaining the historical significance of the sake and how it was made as well has how beef became part of Japanese cuisine. The food and drinks were all very good.”

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