Sake Tasting in Japan: The 15 Best Places to Try It

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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3-Hour Kyoto Insider Sake Brewery Tour with Tastings & Pairings

2.3-Hour Kyoto Insider Sake Brewery Tour with Tastings & Pairings

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 917 reviews · from $84

Spend three hours in Kyoto’s Fushimi district with a certified sake sommelier. Visit the Gekkeikan Okura Sake Museum, then taste 10 sake styles in a private room with otsumami pairings. Guides including Kyoko, Miyuki, Mai, and Shogo explain brewing, labels, flavor, and food matches in clear English.

“We are now Sake fans! Everything about this tour was great! We learned so much. Who would of thought the sake making process to be so fascinating. We really enjoyed the sake samples and food pairing. Our guide was very knowledgeable and friendly. We totally recommend this tour.”

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Kyoto Sake Brewery & Tasting Walking Tour

3.Kyoto Sake Brewery & Tasting Walking Tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 623 reviews · from $98

Spend three hours in Fushimi, Kyoto’s sake district, learning how sake is made at the Gekkeikan Okura Sake Museum before tasting up to 18 local varieties at a sake restaurant. Guides such as Matt, Rika, Kumi, and Yukari add history, tasting tips, and personal recommendations.

“Mat was very knowledgeable and super friendly. We appreciated how he explained the history and gave us recommendations of his favorites!”

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1.5-Hour Kyoto Insider Sake Experience with 7 Tastings & Pairings

4.1.5-Hour Kyoto Insider Sake Experience with 7 Tastings & Pairings

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 297 reviews · from $68

In Kyoto’s Fushimi district, a certified sommelier guides you through seven sake tastings and traditional otsumami pairings in a private room. Guides such as Mayo, Kiyomi, Miyuki, and Greg explain brewing, sake grades, flavors, and food matches in clear English. You leave with tasting notes and a useful ordering guide.

“Just the right amount of time for a little sake education, tasting, and food pairing. Our sake sommelier, Kiyomi, kept us engaged and had a great sense of humor. I would definitely recommend this. It’s not hard to find at all, using Google Maps.”

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Ramen and Sushi Cooking Class with Sake Pairing Set in Tokyo

5.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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Sake Tasting Masterclass in Shinjuku (8+ Varieties with a Pro)

6.Sake Tasting Masterclass in Shinjuku (8+ Varieties with a Pro)

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 271 reviews · from $72

Meet a sake sommelier in Shinjuku for a two-hour tasting of at least six varieties, often closer to nine or ten, with snacks and food-pairing tips. Guides such as Max, Joe, Tadashi, Andrea, and Megan explain brewing, labels, and ordering in a group capped at eight.

“This is a very fun way to learn about sake and make new friends. The host told us all you could ever want to know about sake . Very highly recommended!!”

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Kyoto: Insider Sake Experience with 7 Tastings and Snacks

7.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

8.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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Private Tea Ceremony and Sake Tasting in Kyoto Samurai House

9.Private Tea Ceremony and Sake Tasting in Kyoto Samurai House

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 163 reviews · from $99

Spend about 50 minutes privately inside a 300-year-old samurai house, learning the tea ceremony with high-grade organic Uji matcha. Make your own matcha, choose sake or Japanese whisky if you are over 20, and pose in kimono or samurai dress with a katana.

“this was a great experience! house has remained in the same family for 300 years. staff were friendly and helpful. We especially enjoyed the sake tasting after!”

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Casual Japanese SAKE tasting and snack experience in Kabukicho

10.Casual Japanese SAKE tasting and snack experience in Kabukicho

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 159 reviews · from $39Best value

You’ll taste eight Japanese sakes with hosts such as Sakiko or Saki, moving from lighter pours to bolder styles, temperatures, and mixes. Traditional snacks help explain food pairings, and amazake provides a sweet finish. The one-hour session takes place in a small Kabukicho bar with karaoke.

“We had so much fun getting to trying different Sakes paired with some finger foods. We even did karaoke. So much fun! Great for couples, friends or groups.”

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Osaka Sake Tasting with Takoyaki Cooking

11.Osaka Sake Tasting with Takoyaki Cooking

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 156 reviews · 2 hours · from $70

Meet Momo, a sake sommelier and former brewer, at MOMO to SAKE near Osaka Namba. You will cook takoyaki with fillings such as octopus, wagyu beef, cheese, kimchi, and corn, then compare seasonal sake with expert guidance. The small group is capped at six and runs for two hours.

“Momo was excellent. We were made to feel very welcome from the moment we arrived. The Sake tasting was informative and delicious. We learnt so much from this evening. Our takoyaki was such a fun thing to make and was extremely tasty. We would totally recommend this class to any newcomer to Japan. So enjoyable. Would give it 6 🌟 if possible.”

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KOBE Sake Tasting Tour at Breweries (tasting fee included)

12.KOBE Sake Tasting Tour at Breweries (tasting fee included)

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 154 reviews · from $109

Spend about 3.5 hours walking Kobe’s Nada Gogo with an English-speaking guide such as Hiro, Romi, or Aki. Visit working breweries and sake museums, taste several styles worth ¥2,000, stop at a local tofu shop, and enjoy cooling breaks between tastings. The route may change with brewery opening days.

“Hiro met us right on time at the meet up spot. She had frozen water and umbrellas for everyone because it was so hot that day. Hiro took us to 3 sake breweries— each unique in their size, their methods, and their distinctive flavors. Hiro was able to answer all our questions and made us feel right at home in Kobe. The sake was tasty and the tour was fun! Would definitely recommend to anyone looking to see Kobe with a local guide.”

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Tasting All Types of Sake with Sommelier

13.Tasting All Types of Sake with Sommelier

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 151 reviews · from $62

Meet Aki near Shinjuku San-chome at 4 pm for a 90-minute introduction to Japanese sake. You will taste six to seven styles, including sparkling, sweet, dry, hot, pasteurized, and unpasteurized sake, then learn how to read labels, choose bottles, and pair sake with food. The tasting takes place near Louis Vuitton Shinjuku.

“This was so fun and I learned a lot about sake! Aki was very friendly and knowledgeable throughout the whole experience. He was able to make conversation while easily explaining the sake process and types. He introduced us to sparkling sake, pasteurized, unpasteurized, and much more! Overall, I would highly recommend booking when you start your trip (if you’re over the jet lag) so you can know what to order in restaurants or buy in store. The experience is in the heart of Shinjuku, so you can shop before or afterwards! Highly recommend this experience!”

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Osaka Sake Tasting & Takoyaki Cooking Experience

14.Osaka Sake Tasting & Takoyaki Cooking Experience

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 149 reviews · from $72

Join Momoko, a certified sake sommelier, in a small Osaka kitchen near Dotonbori. You’ll learn how sake is made, taste seasonal varieties, and cook takoyaki from scratch with options such as octopus, Wagyu, and cheese. Afternoon and evening sessions are available.

“Momoko shared her passion for Japanese sake and takoyaki with us in a wonderfully creative way! Cooking takoyaki was a great hands-on experience and her choose your own adventure approach towards trying different sake makes sure you have the best time possible! I would recommend this to all individuals regardless of your previous sake knowledge as you're likely to learn something new or just have fun connecting about a shared passion.”

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

15.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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