Fun and Educational – Most Popular Sake Tasting Tour in Kyoto!
Fun and Educational – Most Popular Sake Tasting Tour in Kyoto!
We Are the Only Sake Tour Company Based in Kyoto’s Fushimi Sake District
We have been sharing our passion for sake since 2018. Our strong relationship with local breweries and insiders allows us to provide you with a deeper sake experience. Meet our local sake experts on the tour – we invite you to dive deep into the world of sake!
Through our expert-led tasting session you’ll get the chance to learn the unique characteristics of different varieties of sake and what food to pair it with. After joining Kyoto Insider Sake Experience, you will discover which type you most prefer and how to identify your favourites on menus and bottle labels. Joining our sake tour is surely a great introduction to your sake experience.
What Makes Our Sake Tour Unique
Private Sake Tasting Rooms
We have two sake tasting rooms dedicated to sake. Our tasting rooms are exclusive and inaccessible to the general public, allowing for tastings that focus on the subtle aromas and flavours of sake.
Certified Sake Experts
Because our tours are led exclusively by certified sake experts, we are able to answer your questions, find your sake preferences, and guide you deeper into the world of sake.
Fun and Educational
The entire tour is designed to be both entertaining and educational, with visual information and actual sake-related materials used throughout the tour. After the experience, guests can purchase their favourite bottles on the spot.
Take a tour with us and you will: -Discover the history of sake and the Fushimi Sake District of Kyoto whilst touring a traditional brewery/museum
-Come to understand the differences in flavour and smell and how these are produced. You’ll focus on the secret methods of sake brewing which have been passed down for generations
-Get the chance to compare the differences between Western wine and beer production and sake brewing, to understand what makes the sake brewing process so unique
Sake Tasting with an Expert
Through our expert-led tasting session you’ll get the chance to learn the unique characteristics of different varieties of sake. You will also discover which type you most prefer and how to identify your favourites on menus and bottle labels
Our expert will help you notice the difference in taste between ‘junmai’ sake (which has no added alcohol or sugar) and alcohol-added sake. We’ll also explain the effects of rice-polishing on the aroma and flavour
Pure rice sake, refined sake, cloudy sake, aged sake – we’ll help you discover the distinguishing characteristics of each type.
Food Pairing
Discover the way the taste of sake can completely change when paired with different dishes. We hope that the food pairing section of our tour will also allow you to find out a little about Japan’s food culture, as well as sake.
Reviews by Our Guests
Nihonshu will stay with us forever!!😎 - Thank you to Miyuki and Kyoko our guides! We had an amazing time learning how sake is made. We enjoyed the tasting with the food pairing. The best part was... read more sharing our different cultures, laughing and Nihonshu!!!!
Gina G 2025-08-04
Really great and recommendable experience - A great team working as perfect and fun ambassodors for the nihonshu - thank you for your generosity. Please allow additional suitcases to transport the great bottles they have instore... read more 😉
whatisthebestplace 2025-08-01
Better at spotting (and drinking) sake - We had a blast on our tour of the Geikkekan Sake Museum and throughout the tasting. Our guides did a great job walking us through the different types of sake... read more and how to know not just which ones we liked—both with and without food through the tasting—but also how to identify them ourselves in the wild. Also, they were fun and very courteous with their time and insights. It was just the two of us, so it was like a private tour, but would be fun with a bigger group as well. Definitely recommend!
Connor B 2025-07-27
COME CHECK THEM OUT - Kiyomi was awesome and so entertaining!! She answered all of our questions and is so good at her job!! Thank you so much!! If you are ever in this area,... read more please check this experience out!
mia b 2025-07-18
Before that I didnt like sake and after that I bought some bottles to bring home. - It was a great experience. The sake was good and the presentation was great. After that I even bought some sake bottles to bring home.
Jakob K 2025-07-18
Sake tour worth it - The tour was great. Started with a history of sake at the museum. We had two tour guides both were great (Kiyomi and Kyoka). After the museum, we got a... read more tasting of 10+ sakes. Very knowledgeable on both the history and tasting.
ParkerJ J 2025-07-16
Best thing to do in Kyoto - Amazing experience.
It was exactly what my friend and I were looking for. We went to some tastings before where we left feeling none the wiser about the culture... read more surrounding sake, the variety of flavour profiles and the brewing process. The Insider Sake Experience changed all of that! Our guides were informative and personable with a great sense of humour. But most importantly their love for sake was evident for all of us to see.
Before any tasting we were given an in-depth tour of a brewery where we learned about the brewing process and the history of sake in Kyoto and Japan.
By the end, we had over 10 different types of Sake all of which were explained in detail. Yet we were also encouraged to develop our own opinions and pallet along the way too.
The food pairing was a major highlight too. If you want to know more about sake this is the experience for you. 10/10
D O 2025-07-13
Terrific time - Wonderful experience with Kiyomi & Kiyoko learning about sake history and enjoying some wonderful sake. Great learning experience, very fun and also Oishiiiii!!!!!
Momo_yeu_sunny 2025-07-09
Enlightening behind-the-scenes look at the world of sake - I had a blast having Greg and Chika as our guide! They led us through one of the oldest sake breweries in Japan and gave detailed (and often humorous) explanations... read more of the sake brewing process. During the sake tasting experience, they also taught use how to differentiate between sake bottles even without needing prior Japanese knowledge, which is highly useful information to have during my trip around other areas of Japan. Greg and Chika were great guides, so I highly recommend giving this tour a shot (no pun intended) if you're at all interested in the delicious world of sake!
KebobDaBob 2025-07-08
Soline Canet
2025-07-29
Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google.
Superbe expérience !
On part à la découverte du saké : de sa fabrication à sa dégustation. Greg et Shogo étaient top.
Tout est bien expliqué, tout au long de la visite. C’était un moment génial.
Je recommande vivement
Mike Flieller
2025-07-26
Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google.
This was one of our highlights of two weeks in Japan. Miyuki was great at explaining the different types of sake and areas where they were from. I’d highly recommend this experience.
Z S
2025-07-21
Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google.
Don't know anything about Japanese sake? What's the difference between hot and cold sake? Want to try sake but don't want to seem foolish?
No worries! These guys will show you the ins and outs of sake and help you discover what you like and what sake to pair with what kind of food. You'll also dive into the rich history and modern brewing processes. All in a very beautiful district in kyoto with rustic buildings and charm. To top it all off you can buy some sake directly from them. And it is not as expensive as you might think.
Highly recommended 😎
Chris Ridge
2025-07-19
Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google.
This sake experience was fabulous! The team provide you a well structured explanation of all things sake before taking you through a thorough tasting which gives a much better understanding and appreciation for this fine product. Absolutely recommend!
Alex Vargas
2025-07-18
Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google.
Kiyomi was an awesome instructor and made the presentation very fun and exciting. I learned a lot about sake and how to identify the different types. I took the 1.5 hour class and left pretty buzzed 🤣. I highly recommend for any English speaking travelers.
Sachin Katyal
2025-07-16
Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google.
Lovely experience. Learned a lot about sake, the different types, and of course the tasting. Kiyomi and Kyoko are both great - very energetic and engaging. A big recommendation for anyone visiting Kyoto
D O'H
2025-07-13
Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google.
Amazing experience.
It was exactly what my friend and I were looking for. We went to some tastings before where we left feeling none the wiser about the culture surrounding sake, the variety of flavour profiles and the brewing process. The Insider Sake Experience changed all of that! Our guides were informative and personable with a great sense of humour. But most importantly their love for sake was evident for all of us to see.
Before any tasting we were given an in-depth tour of a brewery where we learned about the brewing process and the history of sake in Kyoto and Japan.
We had over 10 different types of Sake all of which were explained in detail. Yet we were also encouraged to develop our own opinions and pallet along the way too.
The food pairing was a major highlight too. If you want to know more about sake this is the tour for you! 10/10
Jad Maamary
2025-07-12
Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google.
Amazing experience. Miyuki was very knowledgable and fun.
양지석
2025-07-12
Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google.
Online Sake Classes are designed to meet the interests of all sake lovers, whether you are a sake beginner, a sake enthusiast or a wine, beer or whisky lover. We invite you to explore the deep world of sake through our online sake classes. We hope that sake fans all over the world will discover the way to enjoy great sake!
Nihonshu will stay with us forever!!😎 - Thank you to Miyuki and Kyoko our guides! We had an amazing time learning how sake is made. We enjoyed the tasting with the food pairing. The best part was... read more 
