Sake Tasting Kyoto & Brewery Tour That Changes How You Understand Sake
Your Japan Trip Gets Better Once You TrulyEnjoy Japanese Sake
Sake Tasting Kyoto & Brewery Tour That Changes How You Understand Sake
Your Japan Trip Gets Better Once You Truly Enjoy Japanese Sake
The Only Sake Tour Specialist Based in Kyoto’s Fushimi Sake District
Based in Fushimi—Kyoto’s historic sake-brewing district—we work closely with local breweries and industry insiders to offer an experience you won’t find elsewhere.
Led by local sake experts, our tours go beyond tasting. Through guided tastings and food pairing, you’ll learn how to identify flavors, understand labels, and confidently choose sake that suits your palate—in ways that stay with you long after the experience.
Our tours are led by International Sake Sommeliers and certified sake professionals who go beyond simply pouring sake. Through tasting and conversation, you’ll discover how sake really works—exploring flavors, brewing, and labels in a relaxed, approachable way.
A Fun, Insider Sake Experience in Kyoto
This experience is both enjoyable and insightful. You’ll taste, compare, and explore different styles of sake—guided step by step—so by the end, you naturally know what you enjoy and how to choose sake with confidence.
A Quiet, Private Space to Explore Sake
Our tastings take place in quiet, private rooms designed for conversation and discovery, where you can slow down, ask questions, and truly enjoy the experience.
Meet Our Certified Sake Experts
Certification is just the starting line. All of our guides are certified. But we don’t stop there. We train together every month through tastings. Every year, we travel across Japan to learn directly from sake breweries. Because sake is far deeper than any textbook. This is what makes a KISE guide different.
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
Good value and educational! – Excellent, educational, delicious, fun worth the price.
Mark M 2026-05-19
Recommend doing this! – This was a very fun and informative experience. I learned a lot about sake and we tasted a lot of different types. I would highly recommend if you are looking… read more for a sake experience that is more than just drinking it.
justin h 2026-05-18
Fun and informative – Wonderful experience! Chika was a very knowledgeable, friendly, and kind guide. Not only did I get to try amazing Sake (nihonshu) but I now feel confident that in my ability… read more to distinguish various types of Sake.
andrewwI1054EU 2026-05-16
Awesome fun – Kyoko was informative, friendly, insightful, and fun. She had charisma and a wonderful sense of humor. I learned a lot and had so much fun I didn’t know I was… read more learning
Kristianna L 2026-05-15
Recommend!! – Kotaro was a very personable instructor and smart! He’s a sake lover and made us lovers too. So many sake options to taste and goal met to have an idea… read more of what to order/buy based on taste preferences. Wish there was more food or a heads up that it would be more snacks (we eat a lot!)
Lopyner 2026-05-14
Skilled tour and great tour guide! – Beginning the tour, Mayo (Mai- ō) focused on the historh and intespersed the history and production of the sake with humor. At the end of the museum, we tasted three… read more different types of Sake before having a chance to purchase a bottle.
After, we moved to a private tasti g room with 7 different Sake styles to taste with and without food, enjoying the way the flavors changed and evolved based on the combinations!
Mayo was extremely knowlegable and humorous, making the trip wonderful to engage in!
Nomad32606601630 2026-05-14
Learn more about sake than you thought even existed – An absolutely incredible experience ! Shogo was our guide and I learned so much from him. The world of sake is immense and I had so much fun on this… read more tour. Would highly recommend.
SwankyTigers 2026-05-06
Amazing sake experience ! – This was a super fun experience ! Mai was very knowledgeable about sake and made the experience super enjoyable. Would definitely recommend and would definitely return for the 3 hour experience.
jameshI8016CU 2026-05-05
Great information, great Sake – Loved this, but be warned 1.5 standing is longer than it sounds, but Mayo’s enthousiasme pulled us through.
We learned a lot about sake, and saw the effect of… read more food on the drink. Would recommend this to everyone in Kyoto.
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!
A sake tasting and brewery tour that changes how you understand sake. In Kyoto’s Fushimi Sake District, learn directly from certified sake experts, compare different styles, and discover how to choose sake with confidence.
What makes this experience unique?
Unlike simple tastings, this is a guided educational journey. You’ll learn from local sake professionals who explain brewing techniques, regional differences, and pairing secrets — all in a friendly, hands-on way. Many guests say they leave feeling confident about ordering sake anywhere in Japan.
Where does the Kyoto Insider Sake Experience take place?
All experiences are held in Kyoto’s Fushimi Sake District, an area famous for its water and historic breweries. The district is about 15–20 minutes by train from central Kyoto.
Do you offer corporate or team-building experiences?
Yes! We provide private sake experiences for corporate groups, incentive trips, and team-building events.
Good value and educational! – Excellent, educational, delicious, fun worth the price. 
Mark M
justin h
