Kyoto · DRINKING TOURS
Standing bars in the Pontocho lanes, sake counters in Fushimi, and the tiny places you would never push the door of alone. These 15 are priced by the number of stops, with drinks and food noted separately.
Explore Gion and Pontocho by night with nine-plus Kyoto dishes, sake tastings, local stories, and a small group capped at seven.
“Come hungry! It was a real Japanese foodie experience! Yuma picked out authentic places to have two wonderful meals and drinks! Then our last stop was dessert, tea or coffee.”
Learn how sake is made, taste 10 styles with otsumami pairings, and gain the confidence to choose sake in Kyoto and beyond.
“Greg and Mai were very knowledgeable about both the sake making process (at the museum) as well as the tasting. They were particularly good at talking and explaining what we were enjoying in a sake, and in teaching how to identify sake for ourselves.”
Review of Kyoto’s Arashiyama walking tour, with bamboo, temples, gardens, monkeys, green tea, and an optional local sake brewery visit.
“Myself and my partner did the tour with Francis and it was amazing! Such a friendly and kind person that also taught us many things about shrine and temple traditions. I would highly recommend to anybody!”
Explore Kyoto’s Kawaramachi and Kiyamachi by night, tasting izakaya food and sake with a local guide for $25, drinks extra.
“Taiga was an amazing host and shared local history and took us to some amazing food and drink spots. I loved the last bar. The vibe was amazing the whole time. Recommend!”
Learn sake brewing in Kyoto’s Fushimi district, taste 10 or more styles, and pair them with food during this practical three-hour tour.
“The tour was a mix of informative and fun. The exploration was unexpectedly fun. And especially we got very lucky with a fantastic group of folks.”
Explore Kyoto’s Fushimi sake district, visit the Gekkeikan museum, and taste up to 18 Kyoto sakes with a small-group guide.
“had a really wonderful time in kyoto, our tour guide was yuka, she was very informative and helpful and even took time after the tour to show us to a liquor store to find a specific sake we had. 10/10 experience if you're going to kyoto, sign up for this!”
Explore Kyoto’s Pontocho backstreets with a local guide, three izakayas, Kyoto sake, Japanese dishes, and drinks in a small group.
“Food isn’t good compared to every other tour or even street vendors offer. Drinks are fine. Highly unorganized, not a lot of information to learn anything. We did have fun at a karaoke bar though.”
Explore Kyoto’s Kawaramachi and Kiyamachi nightlife with a local guide, izakaya food, sake, whiskey, and small bars for $28.52.
“Moto was our host and guide. He provided us with three excellent venues food (so much!) and Sake, and a hideaway speak easy bar. We met 10 new and very fun people. Location of tour was perfect. Lots to see. Would highly recommend. Thanks Moto!!”
Taste seven Kyoto sakes with a certified sommelier, pair them with Japanese snacks, and learn how to order your favorites in Fushimi.
“Mayo was an excellent guide! Not only did she teach us about the sake making process, she did it in a fun interactive way that left me feeling confident to order sake at restaurants!”
Learn to taste, compare, and order sake in Kyoto with seven tastings, Japanese snacks, an expert guide, and a useful bottle-reading cheat sheet.
“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”
Learn practical Japanese izakaya dishes in Kyoto with English-speaking chefs, hands-on cooking, shared meals, and recipes to take home.
“We absolutely loved this experience! The women who lead the class were exceptional. They were very friendly, knowledgeable and encouraging. It was a highlight of our time in Kyoto. We definitely recommend this class! There were many different dishes to prepare and try but they were all relatively simply and fun to make.”
Learn dashi, Japanese seasoning, and six izakaya dishes in a hands-on Kyoto cooking class with dinner, recipes, and an English-speaking chef.
“We loved this cooking class! We were visiting our son who was going to the university and looking for something fun to do. It was such a great thing for us to do together! Instructors were very knowledgeable and fun! We learned a lot and ate very delicious food! Would definitely do this again!”
Review of Kyoto’s private tea ceremony and sake tasting in a 300-year-old samurai house, with matcha, photos, costumes, and practical booking tips.
“So much tradition in this experience. Gracious hosts who welcome you into their home that is 300 years old. We thoroughly enjoyed and highly recommend it.”
Explore Kyoto after dark with a private local guide, lantern-lit Gion lanes, Pontocho bars, shrines, local drinks, and flexible plans.
“I had a great time at the Fushimi Inari shrine! The guide showed a genuine interest in providing a great experience.”
Taste 10 unusual Kyoto sakes, compare ancient and modern brewing methods, and learn how to read labels in a small expert-led tasting.
“Two of our party were familar with sake, but one was new to sake. The class was very educational in what goes into making sake and the various flavors that are available. There were plenty of sake tasted.”
