Kyoto Sake Brewery Tour with Lunch

Beginning in the Fushimi district of Kyoto, your guide will take you through the streets of this stunning town to various traditional and modern sake breweries allowing our guests to get a sense of the area’s 400 year-old sake brewing tradition. Known for brewing some of the best sake in the world, Fushimi’s secret lies in the natural spring water of the area. Because of the water holding less magnesium and calcium than other parts of Japan or the world, the sake of the area reaches levels of purity and taste other areas could not easily replicate.

Brewing takes place in the cold months of the year after the rice crop has been harvested and as a result the air around Fushimi is saturated with the smell of fermenting rice during this time of year.

The neighborhood is a festive one that comes to life each day with sake bars and vendors selling the local sake to patrons.

During the tour, we will spend time at the Gekkeikan Okura sake museum where a brief history of sake can be understood. Since they have been making sake since 1637, with a nearly 4 century old process, our guests really see how things have been done for generations.

At the Gekkeikan Okura sake museum we will also get a chance to see the sake brewery. Our guests will get a sense of the traditional brewing process which involves a combination of water, malt, yeast and steamed rice. The different cut or variety of rice plays a big part of the distinction of the sake. If a grain of rice has less grain shaved off, it is more bitter. Generally, the more grain is shaved, the more sweet it will taste.

You will have a chance to sample different kinds of sake at the end of the tour. If you find a type you like, the brewery shop carries around 80 varieties for you to purchase and take home.

Minimum of 2 people needed to book this tour. If you are a single traveler, please email us directly. Please let us know if you have any dietary restrictions or allergies.

Tour Highlights:

• 3 hour tour of Kyoto’s Fushimi district
• Visit a small and large sake brewery to get a sense of the differences of scale and try their sake and other products.
• Guided tour at the Gekkeikan Okura Sake Museum
• See how a brewery works and get a sense of what goes into production of the world’s best sake.
• Browse the shops at a local shopping arcade for souvenirs unique to the area.

Our guests will have a chance to learn about all the ins and outs of the sake brewing process, but due to sanitation and brewing laws in Japan we will not be able to see the actual active sake brewing areas. 

We have a strict policy about starting our tours on time. This is to protect the enjoyment of all our guests and restaurant partners. We are sorry to say that if you are not able to arrive at the meeting point by the departure time, the tour will start regardless and no refund will be provided. We are also unable to accommodate meeting up in any of the food stops once you’ve missed the start of the tour.

Arigato Tours are a great way to meet other travelers and food fans from around the world. However if you would prefer a private tour please see the additional fees below and click the add on button on your cart when you check out. 

For a more customized experience, make your tour private for an additional $175 + TAX (min. 2 people) (5+ $250 + TAX)

Private Food Tour Add-on (1-4 people) (+$175.00)
Private Food Tour Add-on (5+ people) (+$250.00)

Tour Schedule:

Changes to tours and spots we visit may occur due to schedules of restaurants, public holidays, weather conditions and other unforeseen circumstances. Applicable substitutions will be made in this case.