Top Kyoto Sake Brewery Tour

Sake—traditional rice wine—is Japan’s most famous drink and Kyoto’s Fushimi District is renowned for its sake production, home to over 30 breweries. On this tour, find out how sake is made, discover the many varieties, and learn which sake suits each occasion. Sample seven different sakes, accompanied by tasty Japanese snacks, and leave with a cheat sheet to help you order your favorite sakes while in Japan.

Perform a traditional Japanese tea ceremony dressed in a ceremonial kimono during this cultural experience in Kyoto. Learn about the meaning of different kimono patterns and the history behind the tea ceremony from your guide, then watch the professional tea master prepare a cup of tea. Sip your tea and learn about Japanese manners during a tea ceremony, then enjoy the opportunity to try your hand at brewing your own.

Prepare for battle as you learn the skills of the samurai during this interactive class studying the basic techniques of these ancient Japanese warriors. Pick from multiple durations—with longer classes including more complex movements using a sword and folding fan. When your class ends, enjoy a photo session with your samurai costume and receive a certificate of completion as well as a souvenir Japanese towel.

Learn the arts of the samurai as you enjoy a 1-hour Kembu show, a traditional sword performance celebrating the culture of this ancient Japanese warrior class, in Kyoto. Head to Kyoto’s Samurai Kembu Theater to admire the intricate movements of traditional and new-style Kembu performances, celebrating the legendary stories of Japan’s feudal period. You’ll also hear a fascinating talk before the performance and have time for a photo session with samurai sword and the performers post-show.

Would you like to brew your own delicious tea? In most tea ceremony workshops, you are not allowed to handle tea utensils. However, in the hands-on classes we host, you can actually touch the utensils and learn the process of brewing tea from scratch. The instructor is a master of the Higashi Abe school. They have taught many students, so they will gently and carefully teach you how to make tea. You are also welcome to take as many pictures as you like to make your experience memorable. We hope you will make your trip to Japan a memorable and enjoyable one.

Learn to make artistic sushi rolls during your own private ‘kazarimaki’ class in Kyoto. Kazarimaki is the art of making designs within a sushi roll, using edible pigments extracted from plants to create colorful patterns in the sushi. Your instructor also provides a kimono (for women) or other traditional garments (for men and children) to wear during the experience.

Food and culture go hand in hand in Kyoto, and there's a food tradition in particular that makes the city even more flavorful. Ready to try it? Get a taste of the food scene that characterizes Kyoto and it's known around the world. Try Gekkeikan sake, Japanese pickles, and more in its original recipe - forget about adaptations, this is the real deal! Your local guide is a food and culture expert and will show you spots in the city to enhance the cultural vibes. Go to the Fushimi district, and a sake brewery, and get to know more about where this food tradition comes from and how it relates to Kyoto. Withlocals Food & Culture Tour™ is one of Withlocals' signature tours available in major cities worldwide. We work with passionate local guides who earn a fair fee. We support local economies by only offering local products and prevent over-tourism with only small non-intrusive groups. Our tours are carbon-neutral and away from the standard tourist routes.

A relaxed bike ride (12km) and introduction to many aspects of Japan's history and culture, led by a former Zen monk with MA degree in Japanese Studies. Avoid the tourist crowds and immerse yourself in culture and history. Optional trekking or e-bikes in different sizes. Before the start you will get a lunch in our restaurant. After a short drive we visit the Imperial Palace, residence of the Japanese Tenno until 1868. It continues to the Nishijin Kimono Center, where kimonos have been produced for centuries. You will see a kimono show there. In Daitokuji Zen Temple you get an insight into Buddhism. Finally, drive to Shimogamo Shinto Shrine, World Heritage Site and Kyoto's oldest shrine. For the 1500 Yen surcharge, you can optionally visit a sake brewery and sample 5 sake varieties. After the tour there is the possibility to have a Japanese dinner in our restaurant. Japanese guests welcome.