I’ve always liked sake, but if I’m honest it was a beverage I could take or leave. Which makes sense in a way, when you consider that for many years, I would only ever drink it hot, which meant I was only have the bottom of the barrel stuff.
A little less than a decade ago, I received an email from a man who would end up changing my entire perspective on Nihonshu (as what we call “sake” is actually known in Japanese), in addition to eventually becoming a close friend of mine.
The good news? It’s easy to find an amazing Kyoto sake tour, whether or not you book the specific one that ended up rewriting my relationship with the beverage. The better news? I’ll lay out all your options clearly and concisely over the next few paragraphs.
Kyoto’s Hidden-in-Plain-Sight Sake Town
When I took my first sake tour in Kyoto, I almost felt embarrassed by how ignorant I’d previously been. After all, I’d spent time at Fushimi Inari Shrine, which relatively speaking isn’t very far away from the Fushimi sake district. How had I not noticed what now seems like a conspicuous sake culture, let alone the massive Gekkeikan Brewery, which is also among the oldest and most celebrated in the world?
In fact, the extent to which Fushimi-ku has managed to remain undercover in spite of “overtourism” in Kyoto is a key part of its magic. Or at least it was, until Kotaro (more on him in a minute) began offering his pairing and tasting sessions right in the heart of town, via the Kyoto Insider Sake Experience. These days, you’ll see more foreign tourists than ever off Fushimi’s formerly beaten path, though I urge you not to let that discourage you.
Ways to Discover Sake in Fushimi
Visit a brewery
Fushimi is home to a variety of sake breweries, with the largest and best advertised the Gekkeikan one. If you really wanted to, you could get off the train at Fushimi-Momoyama Station and simply spend your entire day touring various sake breweries.
Book a sake pairing session
Another option? Book the Kyoto sake tasting from the Kyoto Insider Sake Experience, i.e. the one run by my friend Kotaro. Available for both carnivores and vegetarians, it allows you to taste (and, eventually, identify) different types of sake, and even pair them with various foods, as you would with wine.
Shop for sake
Whether at the brewery, during the sake tour or at various shops in the central shotengai of Fushimi City, there are plenty of places in Fushimi-ku to buy sake. Some of them can even ship it back to your home country for you, saving you the trouble of transportation it back with you.
Photograph the townscape
In addition to being the hub of sake in Kyoto, Fushimi itself is rather picturesque. This is true both in the area around the sake breweries, where sugidama hang on doors to indicate that brewing takes place, as well as just outside of town at the reconstructed (but faithfully so) Momoyama Castle.
Bonus: Take a boat trip during sakura season
Visiting Fushimi during cherry blossom season? Make sure to ride one of the jikkokubune boats that travel along the town’s canals during the first (and, in some years, second) week of April. Although popular among locals, these are significantly less congested than hanami spots in central Kyoto—you can just turn up and buy tickets!
Other Places in Japan to Discover Sake
Fushimi is among the easiest places in Japan to enjoy sake tourism on account of its proximity to Kyoto, but it’s not the only option. here are a few others:
- Hachinohe in Aomori prefecture is home to several sake breweries; you can also sample local sake at the Hasshoku Market.
- As its Japanese name (酒田) suggests, the coastal city of Sakata in Yamagata prefecture is a hub for all things sake, on account of its prolific ride production.
- Sado Island sits just down the Sea of Japan from Sakata, off the shores of Niigata, and is a great place for sampling sake.
- If you’re spending more time in Osaka than in Kyoto, Kobe is a fantastic place to book sake tours, whether or not you eat the city’s famous wa-gyu.
Other FAQ About Sake Tours in Japan
Can I visit a sake brewery in Kyoto?
You can absolutely visit a sake brewery in the Fushimi district of Kyoto. Alternatively, you can book a sake tasting tour, whether it’s one that shows you how to pair sake with different foods, or simply focuses on tasting the different types of sake on offer.
Are there sake tastings in Kyoto?
There are sake tastings in Kyoto! Some of these take place at markets and at sake breweries, while others are part of private or small-group guided tours, such as the Kyoto Insider Sake Experience. If you love drinking and learning about local drinking culture, Kyoto is an excellent destination!
Is Kyoto a good city for sake lovers?
Although not in the center of Kyoto, the city’s Fushimi district has been one of Japan’s most prolific producers of sake for centuries. Walking through old Fushimi, symbols of its sake heritage are everywhere, whether or not you visit a brewery or take a sake tour.
The Bottom Line
A Kyoto sake tour many years ago changed my relationship with the beverage in just a few hours—I hope the same will happen for you. While I’m obviously a bit biased when it comes to the tour offered by my now-close friend Kotaro, the reality is that Kyoto’s Fushimi district (albeit a part of it that’s southwestward of the famous Fushimi Inari Shrine) is one of Japan’s top producer of Nihonshu, making it a hot bed for tours and for sake-related tourism in general. Need personalized help integrating one-of-a-kind food and drink experiences into you Japan trip? Commission a custom Japan itinerary, and let me do the hard work for you.
