1.5-Hour Sake Tasting Experience
Tastings & classesPrivate & sommelier
A 90-minute guided introduction to sake: a short lesson, then seven sakes.
¥9,800 per person (from)Book on operator site
See price on siteBook on Viator
Sake tasting bars and classes: how many can you book?
We list 19 sake tasting bars and classes experiences in 6 places, most in Tokyo, Kyoto and Sapporo. Each links to its booking page, with the price as shown there on 18 October 2026.
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Sake tasting bars and classes we list (19)
Showing 19 of 19 experiences. Prices are as shown on each booking page on 18 October 2026, in the currency shown; check the final price before you pay.
Sake Tasting Class with a Sake Professional
Tastings & classesPrivate & sommelier
A two-hour class in Shinjuku with six or more sakes and snacks, comparing serving temperatures and cup shapes.
See price on siteBook on Viator
US$62.19 per personBook on Klook
Sake Tasting: Educational Tour of Six Takayama Breweries
Brewery toursTastings & classes
A two-hour old-town walk tasting at six breweries, in groups of up to four, with an optional look behind the scenes.
See price on siteBook on GetYourGuide
See price on siteBook on Klook
“tasting tasty” Japanese Sake 9 Tasting Experience
Tastings & classesPrivate & sommelier
A guided nine-sake tasting with snacks near Dotonbori, explaining labels and food matches.
See price on siteBook on operator site
See price on siteBook on Viator
Tsukiji: Unlimited Sake Tasting Experience
Tastings & classesPrivate & sommelier
A sommelier-led session in a small Tsukiji salon with 50–60 sakes to sample, snacks, and a comparison of serving temperatures.
US$54 per person
Book on GetYourGuide
Book on GetYourGuide
Asakusa: Sensoji Temple with Sake Tasting Session
Tastings & classes
Senso-ji and a Sumida riverside walk, finishing with a guided tasting at a craft micro-brewery or a sake bar.
See price on siteBook on GetYourGuide
Historic Kanda Sake Tasting at Tokyo’s Oldest Shop (1596)
Tastings & classes
A short Kanda walk and a tasting of about six sakes at Toshimaya, a sake shop founded in 1596.
See price on siteBook on GetYourGuide
Hokkaido Sake Tasting Tour with a Local
Tastings & classesFood pairingPrivate & sommelier
A private three-hour tour with six tastings across izakaya, sake shops and a museum, with food pairings.
See price on siteBook on Klook
Kubota Sake Bar Tasting at Shibuya PARCO
Tastings & classes
A one-hour tasting of ten small pours of Kubota sake, guided by a digital system.
See price on siteBook on Klook
Kyoto Luxury Sake, Whisky, and Cocktail Tour – Evening
Tastings & classes
Sake, Japanese whisky and cocktails in Kyoto’s geisha districts; Tuesday to Saturday.
¥35,200 per adult (from)Book on Arigato Travel
Luxury Kyoto Evening Sake Experience
Tastings & classesFood pairing
An evening of tastings and historic streets in central Kyoto; Tuesday to Saturday.
¥35,200 per adult (from)Book on Arigato Travel
Sake All-You-Can-Drink Experience in Tokyo
Tastings & classes
Self-serve tasting at a sake market bar with 100-plus labels.
See price on siteBook on Klook
Sapporo: Hidden Bars and Local Flavors Guided Night Tour
Tastings & classesFood pairing
Three izakaya with sake tastings led by a certified sake expert.
See price on siteBook on GetYourGuide
Suwa Five Breweries “Gokuraku Set” Self-Guided Tasting
Tastings & classes
Pick up a set at the tourist centre in JR Kami-Suwa Station, then taste 4–5 sakes at each of five breweries (Maihime, Reijin, Honkin, Yokobue and Masumi) along 500 m of the old Koshu Kaido.
¥4,000 per setBook on operator site
Tasting All Types of Sake with Sommelier
Tastings & classesPrivate & sommelier
A 90-minute sommelier tasting of six or seven sake styles in Shinjuku.
See price on siteBook on Viator
Tokyo: Asakusa Japanese Sake Tasting (with Optional Food)
Tastings & classes
A quick tasting at an Asakusa sake bar, with food as an add-on.
US$28 per personBook on GetYourGuide
Tokyo: Asakusa Japanese Sake Tasting with Local Snack Food
Tastings & classesFood pairing
Sake tasting in Asakusa with local snacks.
See price on siteBook on Klook
Tsukiji: Outer Market Walking Tour & Sake Tasting Experience
Tastings & classesFood pairing
A walk through Tsukiji Hongwanji and the outer market, then unlimited tastings at a sake salon.
US$70 per personBook on GetYourGuide
WASAKE Sake Experience: Tasting Programs
Tastings & classesPrivate & sommelier
Seated tasting programmes in Asakusa, from a quick introduction to a longer sommelier-led flight.
¥8,000 per person (Sommelier edition ¥11,000)Book on operator site
Some “Book on” links go to GetYourGuide, Viator or Klook through our affiliate links: we may earn a commission if you book, at no extra cost to you. Links to operators’ own websites and Arigato Travel are not affiliate links. Commissions never affect which experiences we list. Details.
How a sake tasting works
Tasting experiences are the easiest way to try many styles at once. In 60 to 120 minutes a host pours somewhere between five and ten sakes (sometimes unlimited) side by side, from light, fruity ginjo to rich, savoury aged or yamahai sake, and explains labels, temperature and food matches. You do not need any prior knowledge.
Unlike a brewery tour, a tasting happens at a bar, shop or classroom in the city centre, so it fits easily into an evening. Good options include Asakusa and Tsukiji in Tokyo, Fushimi and central Kyoto and Osaka.
Bar flight, class or sommelier session?
A bar flight is short and casual: three to five pours with a few notes. A class is a structured lesson, often with a tasting sheet and a short introduction to brewing. A sommelier session is led by a certified sake expert (for example a Kikisake-shi), often for small groups, and tends to be the most informative and the most expensive.
Getting the most from a tasting
Eat something first, sip rather than drink, and take a photo of the labels you like: shops can usually find the same bottle for you. If you want to buy bottles to take home, ask whether the venue sells them; many tasting shops do.
By place
- Tokyo: 11 experiences
- Kyoto (Fushimi): 3 experiences
- Sapporo: 2 experiences
- Osaka: 1 experience
- Takayama: 1 experience
- Suwa (Kami-Suwa): 1 experience
Frequently asked questions
Is a sake tasting good for beginners?
Yes. Tastings are designed for people new to sake and explain the basics as you go.
How much sake will I drink in a tasting?
Pours are small, often 10–30 ml each. A flight of eight is roughly one or two glasses in total.
Do I need to book a sake tasting?
For the experiences listed here, yes. Booking ahead guarantees an English-speaking host and a seat.