Japan · DRINKING TOURS

The 15 Best Drinking Tours in Japan

69 tours  ·  from $6

Standing bars, Golden Gai staircases, sake breweries and an izakaya that has never had an English menu. The 15 below are priced by what is included and clear on group size and how late each one runs.

Tokyo Bar Hopping Tour in Shinjuku (All-You-Can-Drink + Dinner) - Kabukicho adds noise, choice, and a livelier pub setting
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Tokyo Bar Hopping Tour in Shinjuku (All-You-Can-Drink + Dinner)

1.Tokyo Bar Hopping Tour in Shinjuku (All-You-Can-Drink + Dinner)

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 3,587 reviews · from $106Our pick

Spend about three hours with a small group of up to seven, visiting three Shinjuku drinking spots. Your guide handles ordering and etiquette while you enjoy Japanese dishes, drinks, and backstreet areas including Omoide Yokocho, Kabukicho, and Golden Gai.

“Shohei was very knowledgeable about the area. He gave us plenty of stories about celebrities who've been to the area and interactions he's had with them.”

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Best of Shinjuku: Izakaya Food Tour (4 Stops, 14+ Tastings) - Nishishinjuku Starts the Night With Two or Three Izakayas
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Best of Shinjuku: Izakaya Food Tour (4 Stops, 14+ Tastings)

2.Best of Shinjuku: Izakaya Food Tour (4 Stops, 14+ Tastings)

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 1,863 reviews · from $92

Join Ninja Food Tours for a 3.5-hour walk through Nishishinjuku, Kabukicho, Golden Gai, and Omoide Yokocho. You will visit local izakayas for 14 or more tastings and three drinks, with guides such as Taiga, Yusuke, Nobu, and Chi explaining the food, sake, and nightlife.

“We had a wonderful evening exploring three different traditional venues, each with its own unique atmosphere. The food was excellent throughout, showcasing the best of the local cuisine. Our guide, Taiga, was incredibly knowledgeable and Read more”

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Tokyo: Shinjuku Local Bar and Izakaya Guided Walking Tour - Reading Kabukicho beyond the neon
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Tokyo: Shinjuku Local Bar and Izakaya Guided Walking Tour

3.Shinjuku Local Bar and Izakaya Guided Walking Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 1,794 reviews · 3 hours · from $34

Spend three hours walking Shinjuku with an English-speaking local guide such as Nao, Naoya, Toshi, or Kei. Visit Omoide Yokocho, Kabukicho, and Golden Gai, then try local bars, izakaya food, sake, beer, and karaoke. Venue choices can change, and food and drinks cost extra.

“This was a really fun tour! We had a small group, and it was great to get to enjoy the experience all together. We met some lovely people, had some great food and drinks. The karaoke was definitely the highlight! Shota was a great guide and a lot of fun, very friendly and interactive. Would recommend this tour!”

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Kyoto Night Foodie Tour in Gion (9+ dishes + 6 Sake tastings) - Gion Shirakawa and Kyoto-style vegetable dishes
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Kyoto Night Foodie Tour in Gion (9+ dishes + 6 Sake tastings)

4.Kyoto Night Foodie Tour in Gion (9+ dishes + 6 Sake tastings)

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 1,762 reviews · from $163

Spend about three and a half hours eating through Gion and Pontocho with a group of no more than seven. Expect Kyoto vegetable dishes, local specialties, drinks, and sake tasting at a standing bar, with guides such as Jimmy, Emma, Rika, and Yuki adding food and neighborhood context.

“Ok experience. The guide was knowledgeable about the area. Too much politics were discussed for my taste,”

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Shibuya Meltdown Nightlife Tour: All-You-Can-Drink Bar Hopping - The indoor meat alley and its izakaya menu
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Shibuya Meltdown Nightlife Tour: All-You-Can-Drink Bar Hopping

5.Shibuya Meltdown Nightlife Tour: All-You-Can-Drink Bar Hopping

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 1,058 reviews · from $106

Spend 3.5 hours eating and drinking through Shibuya with guides such as Naoki, Mayu, Daichi, or Sara. Visit an indoor meat alley, local izakayas, and possibly a karaoke bar. The small-group format, capped at eight people, helps first-time visitors handle Tokyo’s bar scene with ease.

“It was a lot of fun, great section of Tokyo to visit and the itinerary was perfect because KC took us to three places we never would have found on our own”

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1-Day Snow Monkeys, Zenko-ji Temple & Sake in Nagano - A 30-minute introduction to Nagano sake
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1-Day Snow Monkeys, Zenko-ji Temple & Sake in Nagano

6.1-Day Snow Monkeys, Zenko-ji Temple & Sake in Nagano

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 1,020 reviews · from $151

Spend about eight hours with an English-speaking guide visiting Zenko-ji Temple, tasting Nagano sake, eating a regional lunch, and walking to Jigokudani Snow Monkey Park. Guides such as Tom, Endo, Kieran, Nadine, and Jens have led recent departures. Winter visitors need warm layers and sturdy traction.

“We were lucky to have Tom as our guide. He is extremely knowledgeable not only about Japanese history but also gave an excellent summary of sake production and the different types as well as the snow monkeys and Nagano attractions. Tom was also very generous with recommendations for other areas in Japan. The tour was an excellent combination of the temple tour and snow monkey forest. Fantastic lunch included. Plenty of time to see the Zenkoji temple as well as the monkeys. Thanks Tom”

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Osaka Bar Hopping Night Walking Tour in Namba (3 bars, 6 tastes) - The first hour: three stops in Minami
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Osaka Bar Hopping Night Walking Tour in Namba (3 bars, 6 tastes)

7.Osaka Bar Hopping Night Walking Tour in Namba (3 bars, 6 tastes)

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 958 reviews · from $98

Join a local guide such as Mina, Taku, Mari, or Yuko for a three-hour walk through Namba’s food alleys and nightlife. Visit three Japanese bars or izakaya-style venues, try several foods and drinks, see Hozenji Temple and Hozenji Yokocho, and finish near the meeting point. Groups are capped at seven.

“Yuko was a fantastic guide who took us on a full stroll through Dotonburi (including showing us great spots for pictures and pointing out restaurants known for various types of foods like ramen, okonomiyaki, takoyaki, etc.) and to three spots in total, including a terrific Japanese whiskey bar to cap the night off. Highly recommend.”

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Tokyo: Pub Crawl and Bar Tour - The third stop and the shift toward dancing
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Tokyo: Pub Crawl and Bar Tour

8.Pub Crawl and Bar Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 951 reviews · 5 hours · from $27

Start at Bar Propaganda in Roppongi, meet guides such as KT, Leah, Crystal, or Andrew, then visit two local bars before ending at SEL OCTAGON TOKYO. Expect games, welcome shots, discounted drinks, photos, and a large international group. Bring valid photo ID and dress for club entry.

“They know how to entertain! It was good life from the first bar and it continued throughout the evening. Both the "staff" and other "guests" made the evening absolutely wonderful and unforgettable. Strongly recommend if you are looking for a real party atmosphere and want to meet new people. I traveled alone and immediately felt included.”

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3-Hour Kyoto Insider Sake Brewery Tour with Tastings & Pairings - Starting at the Gekkeikan Okura Sake Museum
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3-Hour Kyoto Insider Sake Brewery Tour with Tastings & Pairings

9.3-Hour Kyoto Insider Sake Brewery Tour with Tastings & Pairings

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 917 reviews · from $84

Spend three hours in Kyoto’s Fushimi sake district with a certified Sake Sommelier. Visit the Gekkeikan Okura Sake Museum, sample 10 styles, compare food pairings, and learn how to read sake labels. Guides such as Kyoko, Miyuki, Mai, and Shogo bring a clear, friendly approach to beginners.

“This was such an amazing experience! Our guide was very informative, we learned so much about Sake!! We would highly recommend this tour💕”

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Tokyo: Shinjuku Local Bar & Izakaya Crawl Tour - Kabukicho after dark
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Tokyo: Shinjuku Local Bar & Izakaya Crawl Tour

10.Shinjuku Local Bar & Izakaya Crawl Tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 890 reviews · from $39

Join a small-group evening walk through Shinjuku’s Omoide Yokocho, Kabukicho, and Golden Gai. Your English-speaking guide helps with ordering, explains local drinking customs, and leads you to izakayas, sake bars, and sometimes karaoke. Food and drinks cost extra, so budget beyond the $39.79 tour fee.

“Yoshi crafted an excellent evening sampling a local experience in an Izakaya pub, sake samples and karaoke bar . This is a perfect tour whether solo or in a group as you become fast friends with your group exploring the night scene in Shinjuku”

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Arashiyama Bamboo, Temple, Monkeys, or Secret Sake Brewery - Starting at Saga-Arashiyama Station
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Arashiyama Bamboo, Temple, Monkeys, or Secret Sake Brewery

11.Arashiyama Bamboo, Temple, Monkeys, or Secret Sake Brewery

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 886 reviews · 5 hours - 330 minutes · from $87

Meet your English-speaking guide at Saga-Arashiyama Station for a five-hour walk through the bamboo grove, Nonomiya Shrine, Okochi Sanso Garden, Tenryuji Temple, and Monkey Park. Choose a shopping-and-monkey route or a local lunch with sake tasting. Guides include Karim, Tom, Francis, Toru, and others.

“We had a fantastic time Tom is an excellent guide. He was so knowledgeable and took everything at a nice easy pace. We had the benefit of a small group, so it was able to answer all our questions . The tour covered some lovely areas and we saw things that we definitely would have missed. I would definitely recommend it to anybody visiting Kyoto .”

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Nagano: Snow Monkeys, Zenkoji Temple & Sake Day Trip - Zenkoji Temple gives the day its cultural center
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Nagano: Snow Monkeys, Zenkoji Temple & Sake Day Trip

12.Snow Monkeys, Zenkoji Temple & Sake Day Trip

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 833 reviews · 8 - 12 hours · from $135

Join an English-speaking guide such as Dylan, Brent, or Tom for a full day in Nagano. Visit Zenkoji Temple, enter its pitch-black inner passage if you choose, taste several sakes, enjoy a generous local lunch, and walk 1.6 km each way to the Snow Monkey Park.

“What a wonderful day! The guides were great and very informative. The transportation was perfect. The meal was amazing. So fun and wonderful.”

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Kyoto: Izakaya Bars Guided Walking Tour - Kawaramachi’s lanes and the first taste of local life
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Kyoto: Izakaya Bars Guided Walking Tour

13.Izakaya Bars Guided Walking Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 815 reviews · 3 hours · from $25

Meet your English-speaking guide at Kyoto’s Disney Store and spend three hours walking through Kawaramachi and Kiyamachi. Expect small-group bar hopping, local food, sake tasting, cultural notes, and a final stop at a tucked-away bar. Guides include Moto, Taiga, Mia, Leo, Lyou, and others.

“Taiga was our guide and he did such an amazing job showing us around the izakayas while giving us a nice background about the drinks and Kyoto!! So much fun!!!”

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Kyoto: Insider Sake Brewery Tour with Sake and Food Pairing - Inside the Gekkeikan Okura Sake Museum
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Kyoto: Insider Sake Brewery Tour with Sake and Food Pairing

14.Insider Sake Brewery Tour with Sake and Food Pairing

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 704 reviews · 3 hours · from $87

Meet an English-speaking sake expert at Gekkeikan Okura Sake Museum in Fushimi. Walk through the brewing process, compare 10 or more sake styles, then taste them with otsumami in a private tasting room. You’ll learn how to read labels, choose hot or cold sake, and order with confidence.

“What an amazing experience! We loved her approach including the presentation in large format so we all could see it as well as the little business card sized cheat sheet. The museum was educational and the separate tasting was also special. I appreciated the tasting starting on its own and then again wi the food - what a difference! Thank you, again. Truly amazing experience!!”

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Kyoto Sake Brewery & Tasting Walking Tour - Inside the Gekkeikan Okura Sake Museum
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Kyoto Sake Brewery & Tasting Walking Tour

15.Kyoto Sake Brewery & Tasting Walking Tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 623 reviews · from $98

Walk through Kyoto’s Fushimi sake district, visit the Gekkeikan Okura Sake Museum, pass historic Teradaya, and stop at Kappa Gallery before tasting up to 18 Kyoto sakes at a local sake restaurant. Guides such as Matt, Rika, Kumi, and Yukari add history, tasting advice, and local tips.

“We had the best experience with our guide (Eri), she was so sweet and interactive! Highly recommend this tour to anyone who loves Sake or wants to gain more knowledge and taste a wide variety of local sakes”

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New in Drinking Tours

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★ 5.03.5h Osaka Night guided Local Bar Hopping, Sake & KaraokeFrom $4027 reviews
★ 4.8Cooking Class & Sake Tasting with Local Market VisitFrom $9031 reviews
★ 4.7Bar-Hopping Night Tour in NambaFrom $112117 reviews
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★ 3.9Sky BAR TOPTREE Nightclub Entry Ticket+Drink & VIPFrom $616 reviews
★ 5.0Naha Bar Hopping Tour in OkinawaFrom $12051 reviews
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