13 Bar Crawls in Kyoto Worth Booking

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

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

Spend 3.5 hours eating through Gion and Pontocho with a small group of up to seven. Expect Kyoto vegetable dishes, local specialties, drinks, and sake tastings, plus stories about geisha districts, architecture, and Kyoto life from guides such as Jimmy, Emma, Rika, and Yuki.

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

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

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

Spend three hours in Fushimi with a certified sake sommelier. Visit the Gekkeikan Okura Sake Museum, taste 10 carefully selected sakes, compare food pairings, and learn how to read labels and order with confidence. Guides such as Kyoko, Miyuki, Mai, and Shogo are praised for clear, friendly teaching.

“We thoroughly enjoyed our experience at the Sake Insider Tasting Experience. The educators provided great knowledge on many varieties of sake and provided such a relaxing, informative and enjoyable experience all round.”

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

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

Spend five hours walking through Arashiyama with a bilingual guide such as Karim, Francis, Tom, or Toru. See the bamboo grove, Nonomiya Shrine, Okochi Sanso Garden, Tenryuji Temple, Togetsukyo Bridge, and Iwatayama Monkey Park, with an alternate route offering local lunch and sake tasting.

“Francis was an incredible guide! We learned a lot about Kyoto (and Japan in general). He was very accommodating and we all enjoyed talking to him. Would highly recommend!”

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4.Izakaya Bars Guided Walking Tour

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

Start near Kyoto’s Disney Store and walk through Kawaramachi and Kiyamachi with an English-speaking guide such as Moto, Taiga, Mia, or Lyou. You’ll visit local izakayas and bars, taste Japanese drinks and food at your own cost, and finish at a low-key bar known to the guide.

“My man Leo gave us all the recs we needed and was very informative and nice, would recommend him to anyone”

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5.Insider Sake Brewery Tour with Sake and Food Pairing

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

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

“Kyoko was an excellent tour guide. Not only was she extremely knowledgeable about all things sake, she was a very kind and funny tour guide. Learned so much about sake, its history, and what kind exactly that I would like. Definitely would recommend this tour if you’re interested in sake and its history.”

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6.Kyoto Sake Brewery & Tasting Walking Tour

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

Walk Kyoto’s Fushimi brewery district with a certified MagicalTrip guide such as Matt, Rika, or Yukari. Visit the Gekkeikan Okura Sake Museum, pass historic Teradaya, see the Kappa Gallery, and finish with up to 18 Kyoto sake tastings at a local restaurant. Food costs extra.

“Rika was a wonderful tour guide. She spoke good English and was knowledgeable able sake. It was a fun few hours to figure out which kind of sake we prefer.”

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7.Kyoto Bar Hopping Night Tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 613 reviews · from $105

Meet near Gion Shijo Station and follow a MagicalTrip guide through Pontocho or Kiyamachi for three local bars. You’ll enjoy 3 to 4 drinks, a full dinner of izakaya dishes, and Kyoto-made sake, with guides such as Nami, Yumi, Noriko, and Yaya bringing local context to the night.

“We had an amazing night wandering through the backstreets and alleyways of Kyoto. Our host guided us to hidden gems, where we sampled a variety of local dishes—some we loved, others not as much, but that’s the thrill of trying new things. I also discovered a newfound appreciation for the Japanese Highball! If you ever find yourself in Kyoto, this experience is a must.”

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8.Kyoto Local Bar Crawl in Kawaramachi Area

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 378 reviews · from $28

Join a local guide such as Taiga, Mia, Moto, or Kazuma for a three-hour walk through Shijo Kawaramachi and Kiyamachi. Expect yakitori, karaage, sake, Japanese whiskey, small bars, and a sociable group of up to 15 people. Food and drinks cost extra.

“Excellent tour. Taiga took us to places you will not find yourself and made sure the entire group felt comfortable all along. Can recommend especially for solo travellers!”

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9.1.5-Hour Kyoto Insider Sake Experience with 7 Tastings & Pairings

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 297 reviews · from $68

In Kyoto’s Fushimi district, a certified sake sommelier leads you through seven carefully chosen sakes, traditional otsumami snacks, and simple ways to read labels and menus. The private tasting room keeps the session relaxed, while a take-home cheat sheet helps you order with confidence later.

“The lady running the tour was grate. Funny and knowledgeable. The pairings are vary well thought out”

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10.Insider Sake Experience with 7 Tastings and Snacks

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 266 reviews · 1h 30m · from $66

Meet an English-speaking sake expert in a dedicated Kyoto tasting room for seven generous pours, Japanese otsumami, and a practical lesson in brewing, flavor, food pairing, and bottle labels. Guides such as Mayo, Kotaro, Kiyomi, and Greg make this a friendly first step into sake.

“Mayo was our saki sommelier and she was engaging and very knowledgeable. Her selection of tastings was excellent providing different saki with a variety of polishing and how it affects the flavor. A great learning experience where you could determine what you personally like. First you did the tasting without food and then you tasted with food. Have a snack before you come so you can enjoy it a little bit more as saki can be strong in taste. Also we learned how to read the bottles. I would absolutely recommend this as it was an excellent price value. Lovely restaurants in the area.”

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11.Afternoon Japanese Izakaya Cooking Class

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 241 reviews · 3 hours · from $67

Spend three hours at Cooking Sun in central Kyoto learning everyday izakaya dishes with English-speaking instructors such as Yumi and Yumiko. You cook in two rounds, eat what you make, practice basic Japanese techniques, and take recipes home for another try.

“We had so much fun and learned a lot about Japanese cuisine. The dishes were delicious! The host were so patient and positive. I highly recommend this activity.”

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12.Izakaya Style Cooking Class

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 219 reviews · from $71

Join an English-speaking chef at Cooking Sun Kyoto for a three-hour, hands-on izakaya class. You’ll learn dashi, Japanese seasoning, and several casual dishes, then eat what you prepare. The menu changes with the season, and recipes go home with you.

“This experience far exceeded our expectations! The food was delicious, and we were taught how to make 6 different and unique dishes. The staff was on point and would clean or deliver ingredients without us realizing it. We had a lot of fun! I would do another class next time I visit Japan.”

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13.Private Tea Ceremony and Sake Tasting in Kyoto Samurai House

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 163 reviews · from $99

Spend about 50 minutes in a private Kyoto samurai house with a tea master and warm local hosts. Learn the matcha ritual, whisk your own tea, choose five sake shots or two Japanese whisky tastings, and pose in kimono or samurai clothing. The house is an eight-minute walk from Kyoto Station.

“The tea ceremony was beautiful and meditative. Such an incredible cultural experience that was definitely the highlight of our trip. The sake tasting afterwards was really great as well. We did the kimonos as well which I highly recommend! We loved that it was a private experience where you could relax, enjoy, and ask any questions you wanted. The hosts are amazing!”

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