Sake Brewery Tour And Sake Tasting In Kyoto

Most sake brewery tours are impersonal group tours that require a long journey into the countryside, but there’s one brewery in central Kyoto that offers private tours and sake tasting. It’s called Sasaki Shuzo and they offer private tours led by the head brewer.

[Sake samples and snacks. Photo courtesy of Wabunka]

Introduction

There used to be over 100 sake breweries in central Kyoto, but most have gone out of business or relocated to the Fushimi district, south of the city. Sasaki Shuzo, which was established 130 years ago, is one of the only remaining sake breweries in the heart of the city. It’s located a short walk north of Nijo Castle and not too far west of the Kyoto Imperial Palace Park. Thus, it’s easy to pair a visit here with some sightseeing at the castle or the park.

[Sasaki Shuzo sake brewery. Photo courtesy of Wabunka]

Wabunka, which offers a variety of carefully curated private Japan cultural experiences, has worked with Sasaki Shuzo to create a perfect brewery tour and tasting experience. As with all their experiences, this one is fully private, so it will only be you and your family or friends. And, like their other experiences, they provide a fully bilingual guide/interpreter so communication is painless.

The tour takes 100 minutes and costs ¥28,000 per person (note, there is a surcharge for groups of one or two people). The interpreter/guide and sake tasting after the tour is included in the fee.

The Experience

The Wabunka guide will meet you outside of Sasaki Shuzo and will introduce you to the master brewer, Yasuhide Hikita, a genial man with a great sense of humor. Hikita might point out the “sugidama” (cedar ball) that hangs outside the premises. You will see these outside sake breweries, shops and izakaya. When they’re first hung up they are green and they slowly turn brown over a number of months. Sugidama were used to tell residents who lived near sake breweries when fresh sake would be ready for drinking.

[Yasuhide Hikita working in the brewery. Photo courtesy of Wabunka]

Before entering the brewery, Hikita leads you on a brief walk around the neighborhood, recounting the area’s rich brewing history. As you walk, Hikita points out local landmarks like Jittoku, a “live house” (live music venue) housed in a former sake brewery that has played host to some of Kyoto’s best concerts and parties, as well as several Nishijin-ori textile workshops. We love how the tour is structured to provide both physical and cultural context to the brewery itself.

After the neighborhood tour, you enter Sasaki Shuzo. The shop area is lined with shelves of sake bottles, interspersed with charming cat-themed merchandise, a nod to the brewery’s beloved “remote worker” cats. The towering brick and wood structure, unchanged since its founding, retains a tall chimney from the days when rice was steamed over coal fires, reinforcing the authenticity of the setting.

[Sasaki Shuzo entrance. Photo courtesy of Wabunka]

After checking out the entrance area, you proceed to the sake production area. Hygiene is paramount, and visitors don hairnets before stepping inside. Hikita explains the seasonal nature of sake brewing, which is conducted in the colder months to prevent unwanted bacterial growth. The process begins with the washing and steaming of sake rice, specially polished to remove outer layers that can negatively affect flavor. Depending on the timing, guests may witness enormous steamers filled with rice, a sight that never fails to impress.

Next, guests observe the conveyor system that transports steamed rice while at the same time cooling it, an innovation that replaced labor-intensive manual transport. Hikita details the koji cultivation process, which is essential for converting starches into fermentable sugars. Screens displaying live footage of the koji room underscore the brewery’s meticulous monitoring of this crucial stage.

In the pressing area, you encounter the distinct, sharper scent of alcohol. Hikita showcases traditional and modern pressing techniques, from vertical pressing machines to centrifuges and the highly labor-intensive drip method, which yields the purest sake. The opportunity to observe these contrasting methods offers insight into the balance of tradition and technology in modern brewing.

[Fermentation vats. Photo courtesy of Wabunka]

The journey continues into the fermentation area, where massive tanks house the fermenting moromi (sake mash composed of rice, koji and water). You can climb a ladder to peer inside the vat and feel the heat given off by the fermentation process, giving you a real feeling for the living quality of sake. As you explore the production area, Hikita gives a fascinating explanation of the unique multiple parallel fermentation process, which simultaneously converts rice starch to glucose and glucose to alcohol---a departure from the simpler processes of wine and beer.

The tour concludes in the storage and bottling area, where bottles are labeled and prepared for shipment. If you want, you can try your hand at applying labels to small bottles, which you can take home as a souvenir. The hands-on component adds a personal touch, reinforcing the connection between visitor and product.

[Sasaki Shuzo sake bottles. Photo courtesy of Wabunka]

Tasting The Final Product

The final segment takes place in the tasting room, a modern space contrasting with the brewery’s rustic interior. Here, you can sample a curated selection of Sasaki Shuzo’s sake, comparing flavors, aromas, and the effects of varying rice polishing ratios. Hikitaka provides a wonderful commentary on each selection and encourages you to savor the fragrance before each sip. This experience will allow you to choose better sakes at restaurants during the rest of your stay in Japan, and to better understand and enjoy the sake your drink.

[Sake samples being poured. Photo courtesy of Wabunka]

One For The Road

As a token of appreciation, each guest receives a handcrafted Kiyomizu-yaki sake cup, boxed and ready for travel. Hikita personally thanks each visitor, often accompanying them back to the shop to assist with purchases. Popular choices include the Jurakudai Junmai Daiginjo, a refined yet reasonably priced sake available in various sizes. The brewery’s cat-themed merchandise and Kyoto-made cups further entice shoppers, adding whimsical charm to their take-home souvenirs.

[Sasaki Shuzo store area. Photo courtesy of Wabunka]

Would We Recommend This Tour?

For fans of Japanese sake or those wanting to learn more about it, this tour is highly recommended. It’s perfect for those who want to get an inside look at how sake is made and for those who want some guidance in understanding the various tastes and styles of sake.

How To Book A Private Tour And Sake Tasting At Sasaki Shuzo

This experience is offered by Wabunka, which curates a variety of authentic cultural experiences in Kyoto and Tokyo. You can book directly with Wabunka.

More Information

• Exploring Fushimi — Kyoto’s Sake District

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