Kyoto Sake Tasting with a Sommelier

About this experience

Book an eighty-minute shared sake tasting at Sanjo Chasui-an in central Kyoto. An International Sommelier of Sake guides the session in English, with a welcome drink, seven further sake servings and snack pairings. The experience is for guests aged twenty and above and is shared with other participants. Compare sake with a guided framework The tasting introduces sake history, brewing styles and label reading, then connects that context to the drinks in front of you. Eight servings in total include the welcome drink. Comparing tastes, vessels and temperatures gives the session a practical focus: you can use the discussion to recognise your preferences and understand why the same sake may feel different under different serving conditions. The operator does not promise a particular bottle list, which can depend on the selection for the session. Kyoto Sake Tasting: book the shared plan with the right expectations This is a shared tasting, not a private room or brewery tour. Each participant, including an accompanying interpreter, requires the appropriate paid booking. Snacks are part of the pairing, but the ticket is not advertised as a full meal. State dietary restrictions when booking; the operator warns that requests may not be possible to accommodate. Arrive at least five minutes before the start and arrange transport that does not involve driving or cycling after the alcohol tasting. Eight sake servings, with snacks to compare pairings The welcome drink is the first of eight sake servings in total, followed by seven further servings during the tasting. Snacks accompany the drinks so you can compare the effect of food on the flavour, rather than taste each sake in isolation. The lesson also considers temperature and the vessels used for serving. These comparisons give you several ways to think about a preference: the drink itself, how it is served and what you eat with it. The pairing snacks are part of the session, but a substantial restaurant meal is not advertised. An English-led tasting for guests aged 20 and above The International Sommelier of Sake explains the session in English, covering sake history, brewing, styles and label reading. No previous sake knowledge is required. This is a shared experience, so other booked guests join the table; it is not a private brewery tour. Every participant requires a paid place, including an interpreter accompanying another guest. Guests must be at least twenty years old. Make those participation conditions part of your booking decision, particularly if you are arranging the activity for a mixed-age group or bringing someone to interpret. Arrive at Sanjo Chasui-an before the tasting The session takes place at Sanjo Chasui-an, 324-2 Sanjocho in Kyoto’s Nakagyo Ward. Arrive at least five minutes before the eighty-minute session begins so you can join the explanation from the start. Travel to and from the venue is separate from the ticket. Arrange an onward journey that does not involve driving a car or riding a bicycle after drinking. Dietary requirements should be declared when booking, because a change to the snacks is not guaranteed. If you want to keep exploring sake afterwards, a separately booked brewery visit provides a different setting from this guided tasting. More to discover in Kyoto Matsui Sake Brewery Private Tour and Tasting: Book a private ninety-minute visit to Matsui Sake Brewery in Kyoto with a guided brewery tour and a tasting of rare, limited-edition sake. Private Arashiyama Walk and Sake Brewery Tour: Book a private Kyoto walking tour through Arashiyama followed by a visit and sake tasting at Tanzan Brewery in Kameoka. Kyoto Aquarium Tickets: Book Kyoto Aquarium tickets for an indoor exploration of aquatic life, from the rivers and lakes around Kyoto to marine habitats further afield.

Highlights

• Welcome drink and 7 types of sake (8 sakes in total)
• Snack pairing

What is included

• Welcome drink and seven further sake servings, eight in total
• Snack pairings
• English-led shared session with an International Sommelier of Sake

Not included

• Transportation to and from the venue

Before you go

Guests must be twenty or older. Do not drive or cycle after tasting. Declare dietary needs when booking; accommodation is not guaranteed. Transport is excluded.

Cancellation terms

Cancel at least 24 hours before the booked start time for a full refund. Reschedule at least 24 hours before the booked start time.