L
Our guide was...
Our guide was perfect!! Satoe explained the sake production to us, we also saw the large sake tanks, the explanation was very informative, thank you very much, I recommend it!!
Takayama: Authentic Sake Tasting at a Historic Brewery
+11 photos
At a glance
- Duration
- 30 min
- Price from
- $50 / person
- Location
- Takayama, Japan
- Rating
- 4.8 / 5 · 71 reviews
- Languages
- EN
- Group
- Small group, up to 15
- Cancellation
- Free cancellation up to 24 hours before
- Confirmation
- Instant
- Ticket
- Mobile or paper ticket accepted
- Operator
- Happy Tour
- Meeting point
- HappyPlus Tour desk.In front of 'Tours & Activities' sign board.You can search 'Happy plus' in Google map.
Description
Takayama has a long sake-brewing history. More than 300 years ago, the town had 56 sake breweries, supported by its cold climate, pure mountain water, and craftsmanship. Today, seven breweries remain in the old town area, all within about 200 meters. This rare concentration offers a unique chance to experience Takayama’s sake culture in a short time. On this tour, you will visit one historic brewery and learn about sake-making, local traditions, and the characteristics of Takayama sake. The tour will be held at either Hirase Sake Brewery or Funasaka Sake Brewery, depending on opening hours, business conditions, and production schedules. Some production areas may not be accessible for hygiene and safety reasons. The tour will end at the brewery visited. Tours are conducted in English or Japanese. Alcohol cannot be served to anyone under 20 under Japanese law. This tour generally operates rain or snow, but may be canceled or adjusted if safe operation is difficult.
Schedule & prices
- Runs
- Every day
- Start times
- 8 times a day, 9:00 AM–4:00 PM
- Next available
- Wed, Oct 14
- Adult (ages 6–88)
- $50
- Child (ages 0–5)
- $14
Prices are per person when two book together; a solo traveller pays $57.
In demand: 196 of the next 240 departures are already sold out.
From the operator’s live schedule on Viator, checked Oct 13.
Tour Options
Itinerary
Hirase Shuzo Brewery
You can see inside factory and tasting in this place.
What's included
Included
You can see facilities & Kura to make Sake
Tax
Guide in English
Tasting Sake
Not included
Any other things
Traveller Ratings
Reviews collected by Viator and Tripadvisor
4.8
71 reviews
How it compares in Takayama
- No. 7 by number of reviews among 134 tours in Takayama
- Starting price $50 is 37% below the typical $79 for tours of similar length in Takayama
Excurgo comparison of 134 Viator tours, recalculated daily.
Important Information
- Not recommended for travelers with spinal injuries
- Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health
- Not recommended for pregnant travelers
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
- All areas and surfaces are wheelchair accessible
- Transportation options are wheelchair accessible
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
- Wheelchair accessible
Cancellation
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
1+ days before100% refund
0–1 days before0% refund
Frequently asked questions
How long does Takayama: Authentic Sake Tasting at a Historic Brewery take?
Takayama: Authentic Sake Tasting at a Historic Brewery lasts about 30 min. The itinerary has 1 stop.
How much does Takayama: Authentic Sake Tasting at a Historic Brewery cost?
Prices start at $50 per person for this Takayama experience, booked through Viator with the price shown before checkout. That is the per-person price when two book together; a solo traveller pays $57. There is 1 booking option, so the final price depends on the option you choose.
What days does Takayama: Authentic Sake Tasting at a Historic Brewery run?
According to the operator’s current schedule, it runs every day, with 8 departures a day between 9:00 AM and 4:00 PM.
How much does Takayama: Authentic Sake Tasting at a Historic Brewery cost for children?
Children aged 0–5 pay from $14, adults from $50.
Does Takayama: Authentic Sake Tasting at a Historic Brewery sell out?
It can: 196 of the next 240 departures are already sold out, so booking ahead is a good idea.
Can I cancel Takayama: Authentic Sake Tasting at a Historic Brewery for free?
Yes. Cancel at least 1 day before the start for a full refund. Later cancellations are non-refundable.
Where does the tour start?
The meeting point is HappyPlus Tour desk. In front of 'Tours & Activities' sign board. You can search 'Happy plus' in Google map. Hotel pickup is not part of this experience.
What languages is Takayama: Authentic Sake Tasting at a Historic Brewery offered in?
The experience is available in EN.
Is this a private or a group tour?
It is a small-group experience with a maximum of 15 participants.
Is the tour suitable for children?
Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
Is the tour wheelchair accessible?
All areas and surfaces are wheelchair accessible Transportation options are wheelchair accessible Wheelchair accessible
Reviews(71)
Reviews collected by Viator and Tripadvisor
L
A fun way to spend an afternoon!
This was a really interesting tour with lots of background on how sake is made as well as lots of opportunity for tastings with explanations. Takumi gave us a thorough rundown or the whole process as well as explaining the differences in types of sake and how they affect tastes. Be warned though - you will need an extra bag to take home your supplies after the tasting!
A
Wasted money & bad English
Tour leader spoke poor English. The tour does not go to or past a working brewery. The guide tells you how Sake is made using plasticized A4 sheets. You don't see anything of the production anywhere. You can take a picture at two places at the entrance. The tasting was fine.
Operator response
Thank you very much for joining our tour and for sharing your feedback!! We are sorry to hear that the experience did not fully meet your expectations. Regarding the brewery visit, we would like to clarify that the tour does include access to areas related to the production process. However, as sake brewing is a delicate process, production is not always visible or active depending on the timing. To help guests understand the process more clearly, our guides also use photos and visual materials during the explanation. We also sincerely apologize for the guide’s English level. We are continuously working to improve both our communication and the overall quality of the tour. We are glad to hear that you enjoyed the sake tasting, and we truly appreciate your feedback as it helps us improve for future guests. Thank you again for joining us, and we wish you a wonderful trip!!
C
Great Sake Brewery Tour
We really enjoyed our small group Funasaka Sake Brewery tour. Satoe our friendly and expert guide clearly provided the historic context and explained about the different types of rice used in the production and brewing process, before taking us through our tasty and enjoyable sake tasting session. Would definitely recommend this tour.
P
A great experience.
This was such a lot of fun. We learned such a lot about making sake from our wonderful guide, and the tasting was amazing - we had never imagined there could be so many different varieties of depth and taste.
W
Great tour and the best guide.
Our guide was so nice and very informative (thanks Sato). The tour went into the back rooms of the brewery. I learnt many new things about the complex process for making quality Sake. Next time I’d book directly with Happy Plus tours for less than half the cost. TripAdvisor is a complete rip off.
C
Great experience
We really enjoyed our time and learned a lot. Yama was great. Worth it for the tasting and learning about sake. We also purchased some bottles to bring home
K
Detailed review of sake...
Detailed review of sake making process and the tastings were delicious. The host was knowledgeable and patient in answering questions.
N
Great tour, great tour...
Great tour, great tour guide! Super interesting seeing the oldest sake brewery in Japan! Also got to try some great sake as well.
P
Informative and delicious
The tour was very interesting and the guide was very friendly. He answered all the questions. The highlight was the tasting of 7 different sake bottles.
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- Shortest: Takayama: Authentic Sake Tasting at a Historic Brewery — 30 min
| Tour | Duration | Rating | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Takayama: Authentic Sake Tasting at a Historic Brewery | 30 min | 4.8 (71) | $50 | |
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 Takayama Guided Sake Tasting Tour – Visit Three Breweries | 2h 30min | 5.0 (6) | $115 | View |
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 Takayama Funasaka Sake Brewery Tour and Tasting | 1h 30min | — | $129 | View |
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 Takayama Sake 101 History, Culture and Tasting | 1 hour | 5.0 (2) | $90 | View |
from$50
4.8(71) Free cancellation