The Top 15 Food & Drink Experiences in Japan, Ranked

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

May 12, 2026 by

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

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · from $92Our pick

Taste 14+ izakaya dishes across four Shinjuku stops, with 3 drinks included, plus neon-night walks through Golden Gai and Omoide Yokocho.

“This tour was amazing. Our expectations were to go to a few restaurants and eat local Japanese food. Chi (our guide) not only escorted us to various eateries where we experienced many different dishes but she also taught us about the food itself. Chi was a fantastic tour guide. We went down alleys where she talked all about the very small diners and the various food they serve. She also recommended drinks for the type of food we were experiencing. We not only experienced great food and drinks, but so much culture and history. about My husband and I can’t say enough about this fantastic tour and our guide, Chi.…”

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

May 12, 2026 by

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

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · from $151

Zenko-ji, guided sake tasting, and Jigokudani Snow Monkeys in Nagano, with lunch and transport for a full 8-hour day.

“Our guide Tom was a great guide! He was fun to listen to and super knowledgeable about the locations we visited. He made learning about the history really fun. Zenkoji temple was beautiful and the snack recommendations were on point. Bring ice cleats for trekking up to see the monkeys, the combination of slope, ice and trampled snow makes it very slippery. They do sell cleats onsite but if you bring your own then you dont have to buy more. Tom even took us on a quick walk thru of the nagano station food area and recommended some snacks that were satisfactory purchases 👍🏻 especially after knowing some of the…”

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

May 12, 2026 by

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

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · from $84

3 hours in Kyoto’s Fushimi with a Sake Sommelier: museum context, 10 tastings, and otsumami pairings plus a cheat sheet to order confidently.

“Very interesting and informative. I was able to learn the basics of sake, learn my preference and pairings so I can go home and confidently drink sake. Kyoko was so knowledgable, and enthusiastic which rubbed off on use as well. Would definitely do agian.”

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Nagano: Snow Monkeys, Zenkoji Temple & Sake Day Trip

May 12, 2026 by

4.Nagano: Snow Monkeys, Zenkoji Temple & Sake Day Trip

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

A full-day Nagano trip mixing Zenko-ji Temple, a short food stop, lunch, sake tasting, and Jigokudani Snow Monkeys in winter.

“An incredible experience! Our guides Jake and Hiroshi were fantastic - highly knowledgeable and friendly. They added so much to our experience. Obviously the snow monkeys and Zenkoji temple were amazing. Same tasting was a great break. Lunch was extremely delicious, I feel like they should advertise how good it is more! Overall, an unforgettable day, well worth the price of admission!”

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Kyoto: Insider Sake Brewery Tour with Sake and Food Pairing

May 12, 2026 by

5.Kyoto: Insider Sake Brewery Tour with Sake and Food Pairing

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 3 hours · from $87

Kyoto’s Fushimi sake district in 3 hours: Gekkeikan museum basics, 10+ sake tastings, otsumami pairings, and label-reading skills.

“A fun tour to learn about sake and taste many different types. Kyoko was a great guide, good experience.”

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Kyoto Sake Brewery & Tasting Walking Tour

May 12, 2026 by

6.Kyoto Sake Brewery & Tasting Walking Tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · from $98

Fushimi Kyoto sake walking tour: Gekkeikan Okura Museum and 18 tastings with a small group, plus photo stops.

“Really enjoyed the Sake museum and learning about how it’s made before sampling. Realized that the sake distillery that the museum is attached to is actually the same sake brand we buy in the states. Our tour guide, Matt, was very knowledgeable and helpful. Loved the 18 samples at the local sake bar and the ability to purchase food from the vendors inside.”

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Hiroshima Izakaya Food and Drink Night Tour

May 12, 2026 by

7.Hiroshima Izakaya Food and Drink Night Tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · from $110

Small-group Hiroshima izakaya crawl with okonomiyaki, sake sampling, and two local bars near Nagarekawacho.

“I'd have enjoyed more discussion about the food, how it's made, it's history or traditions. The second stop also wasn't great.”

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

May 12, 2026 by

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

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · from $68

Kyoto’s Fushimi sake workshop with 7 tastings, otsumami pairings, and a sommelier cheat sheet in a 1.5-hour session.

“Mayo was a wonderful guide to all things sake. The food pairings were a fun way to expand your pallet and give life to the sake. It's a great way to learn more about the art of making sake. The goal was to understand your taste preferences and how to buy sake was achieved. Mayo made this a personal experience that kept the guests engaged and at ease as guests from different groups mixed.”

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Ramen and Sushi Cooking Class with Sake Pairing Set in Tokyo

May 12, 2026 by

9.Ramen and Sushi Cooking Class with Sake Pairing Set in Tokyo

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · from $79

Hands-on sushi and ramen class in Tokyo with sake pairing. Small group up to 8, English guide, 3 hours, eat what you make.

“An excellent experience. We’ve never done anything like this before but our hosts made us feel immediately at ease. Informative and laid back - they took us from being sous-chefs to sushi masters within a couple of hours. The ramen was less hands on though more customisable - both tasted great. Some good sake choices too.”

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Sake Tasting Masterclass in Shinjuku (8+ Varieties with a Pro)

May 12, 2026 by

10.Sake Tasting Masterclass in Shinjuku (8+ Varieties with a Pro)

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · from $72

Sake tasting masterclass in Shinjuku with 6+ pours, paired snacks, label tips, and a take-home chart for ordering sake with confidence.

“One of the best tours we have done. We gained a whole new appreciation of the art of sake making in a fun and casual setting! We could not have asked for a better experience”

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Kyoto: Insider Sake Experience with 7 Tastings and Snacks

May 13, 2026 by

11.Kyoto: Insider Sake Experience with 7 Tastings and Snacks

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 1h 30m · from $66

Kyoto’s insider sake lesson with 7 tastings and snacks, plus bottle-reading tips to help you order confidently across Japan.

“He was very knowledgeable, enthusiastic and it was a very fun experience.”

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Sake Omakase in Tokyo: Guided Tasting by Certified Sommeliers

May 13, 2026 by

12.Sake Omakase in Tokyo: Guided Tasting by Certified Sommeliers

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · from $79

A small-group sake omakase in central Tokyo: 7 Japan-only sakes, unlimited refills, 4 themed courses, and snack pairings in 2 hours.

“Very informative and enjoyable :) I had a good time thank you so much very happy!!!!!!! Loved all the sake choices”

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Sapporo Bar Hopping Food Tour

May 13, 2026 by

13.Sapporo Bar Hopping Food Tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · from $108

Taste Sapporo on a small-group izakaya crawl with 3 local bars, 3 drinks, guide translation, and Odori Park and ramen street.

“It was a great way to explore the Susukino area. We were only in Sapporo for 3 nights and helped us plan our stay. Midori was a wonderful host, gracious, knowledgeable and fun!”

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Tokyo: The Best of Izakaya in Shinjuku Food & Cultural Tour

May 14, 2026 by

14.Tokyo: The Best of Izakaya in Shinjuku Food & Cultural Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 3 hours · from $129

Eat 14+ izakaya dishes in Shinjuku, tour Golden Gai and Kabukicho, and taste sake with 2 included drinks on a small-group night tour.

“The tour was great and I would highly recommend! Our guide took us to lots of different restaurants and Izakayas to try all sorts of Japanese foods - from sushi, to tonkotsu, sake, and traditional izakaya snacks. The guide was really knowledgable about the food and the history of Tokyo. The food was all super yummy and we went back to some of the places later in our trip for dinner.”

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