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Nagano Sake Experience: Indulge in a Heritage Sake Tasting Tour in Japan
4.9
34 Ratings
Nagano
Experience the rich heritage of Nagano Sake through a guided tasting tour in Japan. Discover over 300 years of history and indulge in the finest, unfiltered, and unpasteurized Sakes. Taste local delicacies and immerse yourself in the vibrant culture of Nagano.
Experience the rich heritage of Nagano Sake through a guided tasting tour in Japan. Discover over 300 years of history and indulge in the finest, unfiltered, and unpasteurized Sakes. Taste local delicacies and immerse yourself in the vibrant culture of Nagano.
Duration:
2 hours
Cancellation:
24 hours
Highlights
- Nagano Station - Meet the guide in front of Starbucks at MIDORI Nagano Station. Begin with a brief 20-minute walk towards Zenkoji’s serene streets and local shops before proceeding to the sake tasting.
- Zenko-ji Temple - Arrive at the Zenkoji Temple area. The guide will narrate the history of Zenkoji and lead you through the relaxed…
- Nagano Station - Meet the guide in front of Starbucks at MIDORI Nagano Station. Begin with a brief 20-minute walk towards Zenkoji’s serene streets and local shops before proceeding to the sake tasting.
- Zenko-ji Temple - Arrive at the Zenkoji Temple area. The guide will narrate the history of Zenkoji and lead you through the relaxed backstreets and quaint local shops, avoiding the main tourist path.
- Nishinomon-Yoshinoya Sake Brewery - Reach the sake tasting venue. Sample approximately 10 local sakes (seasonal selection may vary), including varieties like unfiltered and unpasteurized sake, along with Nagano plum wine. Enjoy small snacks such as soy sauce beans and Japanese pickles, try three types of amazake (a non-alcoholic sweet drink), and warm up with Nagano miso soup.
- Nishinomon-Yoshinoya Sake Brewery - Explore the historic old sake factory area. Discover a traditional brewing space and learn about the evolution of Nagano’s sake culture over centuries. (This is a preserved historic site and is not used for production today.)
- Nagano Station - After the sake tasting, return to Nagano Station with a 20-minute walk. The tour lasts approximately 2 hours. It concludes at Nagano Station, but if you wish to explore other places like restaurants afterward, you can bid farewell to your guide near the Zenkoji Temple area, which offers easy access back to Nagano Station on your own.
What's Included
- English-speaking guide
- Nibbles like soy sauce beans
- Amazake (sweet non-alcoholic drink)
- Miso soup
- Sake tasting
- English-speaking guide
- Nibbles like soy sauce beans
- Amazake (sweet non-alcoholic drink)
- Miso soup
- Sake tasting
What's Not Included
- Extra drinks and food (available to purchase)
- Transportation fee to meeting point
- There are no mandatory in-destination costs.
- Extra drinks and food (available to purchase)
- Transportation fee to meeting point
- There are no mandatory in-destination costs.
Additional Information
Visit Nagano for an enriching sake experience — sample approximately 10 local sakes (selection varies by season), savor 3 types of amazake (non-alcoholic), enjoy a comforting bowl of Nagano miso soup, and explore a historic sake factory district. With a brewing history spanning over 300 years, discover the nuances of premium sake styles such as…
Visit Nagano for an enriching sake experience — sample approximately 10 local sakes (selection varies by season), savor 3 types of amazake (non-alcoholic), enjoy a comforting bowl of Nagano miso soup, and explore a historic sake factory district. With a brewing history spanning over 300 years, discover the nuances of premium sake styles such as unfiltered, unpasteurized, and seasonal varieties.
Begin with a leisurely stroll through Nagano’s charming streets and the Zenkoji Temple area, then proceed to the tasting session before heading back to Nagano Station.
- Sample 3 varieties of amazake (a traditional non-alcoholic sweet beverage)
- Relish a warm serving of Nagano miso soup
- Admission included to tour a historic sake factory district
- Wander through Nagano’s relaxed streets near Zenkoji Temple and visit local shops
- Learn basic, genuine Japanese tasting etiquette and local culinary culture
- Engage with local business owners and listen to stories about Nagano’s history and daily life
- Walking shoes are recommended
- Minimum alcahol drinking age is 20 years. So we offer another drink for under 20
- In case of late arrival, the tour cannot be extended.
- o8Experience is a locally based tour company offering private and small-group experiences across Nagano and surrounding regions. From food and culture to nature and history, we create meaningful journeys tailored to curious travelers. Visit o8Experience to discover more.
Location
Starbucks Coffee - MIDORI Nagano
Your guide will meet you at infront of Starbucks Nagano station
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
Customer Ratings
4.9
(34 Ratings)
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Kimberly_k
Feb 20, 2026
Great time! - The tour was awesome and the guide was great. Super relaxed and fun. And we learned a lot of really cool facts. Overall just a really fun afternoon. Def loved the guide, nice guy and good humor.
Review provided by Viator
Paigan_a
Feb 19, 2026
Book this tour when you are in Nagano! - Me and my partner had a wonderful tour with Masa-san this morning around Nagano. We saw some lovely sights around town, with in depth questions and answers from Masa-san. We also had a chance to stop off in a traditional oyaki shop, before exploring the stunning Zenjōji temple. The sake tasting after the fact was simply a huge bonus! Learning about the different types of Sake and then tasting them was an insightful experience. Overall it was a great time, with an excellent tour guide, who even dropped us off at his favourite soba restaurant per our request! Thank you Masa-san!
Review provided by Viator
Pierpaol0g
Sep 29, 2025
Amazing sake experience - The guide was amazing. He was born in Nagano but travels a lot and speaks very good English. He told us many things about Nagano and about sake. A 5/5 experience!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Shawn_f
Apr 12, 2025
We had a fantastic time.... - We had a fantastic time. Our tour guide Kazumi was great. She was very knowledgable about sake. During the walking tour we also visited a pepper shop and a temple.
Review provided by Viator
Has212
Apr 5, 2025
Great layover in Nagano - My husband and I went on the sake tour in April. It was the perfect tour for a brief stop in Nagano. We toured a sake facility, tasted delicious sake, and learned a lot about the local city. Highly recommend.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Mathis
Mar 21, 2025
Visit Nagano and tasting, to do on arrival in the city! - It was great, very interesting to travel the city with a local. Made us pass through small alleys and discover nuggets.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Edward_m
Feb 19, 2025
My wife and daughter... - My wife and daughter booked The Sake tasting tour in Nagano thru Viator and enjoyed every part of the tour.
We met Masa, our guide, at the Nagano station and begin walking toward the Zenkoji temple (which is part of the tour).
Masa, who is a native person from Nagano but spent several years living in UK (which is why his English was perfect), explain to us the in and out of the Zenkoji temple which only local knows.
We spent about 1 hour at the temple before we headed out to the Sake Brewery (Yoshinoya Brewery).
At the brewery, we tasted all kinds of Sake and the ingredients that affect the taste. How the rice is polish, the yeast, etc.
We tried at least 10 small cup of sake ranging from the most basic up to the top shelf, even a non-alcoholic Sake which is very interesting (taste exactly like the real thing).
During this time, Masa explain to us all the procedure and highlight. We bought 3 amazing Sakes to take home.
All and all we are very happy with the Sake Walking Tour and top it is Masa's easy going and knowledgable insight of the subject.
Very highly recommeded and if possible ask for Masa to be the guide
Review provided by Viator
Borderlesstraveler
Feb 19, 2025
Highly recommend tour with expert local guide - My wife and daughter booked The Sake tasting tour in Nagano thru Viator and enjoyed every part of the tour.
We met Masa, our guide, at the Nagano station and begin walking toward the Zenkoji temple (which is part of the tour).
Masa, who is a native person from Nagano but spent several years living in UK (which is why his English was perfect), explain to us the in and out of the Zenkoji temple which only local knows.
We spent about 1 hour at the temple before we headed out to the Sake Brewery (Yoshinoya Brewery).
At the brewery, we tasted all kinds of Sake and the ingredients that affect the taste. How the rice is polish, the yeast, etc.
We tried at least 10 small cup of sake ranging from the most basic up to the top shelf, even a non-alcoholic Sake which is very interesting (taste exactly like the real thing).
During this time, Masa explain to us all the procedure and highlight.
All and all we are very happy with the Sake Walking Tour and top it is Masa's easy going and knowledgable insight of the subject.
Very highly recommeded and if possible ask for Masa to be the guide
Review provided by Tripadvisor
I6050fujeremyb
Jan 19, 2025
Great Nagano Tour! - We had a great time with Masa on this tour! It was nice exploring Nagano and Zenkoji Temple before the sake tasting. Masa was very knowledgable and shared local recommendations. I highly recommend this tour to anyone visiting Nagano!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Sarah
Jun 28, 2025
Nagano walking tour & sake tasting - Enjoyable walking tour with a knowledgeable, friendly guide. Learnt lots about the Zenkoji temple. Fun sake tasting and learning about the different types of sake depending on the how much rice had been polished. Only reason for not 5 stars is the tour should have included photos, which it did not!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
