Private Tour: Discover Tokyo's Oldest Sake Brewery and Serene Riverside Walk
5.0
14 Ratings
Shinjuku City
Escape the city and discover Tokyo's oldest sake brewery on a private tour. Learn about sake production, sample a variety of sakes, and enjoy a gourmet Japanese lunch by the serene Tama river.
Duration: 8 hours
Cancellation: 1 day learn more
Highlights
  • Tama River - On arrival at Mitake station, build up a thirst with a stroll along the lush Tama river down to the brewery. Enjoy the fresh air, the green valley scenery and the beautiful Tama river.
  • Ozawa Sake Brewery - The Ozawa Shuzo brewery with its scenic location nestled in the woods next to the beautiful Tama river is Tokyo’s oldest functioning sake brewery.

At the brewery you’ll learn about the production, history and various types of sake. Take a tour of the actual brewery with your guide and brewery staff. Enjoy a delicious gourmet lunch at the brewery’s traditional restaurant. After lunch retire to the brewery’s tasting rooms to try the various types of sake on offer. Finally peruse for sousvenirs at the brewery shop before enjoying a final drink in the garden. From the brewery walk up to Sawai station, purchase train tickets and return to Shinjuku accompanied by your guide.

  • Kanzanji Temple - Visit this small temple, with its big bell, nestled in the woods over looking the Tama river.
What's Included
  • Local guide
  • Private tour
  • Bottled water
  • Snacks
  • Lunch
  • Beverages
  • Alcoholic Beverages
What's Not Included
  • Gratuities
  • Transportation to/from attractions.
Additional Information

Take a break from the fast-paced life of the metropolis with a day trip to Tokyo’s most ancient brewery, where you can unwind with sake tasting.

・ Exclusive guided tour to the most ancient brewery in Tokyo.

・ Relish the clean air and breathtaking views of the Tama river valley.

・ Gain knowledge about the manufacture process, types and cultural significance of sake.

・ Try and relish a range of Sakes.

・ Luxury Japanese midday meal at a traditional eatery by the riverside.

・ Excursion to a temple sequestered in the woodland.

・ The excursion covers all meals and beverages.

・ Perfect getaway for the refined connoisseur.

  • Minimum age is 20 years (the legal age for drinking in Japan is 20 years old)
  • Please advise any specific dietary requirements or food allergies at time of booking
  • A moderate amount of walking is involved so comfortable foot wear is recommended.
  • The Tama valley is slightly cooler than central Tokyo so weather appropriate clothing is recommended.
  • Not wheelchair accessible.
  • The brewery is located an 80 minute train ride from Shinjuku. Enjoy this time with your guide.
Location
Mail Post
Meet your local guide in front of the information desk at JR Shinjuku station's south exit. The information desk is located just inside JR south entrance of Shinjuku station across the street from the NEWoman building.
Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

Customer Ratings
5.0
(14 Ratings)
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Michael_d
Nov 20, 2023
Sake with Simon - What a memorable day for us! A little rain didn’t “dampen“ the beautiful experience to see a part of Tokyo away from the city. It was wonderful to meet Simon and share the conversations and time together on the tour. Sake was great and we had a wonderful lunch together. Thank you Simon! Don’t miss booking this tour.
Review provided by Viator
Ck_w
Nov 11, 2023
A memorable first visit. - I loved the leisurely train ride to outer-Tokyo. It was our first visit to Japan and we wanted to see, smell, taste and soak up as much of Japan as possible. We enjoyed the visit to the sake brewery and liked the informal sake tasting with snacks that Simon organised especially the smoked eggs. Simon was friendly and relaxed (just what we needed for a holiday) so unlike the commercial tours where everything ran like clockwork and you would probably come home more tired than when you left. Having lived in Japan for 22 years, he was fluent in Japanese, knowledgeable of things Japanese and (most impressive of all) could navigate Japan's convoluted rail systems which we found intimidating. He was genuinely interested to know what we were wanted to do and tried his best to make them happen and we hope that he will help us again when we visit next year.
Review provided by Viator
Elizabethmm1646sn
Oct 24, 2023
Whole new perspective of Tokyo - This was definitely the highlight of our trip! Simons sake brewery tour is everything you could ask for, it’s an amazing way to see another part of the city, while Simon gives you a local perspective and the drinks definitely don’t hurt. Couldn’t recommend it more, and would even do it again if we find ourselves back in Tokyo!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Navigate22412222876
Aug 28, 2023
Sake with Simon was the bomb! - Thank you Simon for creating a wonderful day of heading out to Tokyo Province. The countryside felt exactly like I hoped it would and our day was filled with a walk down the riverside, sake and local food, a tour of the oldest sake plant, lunch and ice cream on the way back. We were soaked from the sweat and heat and it didn’t matter! We learned so much about convenience store food, all kinds of cuisine, traveling the world according to Simon and many, many laughs. There was not a question he wouldn’t answer. Many thanks for even picking us up at our hotel because we had not maneuvered a strain staton yet! Comme Samida
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Z
Jul 23, 2023
An unforgettable with Simon! - Our tour guide, Simon, was very knowledgeable about Japanese culture and sake brewing history. He even made our sake tour experience a blast during torrential rains from the June 2nd typhoon. I wish I could take him on all my tours around the world.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Logan_s
Apr 6, 2023
Amazing start to our Japan trip - What a great experience to start our trip in Japan. Not only was the tour and brewery experience amazing but being able to chat with Simon and pick his brain about Tokyo helped for the rest of the trip. Can not recommend this enough as a private tour.
Review provided by Viator
Strwbpoptart
Nov 15, 2022
Smooth, crisp, and awesomeness - I booked the store for my husband and myself when we went up to Tokyo for a week, and let me tell you this was awesome. Even if you don't know anything about sake I would highly suggest going on this tour because you will learn a lot, you will drink a lot and you will have a good time. Our tour guide was very awesome, very friendly and he knew tons of information about the area and about sake. The only suggestion I have is maybe not decide to do this tour the day before you fly out you will get to drink a lot of amazing sake and you will not want to put it down we had a little bit of a struggle waking up the next morning to fly but I wouldn't change anything we did. LOL Book this tour and enjoy wonderful sake in a wonderful area and enjoy the moment.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Murphdog16
Mar 7, 2020
Good times, better sake - Our time spent with Simon was amazing. A lot of good information, fantastic views and delicious sake. I would highly recommend this tour to anyone who has some free time near Tokyo. I definitely see myself going back to this brewery some time in the future.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Edilenysanchez
Nov 9, 2019
More drinking than you expect - Simon made it easy to find the meeting spot and showed up on time. We started the day with a turmeric drink to help us not feel a hangovers the next day. If you like nature and sake then you will have a great time.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Nationoflaws
Oct 11, 2019
This was awesome! - Simon met us at the Shinjuku station at 9 and started us off with a beer apiece and a drink called "Power of Turmeric" which was meant to prevent hangovers. It 100% didn't work, but it set the tone for the rest of the day. My wife and I were initially a little worried about an hour train ride, but we found Simon really easy to talk to. We got to the station where the brewery was located, and Simon helped us negotiate the purchase of some udon cups from the woman running the shop. He also negotiated a purchase of more beers, which I think was appropriate. At the brewery we started with some sake and some fried tofu. Both were great. We had lunch together (a lot of tofu - again, really good). At lunch we had a flight of sake, then we headed to the tour. Honestly, we didn't understand much of the tour because we don't speak Japanese. Simon translated the important parts. Then we had more sake. Then we had even more sake. Then we had some snacks and another bottle of sake. When it was time to leave, we had another beer. Good lord. We parted ways with Simon around 5 pm and promised to meet him for drinks later. As it turns out, we are not great at housing multiple bottles of sake and then meeting up later. We were in bed by 8. Simon was fantastic, the sake was fantastic. Everybody should do this tour. I've recommended it to friends and coworkers. You should, too.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
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