Pub crawls – or “nomi aruki,” as we call them in Japan – are an excellent way to see a side of Kyoto that tourists usually miss.
Your guide, Kenji, spent many years working at a sake brewery in Hyogo. His duties included the pleasure of tasting over 1,000 sakes from breweries in Japan – and around the world.
Kenji will take you to two or three special bars with delicious food and drinks tailored to your individual preferences. Explore Kyoto's sake, craft beer, and food culture with Kenji, a certified international sake sommelier, right in the heart of Kyoto!
Even if you don't consume alcohol, you're welcome to enjoy Kyoto's delicious cuisine with us, but all guests on the tour need to be at least 20 years old.
It's very important that we know about any dietary restrictions you might have. Please let us know when you make your reservation.
Group size: 2 - 4 people
Posted By : sallyhO1355MI
Kenji is a really interesting and personable fellow. He is a bit quiet and reserved but he has spent a lot of time in the US as a sales rep for the 5th largest sake brewer in Japan. He is very fun to chat with, and he knows a lot about sake. So our evening was like having a new friend in Kyoto take us around to sample sake and food.
Our tour took us to three places. First, an “on the beaten path” sake tasting room where Kenji explained how sake is made and we sampled several types (I happen to like plum sake) and we tried some black cashews. Awesome.
The next stop seemed like a place only the locals would know. Through a parking lot, behind a closed door and then a secret knock or two and voila, you’re in! Here we sampled several different dishes, from ginkgo nuts to potato salad to whole fish (I wouldn’t eat the head). A lot of fun and sake. Kind of a Japanese “Cheers.”
Finally the last stop was a crowded bar with lots of young locals. We sampled more sake and delicacies, or whatever describes chicken necks. By this time, we had our fill of sake, maybe a little too much; well definitely a little too much.
Through it all, Kenji was knowledgeable, generous and an excellent host. A definite must do to experience a non-tourist aspect of Kyoto.
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Posted On : 2024-05-26 08:04:11 
Posted By : Mirko F
We had an absolutely lovely time with Kenji! We started off at a bar where we learnt lots of interesting facts about sake and had many different types. We then went to a yakiniku place and enjoyed lots of different Japanese meats while conversing about Japanese culture. We finished the evening off at another sake bar and tried many other types from traditional sakazuki cups, with a lot of small izakaya style dishes!
Kenji is really knowledgeable and very pleasant to be with and we had a really lovely evening walking around Kyoto and its bars! Would strongly recommend booking a tour with him if you're staying in Kyoto!
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Posted On : 2024-04-11 21:21:19
Posted By : B902UVdanielw
What an amazing experience curated by Kenji-San. Not only did we drink amazing sake, but we learned all about its production and the importance of not only the rice, but the water and koji that goes into crafting sake. As informative as the tour was, I think what really makes this different from other tours we’ve taken in Japan is that Kenji makes you feel like a local for the night. We started at a sake tasting on a more traveled street of Kyoto and had an amazing paring of sake and food. However, we were taken to two other local izakayas that we would have never found without Kenji showing us the way. The food was excellent at location, so definitely come hungry. Kenji also gave great recommendations for other must try cuisines while in Kyoto. I would love to plan another trip to Kyoto in the future, and will specifically look for tours guided by Kenji when I do travel back.
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Posted On : 2024-03-22 20:19:55
Posted By : jackmW8509ZH
Thanks to Kenji for an excellent food and sake tour. We two really loved it! Kenji took the time to enquire about our preferences and led us to three hidden gems that we would have never discovered on our own. All the food and sake were so delicious, and the lemon sour was good too! We gained valuable insights into Japanese food culture and enjoyed a rich conversation with Kenji. If you're keen on immersing yourself in authentic Kyoto cuisine and drinks, I wholeheartedly recommend Kenji's tour.
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Posted On : 2024-03-06 01:17:35
Posted By : Fearless13344703087
Our private tour was phenomenal. Kenji was both entertaining and informative, and we thoroughly enjoyed our time with him. He took us to three hidden stops, where he selected delicious dishes and sake for us, while also providing insightful information about sake, Kyoto, and Japanese culture. I strongly recommend this tour!
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Posted On : 2024-02-24 00:20:27
Posted By : DrHJS
The food and sake pub crawl tour was completely costumized by Kenji to make it possible for me despite a mobility limiting condition I have. We have traveled to Japan many times in the past 15 years and still there are so many cultural things we still don't know about and which are difficult to discover as a plain tourist. If you are truly interested to learn more about the Japanese culture beyond the usual tourist insights, we absolutely recommend Kenji's tour. He enlightened us with new layers of knowledge on food and sake and gave us the feeling that we are talking to an very old friend. No better way to unravel a foreign culture than through a culinary journey :)
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Posted On : 2024-02-23 07:40:17
Posted By : 577rebeccaq
My family and I had the best time going for pub crawls with Kenji San. We went to a total of 3 Izakayas with Kenji San and every single one was overwhelmingly good and delicious. We also learned a lot about sake from Kenji San. If you want to experience the true Japanese food culture , Kenji San is the best person to go with. Trust me, you will not regret your experience !
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Posted On : 2024-02-08 21:43:01
Posted By : Navigate09823307121
I joined Kenji's Pub Crawl and had a fantastic experience. We started at a cool standing sake bar in the heart of Kyoto, where we began with a sake tasting session. Kenji was incredibly knowledgeable and took the time to explain his recommendations, the characteristics of each sake, and even how sake is made. The snacks paired with the sake were delicious, and I learned a lot about sake pairing too. For our second stop, we headed to another hidden gem in the center of Kyoto. It was a quaint izakaya serving superb dishes and soba, nestled in a traditional machiya townhouse that you might easily overlook while strolling around. This place had a charming atmosphere, with various types of sake and delicious dishes to enjoy. The authentic feel of the machiya added to the allure of the experience.
I didn't consider myself a big fan of sake before, but participating in this tour expanded my knowledge and allowed me to delve into the deep world of Kyoto. It was truly enjoyable, and I would love to join again when I visit Kyoto in the future!
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Posted On : 2024-02-07 05:51:52
Posted By : D2249IAkyleh
Kenji was knowledgeable about sake, and we had the opportunity to explore a variety of Japanese sake. Additionally, he led us to charming establishments, renovated from traditional machiya houses, creating an atmospheric setting for a fantastic experience.
Not only did we savor a diverse range of sake, but also had the chance to enjoy other beverages like Japan's craft beers. I highly recommend this tour for those who want to indulge in Kyoto's sake and cuisine or anyone seeking a delightful time in cozy, atmospheric establishments in central Kyoto!
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Posted On : 2024-02-03 05:29:19
Posted By : 839dans
This tour was one of the highlights of our entire trip to Japan. We spent three hours learning about the art of Sake, and our guide Kenji was happy to share his expertise.
The tastings were unique and nuanced, featuring a variety of unpasteurized sake you can only find fresh from the tap in Japan. It opened our eyes to a whole new world of flavors!
Kanji picked out a few very special "secret" bars that we enjoyed together, with delicious food to go along with every sip. We walked the dark streets of Kyoto and enjoyed hours of rich conversation. We'd recommend this tour to anyone that is curious about Sake, interested in touring Kyoto with a private guide, or just looking for a great conversation with a local expert. Thank you Kenji!
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Posted On : 2024-01-08 08:54:13
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