expedia
One Key

Earn OneKeyCash when you sign in and book an activity

A person holding a bottle of sake, standing in a room with wooden floors and a display of sake bottles. 1
A variety of packaged food items on display with price tags. 2
Two women standing next to large sacks of rice in a room with framed certificates and a fire extinguisher on the wall. 3
A group of people at a wine tasting event, with bottles of wine displayed on a table. 4
A person standing behind a table with various bottles of beverages. 5
By o8Experience

Reviews

10 out of 10
Exceptional
Free cancellation available
Price is ¥9,800 per adult

Features

  • Free cancellation available
  • 2h
  • Mobile voucher
  • Instant confirmation

Overview

    • Taste more than 5 local sakes and many more
    • Taste 3 different Amazake (non alcoholic sweet drink, which children can drink)
    • You can have Nagano’s miso soup
    • Admission free to visit old sake factory
    • Explore Nagano’s laid back area around Zenkoji temple to visit some local shops

Activity location

    • Nagano
    • Nagano, Nagano, Japan

Meeting/Redemption Point

    • 1-chōme-22-6 Minamichitose, Nagano, 380-8543, Japan | Your guide will meet you infront of Starbucks Midori Nagano station.
    • Nagano, Nagano, Japan

Check availability

Nagano Sake Tasting Walking Tour

  • Activity duration is 2 hours2h
    2h
  • English
Language options: English
Price details
¥9,800 x 2 Adults¥19,600
Total
Price is ¥19,600
Until Sat, Aug 8
Return to your original page

What's included, what's not

  • What's includedWhat's included
    Sake Tasting
  • What's includedWhat's included
    Amazake
  • What's includedWhat's included
    Miso soup
  • What's includedWhat's included
    Soy source beans and some Japanese pickles
  • What's includedWhat's included
    Personal tour guide
  • What's excludedWhat's excluded
    Private transportation
  • What's excludedWhat's excluded
    Ticket for Bullet train
  • What's excludedWhat's excluded
    Optional attraction entrance to Zenko-ji Temple

Know before you book

  • Not allowed: Baby strollers
  • Not suitable for: People over 70 years, People over 80 years, People over 95 years, Pregnant women, Wheelchair users

What you can expect

Nagano Sake Tasting & Walking Tour – Experience the Heart of Japan’s Sake Culture**

Nagano is one of Japan’s leading sake regions, known for its pure mountain water, high-quality rice, and cool climate. These natural conditions help create sake with rich flavors, depth, and smooth finishes.

Join this immersive walking tour to taste local sake, discover traditional brewing culture, and explore the historic streets around Zenkoji Temple, one of Japan’s most important Buddhist temples.

This tour involves approximately 8,000 steps, covering around 5–6 km (3–4 miles), including a 20–25 minute walk from Nagano Station to the Zenkoji area. The tour may not be suitable for travelers with limited mobility.

Sake Tasting Experience

Visit a historic sake brewery with more than 300 years of brewing history. Taste and compare a selection of local drinks, which may include:

• Unfiltered, unpasteurized, and seasonal sake
• Nagano plum wine with a rich, fruity aroma
• Amazake, a naturally sweet, non-alcoholic fermented rice drink

Your guide will explain how sake is produced, the differences between flavor profiles, and how sake is traditionally enjoyed in Japan.

You will also sample local specialties such as Shinshu miso soup, soy sauce beans, and Japanese pickles. Shinshu miso is one of Nagano’s best-known regional products and is valued for its deep umami flavor.

Discover Nagano’s Brewing Heritage

Visit a preserved former sake factory that is approximately 120 years old. Although it is no longer used for active production, the historic interior offers a fascinating look at traditional sake-making culture.

Learn about important brewing processes such as rice polishing, fermentation, brewing, and aging, and discover how these methods influence the taste and quality of sake.

Explore the Zenkoji Temple District

After the tasting experience, stroll through the atmospheric streets surrounding Zenkoji Temple.

Along the way, you will see traditional shops, old teahouses, local craft stores, and beautifully preserved wooden buildings. Your guide will introduce the area’s history, local traditions, and the cultural significance of Zenkoji Temple.

You may also have opportunities to meet local shop owners and discover regional sweets, crafts, and specialties.

Capture the Experience

Your guide will be happy to take casual photos during the tour using your smartphone or camera, helping you capture memorable moments from your time in Nagano.

Tour Highlights

✔ Taste more than five varieties of local sake and specialty drinks
✔ Visit a historic brewery with more than 300 years of history
✔ Explore a preserved former sake factory
✔ Sample Shinshu miso soup, soy sauce beans, and pickles
✔ Walk through the historic Zenkoji Temple district
✔ Learn about sake production, flavor profiles, and Japanese drinking culture
✔ Discover traditional shops, local products, and Nagano’s heritage

Location

Activity location

  • LOB_ACTIVITIESLOB_ACTIVITIES
    • Nagano
    • Nagano, Nagano, Japan

Meeting/Redemption Point

  • PEOPLEPEOPLE
    • 1-chōme-22-6 Minamichitose, Nagano, 380-8543, Japan | Your guide will meet you infront of Starbucks Midori Nagano station.
    • Nagano, Nagano, Japan