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Bucket list experience:

Last updated: 04 May, 2022
Expert travel writer: Rob Goss

One of Japan’s better-known sake brands, Gekkeikan was founded in Kyoto’s Fushimi district in 1637, and while they now produce most of their sake on a large scale in Fushimi.

Their Gekkeikan Okura Sake Museum is the perfect primer for anyone interested in Japan’s national tipple. Housed in a renovated wooden brewery dating from 1909, the museum’s exhibits document the history of sake, its varieties and how it’s made. Better still, at the adjoining Sakekobo mini-brewery, visitors can see small-batch sake being brewed with traditional methods. If that triggers a thirst, no problem – the tasting area has several Gekkeikan’s brews for sampling.

Price from: £4
Minimum age: Any
Age suitable: 13+
When: All year around

Getting there & doing it

Several train lines connect Kyoto Station to the Fushimi area, but the easiest option for visiting Gekkeikan is to take the Kintetsu Kyoto Line 10 minutes to Momoyama-Goryomae Station. From there it’s a 10-minute walk.

Once at the museum, the tours are self-guided and there’s no need for a reservation. The only exception is the Sakekobo mini-brewery – to visit, make a reservation at least one day before going.

When to do it

The museum and mini-brewery are open all year round, seven days a week.

Recommended itineraries by our writers that include this experience

Our selection of the best Viator tours of this attraction or activity

Kyoto Sake Brewery Tour with Lunch

Kyoto Sake Brewery Tour with Lunch

Kyoto

Beginning in the Fushimi district of Kyoto, your guide will take you through the streets of this charming, sake brewing district where you w...

$193 | Rating 4.55 / 5 [9 ratings]

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Tour supplied by:

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1.5 Hours Kyoto Insider Sake Experience

1.5 Hours Kyoto Insider Sake Experience

Kyoto

Uncover the little-known sake culture of Fushimi, Kyoto on a 90 min sake tasting and food pairing session with an expert.  Enjoy the samples...

¥8,420 | Rating 4.91 / 5 [81 ratings]

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Tour supplied by:

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3 Hours Kyoto Insider Sake Experience

3 Hours Kyoto Insider Sake Experience

Kyoto

Uncover the little-known sake culture of Fushimi, Kyoto on a 3-hour insider brewery visit + sake tasting and food pairing session with an ex...

¥10,500 | Rating 4.97 / 5 [309 ratings]

Website >

Tour supplied by:

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Kyoto Sake Brewery & Tasting Walking Tour

Kyoto Sake Brewery & Tasting Walking Tour

Kyoto

-Visit Kyoto's major sake brewery district and the Kyoto Sake Museum- you'll learn the rich history of Gekkeikan and the brewery process of ...

¥12,600 | Rating 4.91 / 5 [95 ratings]

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Tour supplied by:

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Our writer’s picks of the best places to stay near this experience, closest first

Hotel Kanra

Kyoto, Kansai, Japan[7.1 miles]

Japanese and Scandinavian sensibilities combine at this mellow hotel north of Kyoto Station.

Official star rating:

Celestine Kyoto Gion

Kyoto, Kansai, Japan[7.8 miles]

An affordable hotel offering modern Japanese simplicity and hospitality in the historic Gion geisha district. A great base for sightseeing.

Official star rating:

BnA Alter Museum

Kyoto, Kansai, Japan[7.9 miles]

One for art aficionados – a minimalist boutique that’s a living art gallery. All rooms are created by local artists.

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Miru Kyoto Nishiki

Kyoto, Kansai, Japan[8.6 miles]

Old-Kyoto meets contemporary Japan at this centrally located boutique hotel geared to budget-conscious travelers.

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Destination guides including or relevant to this experience

Kyoto

Kansai, Japan

Ancient temples and shrines, sublime cuisine, manicured gardens, colourful geishas and living history in spades – Kyoto is traditional Japan at its best.

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Our writer’s recommendations of other bucket list experiences our writer says you must do in this destination, closest first

Fushimi Inari Shrine

Kyoto, Kansai, Japan[4.3 miles]

One of Japan’s most sacred shrines, Fushimi Inari’s thousands of torii gateways also make it one of the country’s most Instagrammable sights.

Best for ages: 6+ | £2

Geishas in Gion

Kyoto, Kansai, Japan[8.6 miles]

Kyoto’s historic Gion quarter is the place to see Japan’s mysterious and enigmatic geisha. Dressed in colourful kimonos, complimented by elaborate hairstyles and oshiroi make-up, they’ve been entertaining Japan’s wealthy and well-connected for centuries.

Best for ages: 10+ | Free

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Kinkakuji Temple

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The stunning, gilded temple of Kinkakuji, casting its golden reflection onto an islet-studded pond, is the iconic Kyoto image. A UNESCO World Heritage site.

Best for ages: 13+ | Free

Arashiyama Bamboo Grove

Kyoto, Kansai, Japan[12.8 miles]

The towering stalks and soft light of Arashiyama’s much-photographed bamboo grove make this iconic Kyoto sight an almost otherworldly experience.

Best for ages: 4+ | £3

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Other worthwhile experiences near this experience if you have time or interest..

Sunrise on tempe between trees
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Yasaka Shrine
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Yasaka Shrine

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The shrine that protects the Gion geisha district is one of Kyoto’s most distinctive sights. Entered through a roofed gateway painted a vivid vermillion, its grounds include a striking dance stage—used for performances during festivals—that’s adorned with several hundred lanterns lit each evening.

Best for ages: 13+ | Free

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Nishiki Market

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Stretching along five shop-lined blocks, Kyoto’s oldest food market immerses visitors in Kyoto’s culinary heritage. Over 100 stalls and restaurants offer all and anything food related.

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Saihoji Temple

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A Buddhist Zen temple and UNESCO World Heritage Site best known for its unusual, atmospheric moss garden that circles a symbolically-shaped golden pond. Just getting in is an experience – you’re given a written sutra to copy it out onto another piece of paper to ensure you are pure enough to enter!

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