8 Japan Whisky Tours Worth Flying For

1.Japanese Whisky Tasting Experience at Local Bar in Tokyo

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 59 reviews · from $273Our pick

Meet your English-speaking guide near Ginza and spend about two hours at a local bar tasting four or five Japanese whiskies. You may sample Chita, Hakushu, Hibiki, or rare Yamazaki bottles, depending on availability. Guides such as Shun, Seizo, Sue, Mack, and Gary have led this experience, which suits whisky fans who want a bar setting instead of a distillery tour.

“We did this tour when we missed our chance to see Suntory Yamazaki in Kyoto, and it was definitely worth it! Our guide helped us pick a wide range of very high quality Japanese whisky to sample and compare (and we paired them with some seasonal pickles, which was fun). It was a lot of fun in a very hidden spot in Gion - would never have found it on our own!”

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2.《MEMBERS-ONLY-BAR-HOPPING》Discover Your Special Whiskey in Tokyo!

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 31 reviews · from $151

Meet at 8 p.m. near Ebisu Station and spend 2.5 hours with a small group of up to four people. Guides such as Hayato, Yuichi, and Koki lead you to two members-only bars, where you receive four to five drinks, a Japanese snack, handmade dashi, photos, and a small souvenir. Expect rare Japanese whiskey, personal recommendations, and some walking.

“Our host Yuichi was very personable and made the experience feel like a night out with a friend. The two bars we were brought to were both exceptional. Wonderful service and very chill vibes. Highly recommend”

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3.[Otaru & Yoichi] Let’s go to Otaru Canal, Sakaimachi Street, Music Box Hall, and Yoichi Nikka Whiskey by private car (arriving and departing from Sapporo)

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 21 reviews

Travel by private car from Sapporo to Yoichi and Otaru with a driver such as Masaru, Tomomi, or Kate. See Nikka Whisky’s museum and tasting area, then explore Otaru Canal, Sakaimachi Street, the Music Box Hall, seafood, sweets, and specialty shops. Choose a six or eight-hour schedule, with some flexibility for extra stops.

“We had an enjoyable time with our guide Tomomi. We got to see a lot of otaru including the whiskey museum and music box museum which were both very interesting. She slso invited us for a great ramen lunch.”

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4.Japanese Whisky Hunting《HIGH-QUALITY-ONLY》Rare Tasting Class

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 20 reviews · from $110

Meet your host 10 seconds from Yoyogi-Uehara Station for a two-hour tasting of around 10 Japanese whiskies. Dan, Shugo, Yukata, or Hayato may guide you through changing selections based on your tastes and the current stock. Expect Japanese snacks, sweets, soft drinks, photos, conversation, and a small souvenir.

“Great: very good manager very friendly, very good whisky connoisseur pretty setting and some exceptional whiskyAuto-translated”

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5.Kyoto 1 Day Suntory Yamazaki Distillery Tour and Asahi Art Museum

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 13 reviews · from $163

Meet an English-speaking assistant at Hankyu Oyamazaki Station for a small-group outing to Suntory Yamazaki Distillery and Asahi Group Oyamazaki Villa Museum of Art. Your guide, such as Sachiko, Aya, Woohee, or Adrianna, helps with directions and translation. Expect a steep uphill walk, a Japanese-language lottery tour with audio support, whisky tasting, shopping, and Monet’s Water Lilies.

“Sachiko was our host. She was very helpful and knowledgeable about the area and pointed out a few things on the walk to the distillery. The tour was fantastic, and since tickets are based on a lottery system, a tour gets you in without that haRead more”

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6.GoldenGai Daytime JapanWhisky BeginnersSession w/FemaleBartender

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 8 reviews · from $224

Spend about two hours in a small Golden Gai bar, sampling Japanese whiskies with a female bartender and interpreter. Ryo and Takako are named hosts for the experience, which includes popular and hard-to-find bottles, whisky-friendly snacks, a light meal, questions about Japanese distilleries, and music you can request.

“What a fabulous time with Ryo and Takako. The hosts and the whiskeys were amazing. They shared so much information about the surrounding area and about distilleries across Japan. The whiskeys were served in a couple different styles to compliment each one. I highly recommend this experience to all fans of bourbon and whiskey.”

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7.Hidden Gem Food & Whiskey Night Tour near Roppongi

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 4 reviews · from $156

Meet Ellen or Joon at 5 pm in Azabujuban for a four-hour food and whiskey walk. Visit three local izakayas, restaurants, and bars for yakitori, wagyu, sashimi, oden, neighborhood snacks, and five 15 ml pours of rare Japanese whiskey, plus two other drinks. The group is limited to 10 people.

“Ellen was a treasure. Sweet, personable, fun, knowledgeable, and we enjoyed swapping stories. We learned a lot, walked a lot, and saw lot of things off the beaten path. She has some wonderful personal connections w the locals. The food was very well prepared and tasty. The whisky session w the bar owner was very informative and quite enjoyable!”

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8.Mt. Fuji 5th St. & Hakushu Distillery Whisky Museum

★★★★★★★★★★3.9 · 3 reviews · 1 day · from $87Best value

Travel by air-conditioned bus from Tokyo to Mt. Fuji’s 5th Station, Oishi Park, and Suntory’s Hakushu Whisky Museum. You get mountain views, seasonal flowers, whisky exhibits, a gift shop, and optional paid tastings. English, Chinese, and Japanese guides lead the day, with guide Davide praised for his stories.

“Our guide Davide was amazing, he knows his stuff and had so many interesting stories”

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