Matsui Sake Brewery Tour and Tasting – KYOTO
Behind-the-Scenes Visit to a Working Sake Brewery
Discover the craftsmanship and traditions behind Japanese sake on a guided tour of Matsui Sake Brewery in Kyoto.
Step inside the production area to see how sake is made, from rice preparation to fermentation and bottling. After the tour, enjoy a sake tasting at Shuchuusen, the brewery’s sake bar.
About the Experience
Matsui Sake Brewery offers visitors a close look at the process of making Japanese sake.
Unlike a brewery with a dedicated visitor route, Matsui welcomes guests into its actual production area. The tour follows the working brewery’s operations, with sake production taking priority over visits.
Learn about the role of microorganisms such as koji mould and yeast, and how temperature control influences fermentation and maturation.
The brewery uses temperature-controlled tanks to support low-temperature fermentation and stores its sake at approximately −5°C throughout the year. LED lighting is also used to help protect the sake from deterioration caused by ultraviolet light.
The experience concludes with a tasting at Shuchuusen, where you can discover the results of the brewery’s approach to sake-making.
Itinerary
Meet your English-speaking guide and learn about the brewery’s approach to sake-making, including its emphasis on fermentation, maturation and careful temperature control.
Enter the actual production area and discover the sake-making process, from rice preparation to fermentation and bottling.
As this is a working brewery, the visit follows production conditions rather than a fixed tourist route.
Finish the experience at the brewery’s sake bar, Shuchuusen, with a tasting accompanied by snacks.
