If you’re planning to visit the various sake breweries in Fushimi, it’s most convenient to get off at Keihan’s “Nakashima Station.” From Kyoto Station, take the Kintetsu Kyoto Line to “Kintetsu Tanbabashi,” then transfer to the Keihan Line at “Tanbabashi.” Since it takes about 30 minutes from Kyoto Station, you can easily enjoy a tour of Fushimi’s sake breweries.

Located a 5-minute walk from Nakashima Station, the [Gekkeikan Okura Memorial Museum] is a museum where visitors can learn about the history of Fushimi, Kyoto—one of Japan’s leading sake-producing regions—as well as the history and techniques of sake brewing at [Gekkeikan]. The building is a renovated bottling plant originally constructed in 1909 (Meiji 42), and its exhibition and tasting areas were renovated in February 2024.

The exhibition provides an easy-to-understand overview not only of how sake is brewed but also of the background behind how [Gekkeikan] sake spread throughout the country. At the end of the exhibition, there is a tasting corner where you can sample [Gekkeikan] sake. If you are 20 years of age or older, you can try one small cup of each of three different varieties.

There’s also a gift shop next door where you can purchase popular [Gekkeikan] products. Since there are items available exclusively here—such as the “Naiku Junmai Daiginjo Shiboritate Nama Genshu” (1,650 yen)—take your time browsing.

A 5-minute walk from the [Gekkeikan Okura Memorial Hall], our next stop was [Kizakura Kappa Company], Kyoto’s first craft beer restaurant operated by [Kizakura]. [Kizakura] operates [Fushimizu Kura], the only facility in Japan where visitors can tour both a sake brewery and a craft beer brewery at the same time, offering a chance to learn about [Kizakura]’s history as well as the production processes for both sake and beer. This restaurant is where you can enjoy the products brewed right there at [Fushimizu Kura].

While [Kizakura] is best known for its kappa mascot, another of its attractions is its variety of craft beers, including “Kyoto Beer.” The “Kyoto Beer Tasting Set” lets you compare three varieties: “Kölsch” and “Alt”—the first of their kind produced in Kyoto in 1995—and “Kura no Kahori,” brewed using [Kizakura]’s sake yeast. Be sure to savor the unique flavor of these beers, brewed with the same water used to make sake.

Of course, the selection of sake is also extensive, and the lineup includes a tasting set that lets you enjoy three types of [Kappa Country] limited-edition sakes—"Aragoshi Junmai Nigori," "Fushimi no Nama-ippon," and "Tarudashi Junmai"—all at once. It’s worth noting not only as a restaurant but also as a spot where you can savor [Kizakura]’s renowned sake to your heart’s content.

Located just a short distance from [Kizakura Kappa Country] is the [Shinsei Sake Brewery Direct Sales Store]. This is a store directly operated by [Yamamoto Honke], the maker of the “Shinsei” brand, and it offers a wide selection of limited-edition sakes available exclusively here. Since the lineup of limited-edition sakes changes with the seasons, one of the attractions is that you can discover different flavors every time you visit.

In addition to selling limited-edition sake and other beverages, they also offer paid tastings, where you can try 90 ml for 400 yen. Even if you’re not familiar with sake, the staff will explain everything to you in detail, so please feel at ease.

In addition to sake, the store offers a variety of other products, including sake lees (available only during the brewing season), Nara-zuke pickles, Yatsuhashi, and sake lees rice crackers. Enjoy selecting souvenirs that will serve as mementos of your trip while sampling the brands that catch your eye.

From restaurants where you can buy unblended sake by the bottle—bottled directly from tanks right in the store—to eateries offering sake-tasting sets that make the perfect way to wrap up a sake brewery tour, Fushimi is still full of spots where you can fully enjoy the charms of sake!
We’ve listed even more recommended spots below. If you’d like to get even more out of your tour of Fushimi’s sake breweries, be sure to check them out.