DRINKS TOURS · BAR CRAWLS IN JAPAN
Good bar crawls in Japan sell out weeks ahead and the great ones go first. Below: the 11 to book early, what each includes and how they differ.
Explore Shinjuku’s izakayas on a small-group night tour with food, drinks, local guides, and stops in Omoide Yokocho and Golden Gai.
“Excellent way to see multiple bars and restaurants in Shinjuku with a local host. Good way to spend a few hours.”
Explore Shibuya’s small izakayas, local food, sake, beer, and karaoke on a three-and-a-half-hour guided bar crawl.
“Sara was a great host! She was very knowledgeable and easy to talk to. However, the tour ended up just being me, my wife and her. A group experience would’ve been preferred and we would’ve liked the option to reschedule but that optioRead more”
Explore Osaka’s Namba nightlife with three bars, local food, drinks, temples, and back alleys in a small-group evening tour.
“Marin was our guide on this drinking and eating through Namba district and it was an absolute pleasure! Beyond the usuals of taking us to the appropriate places and explaining all the relevant details — I mentioned that there was a specifRead more”
Explore Kyoto’s backstreet izakayas on a three-hour bar hopping tour with local guides, Japanese food, sake, beer, and karaoke.
“I had an amazing experience with my guide Ataru on this experience. Though I was the only traveler to sign up for the Monday night drinking tour, he went above and beyond to make it an engaging and fun experience. He taught me about the neighborhoods we went through and some local history. All the stops were tasty and memorable. There’s no way that I would be able to find places like this on my own.”
Review of Shinjuku’s 3-hour izakaya tour with dinner, local drinks, three bars, an English guide, and all-you-can-drink value.
“Hide was a great guide! So friendly and knowledgeable! Great tour of an area that can be overwhelming so great for first time visitors.”
Review of Osaka’s Namba pub crawl, with local guides, izakaya food, Japanese drinks, costs, route details, and practical tips.
“very good, it might depend on the group of people that are on the tour with you. we met really fun people”
Review of Kyoto’s 3-hour Kawaramachi bar crawl, with izakaya food, sake, local bars, guide tips, pricing, and honest drawbacks.
“Our guide Masa was a lot of fun, he picked great small places and great food. The group was from Australia, the Netherlands, UK, Chile, and the USA. We had a blast”
Explore Sapporo’s izakayas with a local guide, tasting Hokkaido dishes, drinks, ramen, and parfaits in a small evening group.
“Seiko was super friendly and full of energy! In addition to a really great tour group, the experience was incredibly fun!”
Review of Osaka’s 3-hour Dotombori and Uranamba bar crawl, with local food, sake, izakaya stops, prices, tips, and honest drawbacks.
“Amazing value! Book this tour, and you’ll get authentic Japanese nightlife experience. Learned a lot about alcohol and life in general from our hosts and the other guests!”
Explore Shinjuku’s Omoide Yokocho, Kabukicho, and a sake bar with dinner, drinks, and a local guide in this lively 3-hour night tour.
“It was just Yo and I . He showed me some really cool spots in Tokyo. We ate, sang karaoke. It was rainy, but didn't bother me. We also went to a Saki bar!!!”
Taste Hiroshima okonomiyaki, oysters, yakitori, and local sake on a three-hour small-group bar-hopping tour through Nagarekawa.
“We had a great time with Yuji. Very unique and cozy locations with excellent food and amazing service. We would not have been able to experience the same by ourselves. Knowing what to order, where to go, and how much to eat makes the whole experience amazing. A must for tourists that want to 'wine and dine' where the locals hangout!!!”
Boat, brewery, crawl or tasting room.
