Want to experience the nightlife in Kyoto, but don’t know where to start? This Kyoto bar crawl showcases some of the best establishments in Kyoto, as introduced by a local guide. Not only did we get to sample Japanese whisky, sake and cocktails, but we learned about the context, history, and culture behind these famous drinks and the city itself.
One evening, Justin and I embarked on the Kyoto Luxury Sake, Whisky and Cocktail Tour by Arigato Travel. It’s a fun and informative evening of local food and drink pairings, plus where to find the best drinks in town.
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Our local tour guide, Sae, has lived most of her life in Japan and has a deep love for Kyoto. So, she moved to Kyoto to live in this destination that she’s so passionate about.
It’s easy to see why she loves Kyoto so much. There’s a reason why it is so popular with tourists and Japanese people alike. It’s such a fascinating and picturesque place.
She also happened to go to school in Toronto for several years, which is where we are from. We instantly connected over that!
While this tour typically runs with a small group, we went on a private tour, just Justin and myself. The folks at Arigato Travel were able to customize the tour to accommodate my vegan diet, and it’s easier to do so on a private tour.
Some of the food typically offered on this tour might differ from what you see here. It’s wonderful that the tour company can offer some alternatives if you have food allergies or follow a special diet. Depending on what they are, you might find it best to arrange a private tour over a public one.
Combining History and Culture with Food and Drink
This isn’t your average Kyoto bar crawl. This tour is a fabulous introduction to the most popular beverages in Japan, along with food pairings. However, we also learned about the history behind these famous drinks, as well as tidbits about Japanese and local culture.
We also had the opportunity to ask our guide any questions that crossed our minds about visiting Japan overall. It’s great to gain insights from a local. She also taught us a few phrases to say in Japanese, which was very helpful.
For instance, itadakimasu (“to humbly receive”) is said before a meal to show gratitude and respect. Gochisousamadeshita is said after a meal, particularly to a host or a server, which is a way of expressing heartfelt thanks for a meal. And then, kanpai is said when making a toast, similar to “cheers!”.
I won’t be naming the exact bars that we visited on our Kyoto bar crawl as they are up to the tour guide. These pubs and bars could change from trip to trip, and those at Arigato Travel have researched and discovered the best places. You’ll just have to take the tour for yourself to visit some of the best bars in Kyoto.
Japanese Whisky Highballs in Kyoto
Our first stop on our Kyoto bar crawl was an establishment specializing in the popular drink, the whisky highball. It’s commonly served in izakayas, casual Japanese bars serving snacks and smaller dishes to accompany alcoholic beverages.
The Japanese whisky highball is a light and casual drink that pairs well with food. It’s made with Japanese whisky, sparkling water, ice cubes and a slice of citrus fruit.
The highball was made popular by Suntory in the 1950s, which has since had a resurgence in the late 2000s as a traditional Japanese drink. At this particular highball bar in Kyoto, there were complimentary snacks in little packages at the bar, like different kinds of flavored nuts and soybeans.
Our guide, Sae, also told us a little bit about the geisha culture in Kyoto. Kyoto is an ancient city in Japan and was once the capital city of Japan from 794 to 1868. Fully trained geisha in Kyoto are called geiko, and young women in training to become geiko are called maiko.
Geisha are highly skilled entertainers in traditional Japanese arts who perform at private parties and special events. Not just anyone can request geiko to perform at their event. You must have a personal introduction from an existing client of a geisha house.
Though rare, it might be possible to spot geisha in Gion or Pontocho around dusk, especially on weekends and holidays. If you do spot geisha, please be respectful and allow them to continue to their appointments.
Dining Experience and Sake Tasting
As the tour starts in the early evening, we were treated to a full meal at a restaurant. Since I follow a vegan diet, Sae found an amazing vegan restaurant for us.
It’s an extremely popular spot with only seven seats at the bar. Thankfully, we arrived before it opened at 5:30pm and were able to get seats. The food and drinks were prepared before our eyes, and it was such a memorable dining experience.
Every small plate we ordered was so flavorful and tasty. Among our favourites were the soy meat skewers, torched onigiri, the dumplings, the tofu dish, the soup and the obanzai. Did I just list everything we ate? Everything was perfect!
As we waited for the restaurant to open, Sae taught us about sake since we’d be trying sake here. Sake is made from fermented rice and has been enjoyed for nearly 2000 years in Japan.
We learned about junmai sake vs normal sake – junmai is pure rice sake and normal sake contains additional alcohol. The quality of sake is determined by the polishing ratio, which indicates the percentage of rice grain that’s milled away. Usually, when more rice is milled away (a lower polishing ratio), the more expensive and higher quality a sake becomes.
At our restaurant (and most bars), the sake cup is placed inside a masu, a small square box that was originally used to measure a day’s worth of rice. It’s considered to be a sign of generosity when the sake overflows from the cup into the masu. Drink from the glass and then drink the remaining sake from the box.
For Vegetarian and Vegan Travellers
Like I mentioned previously, if you are a vegetarian or vegan, you might want to consider a private tour. At most typical restaurants without a special vegetarian or vegan menu, dashi is an ingredient used in most dishes. This is a soup stock made from kelp and bonito (tuna) and is not vegetarian or vegan-friendly.
It might be tough to find vegan or vegetarian dishes at a regular restaurant in Kyoto. For this reason, you will have a better experience on a private tour with Arigato Travel.
Kyoto Bar Crawl on Pontocho Alley
Pontocho is a narrow alley in Kyoto from Shijo-dori to Sanjo-dori near the Kamogawa River. Pontocho is filled primarily with restaurants and bars that for the most part, open in the evening.
Walk along this narrow street lined with glowing lanterns on your Kyoto bar crawl tour. The bars on the eastern side of the river are built up against the Kamogawa River, offering some of the most scenic views.
We ducked into one of these bars on the eastern side of the river and managed to snag a spot at the back window. With the dimly lit ambiance of the bar and the calm river views at dusk, it offered the ideal atmosphere to enjoy some Japanese whisky.
Scotland isn’t the only place to find amazing whisky. Japanese whisky is growing in popularity and one Japanese whisky even won the top prize in an international competition. Japanese whisky is similar to Scotch because it’s a malt whisky using mostly malted barley. Each distillery in Japan has their own unique blend and style.
Since we tried a highball at our first bar, this time we tried Japanese whisky on the rocks. We tried two different Japanese single whiskies, Yamazaki and Hakushu.
Kyoto Bar Crawl: Innovative Cocktails
Our last stop of our bar crawl in Kyoto was a cocktail bar down a quiet street. This wasn’t far from all the action, but definitely off the tourist track. It’s a favourite among locals and situated inside a centuries-old home, transformed into a cocktail bar.
The bartenders in Kyoto aren’t focused on speed or showiness. They will take the time to craft the perfect cocktail, using the best care and techniques. I ordered a frozen yuzu daiquiri (the first time I’ve seen one on a menu) and Justin got the pineapple vodka Ricky.
Justin and I really enjoyed this Kyoto bar crawl tour for the interesting facts, our informative guide, and the impressive food and drinks. Be sure to book this Kyoto Luxury Sake, Whisky and Cocktail Tour when you travel to Kyoto.
Thank you so much to Arigato Travel for kindly hosting our experience. We always share our honest opinions and highly recommend this luxury Kyoto bar crawl tour.
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Lauren is the full-time travel blogger and content creator behind Justin Plus Lauren. She started Justin Plus Lauren in 2013 and has travelled to 50+ countries around the world. Lauren is an expert on vegan travel as one of the very first vegan travel bloggers. She also focuses on outdoor adventure travel, eco and sustainable travel, and creating amazing travel itineraries for cities and small towns.
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