Guided Experience
Award Winning & Rare
Mashiko, Tochigi
1.5 - 2 hours (from 2pm)
Min 2, Max 8
Award Winning Private Sake Tasting & Pairing Experience - Only 90 Minutes from Tokyo
What you can expect
A tour of Tonoike Sake Brewery (with a dedicated English guide or translator if you choose the premium experience)
Ceremonial welcome sake drink from an exclusively crafted Mashiko pottery drinking vessel made for Tonoike Sake Brewery by local potter Venice Aka
Private sake tasting experience including seasonal and exclusive sakes paired with Japanese and Western food pairings
Tasting cards and pairing suggestions for each sake tasted so you can replicate the pairings in the future
Exclusive customised sake gift & surprise present (surprise present is only for the premium experience)
Transportation from your hotel in Mashiko or from Mashiko Station (premium experience only)
Experience type
Details of the Standard and Premium experiences can be found below:
Location & how to get there
The easiest way to get here is by car which takes around 90 minutes from Tokyo. If you have a designated driver joining you, they will be able to join the sake tour and will be provided with coffee & amazake (non-alcoholic) ice cream
Read our guides on Driving in Japan and Renting a Car in Japan for more information
From Shinjuku Station:
Take the 10:36am Shonan-Shinjuku train from Platform 4 to Utsunomiya Station OR take the 11:21 Shonan-Shinjuku train from Platform 4 to Ōmiya Station then take the 12:01pm Tohoku Shinkansen from Ōmiya Station platform 17 to Utsunomiya Station
Take the 12:33pm 益子駅～ベルモール～宇都宮東武 bus from Utsunomiyaekinishiguchi (West Exit from Utsunomiya Station) to Mashiko Station
Alternatively, transport from Utsunomiya Station can be arranged for an additional fee
Description
In 2025, Tonoike Sake Brewery were the first brewery in 106 years to win both the Junmai (pure rice) and Ginjo (special brew) Nanbu Toji Sake Tasting Competition, a blind sake tasting competition with over 580 entries!
In Japan, sake is often paired with food similar to wine and due to the wide variety of sakes, the pairing potential goes far beyond Japanese cuisine! In this private experience, you will learn about the history and process of sake making through a tour of the brewery before enjoying a premium sake tasting experience where you will samples award winning sakes paired with a mix of Japanese and western delicacies.
Whether you're a seasoned sake drinker or a just starting out on your sake journey, this immersive journey will change how you view sake going forward!
Other things to note
All experiences start at 2pm
Sake tasting is only available to those aged 20 and above as this is the legal drinking age in Japan
If you are coming with children, a child ticket is available for ¥1,000 which includes ice cream and juice (child tickets are in addition to the minimum 2 people required)
Transport is included for the Private Premium Sake Tasting Experience. Please include details in the comments when booking or email bookings@dokodiscover.com
Request form
Please use this form if there is no availability for the dates you require
About Tonoike Sake Brewery
Tonoike Sake Brewery is a 3rd generation brewery with roots dating back to 1829
They are based in Mashiko, Tochigi, a region that is famous for its pure water and pottery ware
They also produce other products made from rice including shochu, liqueurs and sake cosmetics which you can purchase at their brewery shop!
As seen on Instagram
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Per person
¥12,000
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