The 7 Best Private Pub Crawls in Japan

1.[Private]Shinjuku Golden Gai Bar Hopping w/ Japanese Local Guide

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 34 reviews · from $85Our pick

Spend 3.5 hours with a Japanese local guide in Shinjuku, moving from Omoide Yokocho through Kabukicho to several Golden Gai bars. You’ll learn izakaya manners, try sake or beer, and order Japanese snacks in small local venues. Guides have included Kuni and Yoko, but drinks, food, and your guide’s costs are not included.

“Golden Gai and the bars themselves were very cool and fun to see, but our guide Yoko was very quiet and disinterested. While it was very convenient to have someone with us who could translate, he made it feel more awkward to have him thRead more”

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2.Shinjuku: Private Bar Hopping

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 34 reviews · from $35Best value

Join Yohei for a private 4 to 5 hour evening in Shinjuku. You’ll see sunset views from the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building, learn useful Japanese, visit izakayas and local bars, stop at Hanazono Shrine and Golden Gai, then finish with optional karaoke. Food and drinks cost extra.

“Yohei was such an amazing tour guide! He took us to very fun and niche restaurants and bars, and he catered to all of our various interests. He was extremely friendly, warm, and inviting. He even studied the specific history of the neighborhRead more”

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3.Private Food & Sake Tour in Central Kyoto with Sake Sommelier

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 24 reviews · from $230

Join certified international sake sommelier Kenji for a private three-hour evening in central Kyoto. Visit two or three handpicked bars, including a traditional machiya izakaya and a local standing bar, with sake, craft beer, and small dishes chosen around your tastes. Groups are limited to two to four people, and non-drinkers are welcome.

“The first half of the evening was a lesson on history and production of Sake/Nihon Shu. This included several tasting at a Sake bar. The second half of the evening was spent eating local cuisine and socializing. Kenji is a wonderful guide and I highly recommend this tour for those looking for something more personalized.”

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4.Tokyo: Private Shibuya Bar Crawl Tour -3 Drinks & Local Foods-

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 23 reviews · from $105

Start at 6:00 pm near Shibuya Mark City and spend three hours visiting local izakayas with a private guide. Taku and Moe are among the guides leading the tour, helping you order from Japanese menus, explaining izakaya customs, and introducing dishes, sake, shochu, and retro snacks. The evening ends at Shibuya Crossing.

“We loved the variety of foods and drinks! We got to customize our orders to our liking and there was a ton of variety. Be sure to go hungry!! We loved our guide, he was personable and knowledgeable, we learned so much about Japanese izakaya culture! Highly recommend!”

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5.Bar Hopping Private Tour in Kyoto(WAKUWAKU area)

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 4 reviews · from $52

Join Takeshi for a private Kyoto evening built around three local drinking spots: a standing bar, an izakaya, and a whisky bar. You will choose and pay for your own food and drinks, with a suggested limit of about 6,000 yen. The tour begins at 7:00 p.m. near Shijo-Omiya and is limited to four people.

“We loved exploring the small bars while we would never consider to enter on our own. Our host was very friendly and clearly enjoyed sharing his city with us. For a sense of how locals eat and drink we highly recommend this tour!”

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6.Private Fukuoka Bar Hopping and Food Tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 3 reviews · 3 hours · from $135

Meet your English-speaking local guide at Nishijin Station for a three-hour private walk through four neighborhood food and drink stops. Expect tonkotsu ramen, takoyaki, a cheese omelet with spicy fish eggs, tacos, sake, draft beer, and deep-fried horse mackerel. The route favors local bars with few English menus, so come ready to follow your guide and try something new.

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7.Private Fukuoka Bar Hopping and Food Walking Tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 3 reviews · from $98

Meet at Nishijin Station at 5 pm for a private three-hour food and bar walk led by Mason Tsubaki’s team. Try affordable Hakata ramen, takoyaki, mentaiko tamagoyaki, Japanese drinks, tacos, sake, and fried horse mackerel. The route ends near Fujisaki Station in a 100-year-old traditional house.

“We started the experience with a stop at a local ramen shop, where they introduced us to a bowl of amazingly rich, flavorful ramen that was also surprisingly affordable. Giving us the option to try different noodle hardness, which is only available in Fukuoka.”

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