Where to Go Out: the 15 Best Izakaya and Sake Bar Hopping in Tokyo

1.Shinjuku Local Bar and Izakaya Guided Walking Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 1,794 reviews · 3 hours · from $34Our pick

Spend three hours walking Shinjuku with an English-speaking local guide, visiting Omoide Yokocho, Kabukicho, and Golden Gai. You will stop at selected izakayas and bars, taste Japanese drinks at your own cost, learn local nightlife customs, and finish with karaoke. Guides such as Nao, Naoya, Toshi, Kei, and Shota are praised for welcoming solo visitors and managing mixed groups.

“Shota was an amazing tour guide friendly, knowledgeable and an even better karaoke singer! We had a truly memorable night can’t thank Shota enough for his hospitality.”

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2.Shinjuku Local Bar & Izakaya Crawl Tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 890 reviews · from $39Top rated

Spend about three hours walking through Omoide Yokocho, Kabukicho, and Golden Gai with an English-speaking guide. Expect small bars, Japanese food, sake, photos, and often karaoke. Guides such as Rika, Nao, Yoshi, Ken, and Akari help with ordering and introductions. Food and drinks cost extra, so budget beyond the $39.79 tour price.

“Yoshi crafted an excellent evening sampling a local experience in an Izakaya pub, sake samples and karaoke bar . This is a perfect tour whether solo or in a group as you become fast friends with your group exploring the night scene in Shinjuku”

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3.Shibuya: Local Bar & Izakaya Crawl

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 354 reviews · 3 hours · from $29

Meet an English-speaking guide such as Tomomi, Kento, Asato, or Yuna near Mizuho Bank in Shibuya, then visit three local-style bars and izakayas over three hours. Expect food, sake, conversation, and often karaoke. Admission and photos are included, but bring cash for everything you eat and drink. Participants must be 20 or older.

“Kei was very knowledgable and took us to venues that gave us a feel of Tokyo local flavor. She was happy to answer questions and was enthusiastic the whole night though”

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4.Shibuya Local Bar & Izakaya Crawl Tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 218 reviews · from $39

Meet at 8 p.m. near Shibuya Station and follow an English-speaking guide through Shibuya Crossing, Miyashita Park, local izakaya, sake bars, and Center-gai. Guides such as Kota, Ken, Riku, Sora, and Momoko may add food tips, translation, photos, or karaoke. Admission is included, but food and drinks cost extra.

“This was fantastic especially for a solo traveler! The guide was super helpful and I was late due to traffic he contacted me and advised the first stop so I could meet the group there. Great conversation and knowledge. I would book again.”

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5.Shinjuku Izakaya and Golden Gai Bar Hopping Tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 147 reviews · from $99

Spend about two hours walking through Omoide Yokocho, Kabukicho, and possibly Golden Gai with a small group of up to eight. Your guide leads you to local izakayas, explains dishes such as yakitori and fish, and includes three alcoholic drinks plus 6 to 8 food items. Guides such as Hiro, Ryota, Tak, and Tetsu are known for friendly help and local tips.

“Excellent! Hiro is an extremely knowledgeable and this is a great way to introduce yourself to Shinjuku. It's also a great way to meet other travelers. I recommend doing this tour as soon as you get to Shinjuku.”

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6.Shinjuku Izakaya and Golden Gai Bar Hopping Tour (2h)

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 67 reviews · 2 hours · from $96

Join an English-speaking local guide for a small-group evening through Shinjuku. You’ll eat yakitori and other Japanese foods, enjoy three alcoholic drinks, and visit Omoide Yokocho, Kabukicho, and Golden Gai. Guides such as Hiro, Ryota, Shuji, and Ash lead the route, with time for local stories and friendly conversation.

“Super fun tour!! Good spots and different drinks and food. Hiyo was great! Shared tons of knowledge, took us to great photo spots and made the whole experience great!”

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7.Shinjuku Bar and Izakaya Hopping Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 31 reviews · 3 hours · from $25Best value

Walk Shinjuku with an English-speaking local guide, stopping at neighborhood bars, sake tastings, and karaoke venues. Guides such as Yoshi, Momoko, Ken, and Shota have helped solo visitors and mixed groups settle in quickly. Bring cash for food and drinks, which cost extra.

“Miambi was really nice and welcoming ! He showed us all around the good spots, everyone was so nice I really liked this moment ☺️”

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8.Luxury Tokyo Sake, Cocktail, Whisky and Pairing Tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 18 reviews · from $321

Spend three hours with an English-speaking guide, starting in Shimbashi and ending in Ginza. You’ll visit four drinking spots, taste sake, Japanese whisky, cocktails, craft beer, and possibly Japanese wine, and share nine local dishes. The group is capped at 10, with guide Glenda among the named hosts.

“A nice sampler of some of the tastes and flavours of Tokyo thru the lens of just a few of the unique city neighbourhoods. A small insight into the cultural nuances of each area with a tasting of sake , crafted cocktails and Japanese wine and local snacks and delicacies . Glenda our guide was lovely and a lot of fun!”

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9.Shinjuku Underground Nightlife Tour: Izakaya Food & Bar Hopping

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 11 reviews · from $129

Spend three hours in Shinjuku with a local guide and a maximum of eight people. Eat 10 or more Japanese dishes in Omoide Yokocho, sing at a karaoke bar with free-flow drinks, then finish in Golden Gai. Mr. Musu is one guide named in guest feedback. Food, drinks, seat charges, and cover fees are included.

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10.Shinjuku: bar hopping night tour at Japanese Izakaya

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 8 reviews · 3h 30m · from $96

Spend 210 minutes with English-speaking guide Shingo exploring Shinjuku’s Memory Lane, Kabukicho, and Golden Gai. Visit more than two Japanese pubs, try sake, beer, skewers, street food, and possibly karaoke. Food and drinks are paid separately, and the small group is limited to seven people.

“A wonderful, enriching and fun experience. Thank you Shingo for the great evening.”

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11.Tokyo Izakaya crawl (A tour of 2 izakayas, 1 bar, and a shrine)

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 8 reviews · from $32

Join pilot-guide Tomoki for a 3.5-hour private walk through Shinjuku nightlife. You’ll visit Omoide Yokocho, Kabukicho, Golden Gai, two izakayas, one bar, and Hanazono Shrine. Food and drinks cost extra in Japanese yen, while photos and an edited video are included.

“Excellent tour and so friendly, such a great host. Best way to see nightlife in japan and experience food.”

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12.Izakaya Bar Experience at Kuuraku Ginza Reservation

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 4 reviews · 2 hours · from $34

Book a restaurant course at Kuuraku Ginza and dine without a guide for about two hours. Choose five, seven, or nine chef-selected yakitori skewers, plus salads, small dishes, chicken soup, rice, and dessert on the largest menu. Premium Michinoku Seiryu chicken is grilled over Binchotan charcoal. Drinks cost extra, and the restaurant accepts bookings for one person.

“Authentic Yakitori in Ginza – A Must-Try! If you're in Tokyo and craving something local, Kuuraku Ginza is the perfect spot. Their yakitori is grilled over binchotan charcoal by certified chefs – juicy, flavorful, and beautifully presented. We tried the 7-skewer course and loved every bite, especially the tsukune (meatball) and chicken with scallion. Great sake selection too! Friendly staff, English menu, and cozy atmosphere make it very foreigner-friendly. Book ahead – it’s worth it!”

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13.Izakaya Bar at Bistro Fukumimi, Ginza Corridor

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 3 reviews · 2 hours · from $41

Enter Bistro Fukumimi in Ginza’s Corridor for a two-hour Japanese izakaya dinner built around expertly grilled yakitori and kushiyaki. Choose seven or twelve skewers, with chicken, beef, pork, mackerel, and vegetables, then add an all-you-can-drink plan if you wish. This is a restaurant reservation, not a guided tour.

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14.Luxury Sake, Cocktail, and Whiskey Pairing Tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 2 reviews · 3 hours · from $251

Spend three hours walking through Ginza with an English-speaking guide, stopping at four bars for sake, whisky, beer, cocktails, regional dishes, and snacks. You’ll learn Japanese drinking customs and bartending traditions, then finish at a mixology bar with a 360-degree rooftop view. Guide Yappy has led this experience, though guide assignments may vary.

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15.Night tour of bars and izakayas in Shinjuku – English / Spanish

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 2 reviews · from $77

Walk through Shinjuku’s Omoide Yokocho, Kabukicho, and Golden Gai with a Spanish-speaking guide such as Isma. Over four hours, you’ll see neon streets, learn local bar customs, and enter a tiny Golden Gai bar. Food and drinks cost extra, and the tour is for adults 18 and older.

“Me gustó mucho Isma, el gua, y su predisposición a llevarte a sitios diferentes.”

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