This is a private guided tour report by Japan Guide Agency (JGA Inc.), a network of 1,000+ government-licensed, English-speaking local guides across all 47 prefectures of Japan. Not affiliated with the Japan Guide Association.
Tour Itinerary
- 9:15 Gather at the lobby of The Westin Osaka
- 9:50- 10:14 Osaka-Umeda to Uozaki (Hanshin Electric Railway)
- 10:15-10:40 Sakuramasamune Memorial Museum
- 10:45-11:15 Hamafukutsuru Ginjo Kobo
- 11:30-12:10 Kikumasamune Sake Brewing Museum
- 12:20-12:40 Hakutsuru Sake Brewing Museum
- 12:49-12:59 Sumiyoshi to Shinzaike (Hanshin Electric Railway)
- 13:10-14:15 Lunch @ Kobe Steak Miyabi
- 14:29-14:30 Shinzaike to Oishi (Hanshin Electric Railway)
- 14:45-15:05 Sawanotsuru Museum
- 15:15 Disband in front of Hanshin Oishi Station
Tour Itinerary in Detail
Meeting at lobby of The Westin Osaka at 9:15, the group explored Hyogo until the tour ended at 15:15. The day ran to 6 hours from start to finish. It included lunch @ Kobe Steak Miyabi at 13:10.
The itinerary covered Osaka-Umeda to Uozaki (Hanshin Electric Railway) at 9:50, Sakuramasamune Memorial Museum at 10:15, Hamafukutsuru Ginjo Kobo at 10:45, Kikumasamune Sake Brewing Museum at 11:30, Hakutsuru Sake Brewing Museum at 12:20, Sumiyoshi to Shinzaike (Hanshin Electric Railway) at 12:49, Shinzaike to Oishi (Hanshin Electric Railway) at 14:29 and Sawanotsuru Museum at 14:45.
Travel between the sites was by public transport: Osaka-Umeda to Uozaki by train (300JPY); Sumiyoshi to Shinzaike by train (160JPY); Shinzaike to Oishi by train (160JPY). Across 3 sections the fare came to 620JPY per person.
What Is a Private Sake Brewery Tour in Kobe Like? A Licensed Guide's Report
The guests were a group visiting from North America. They were very pleasant, and although I had worried that visiting one sake brewery after another might become tiring, they thoroughly enjoyed the brewery tours and tastings from start to finish. Because some of the guests were younger, they could not join the barrel sake and cup tour at Kikumasamune, but even so, at Kikumasamune they were shown an English video and the staff spoke with them about various things, so they said Kikumasamune was their favorite.
They were delighted with the Kobe beef lunch, saying it was the most delicious meat they had ever eaten. Since I do not eat much meat myself, I was treated to a wonderful seafood lunch instead. At the end, they even gave me a tip.
Click here for more details: Nada Sake Breweries Kobe Local Tour with Licensed Guide
Transportation cost per person
| No. | Transportation | Route | Fare |
| Section 1 | Train | Osaka-Umeda～Uozaki | 300JPY |
| Section 2 | Train | Sumiyoshi～Shinzaike | 160JPY |
| Section 3 | Train | Shinzaike～Oishi | 160JPY |
| Total | 620JPY | ||
Frequently Asked Questions
Where does this Hyogo tour start and finish?
The guide met the guests at lobby of The Westin Osaka at 9:15, and the tour finished at front of Hanshin Oishi Station at 15:15.
How long does the tour last?
About 6 hours in total, from 9:15 to 15:15.
Which places does this itinerary cover?
This tour visited Osaka-Umeda to Uozaki (Hanshin Electric Railway), Sakuramasamune Memorial Museum, Hamafukutsuru Ginjo Kobo, Kikumasamune Sake Brewing Museum, Hakutsuru Sake Brewing Museum, Sumiyoshi to Shinzaike (Hanshin Electric Railway), Shinzaike to Oishi (Hanshin Electric Railway) and Sawanotsuru Museum.
How much did transport cost on this tour?
Public transport came to 620JPY per person across 3 sections. Transport fares are paid by the guests and are not included in the guiding fee.
Is the guide licensed, and what language is the tour in?
Yumiko is a government-licensed national guide-interpreter of Japan and guided this tour in English. Japan Guide Agency (JGA Inc.) works with more than 1,000 licensed guides across all 47 prefectures. Not affiliated with the Japan Guide Association.
Can the itinerary be changed for my own trip?
Yes. This report describes one private tour as it actually ran. Every Hyogo itinerary is built around the guests, so the places, the pace and the starting point can all be changed before the tour.
Welcome to Japan! I’m Yumiko. I’ll be your guide.
I’m from Kakogawa, a small city located in Hyogo Prefecture. Since it’s located near Himeji and my grandparents used to live in Himeji, I like showing my guests around places in Himeji, especially Himeji Castle and Mt. Shosha – Engyoji Temple. I’ve also lived in Osaka for about 10 years, so Osaka is also my favorite place. I’m familiar with Kobe as well, so it’s also a great pleasure to show you around these areas. I like traveling, reading, and of course, tour guiding. It’s great to see people from all over the place while living in Japan. I’d love to share Japanese history, culture, and food with you. I’m also looking forward to learning about your country – about your culture, history, and food. I’m looking forward to seeing you in Japan!
Apr 7, 2025
VHerzberg
A wonderful Himeji castle tour with Yumiko
Tripadvisor review: Himeji Half-Day Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide
The Himeji castle tour was…
Apr 7, 2025
VHerzberg
A wonderful Himeji castle tour with Yumiko
Tripadvisor review: Himeji Half-Day Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide
The Himeji castle tour was one of the highlights of our stay in Japan.
It is a beautiful castle and we were lucky to visit it during the peak of the sakura blossoms.
Yumiko was a wonderful guide and we enjoyed her tour very much. She also was very flexible when we asked for a last minute change.
Apr 1, 2025
Sightseer39112583641
Yumiko is the best
Tripadvisor review: Himeji Half-Day Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide
Yumiko was such an amazing and sweet guide!!…
Apr 1, 2025
Sightseer39112583641
Yumiko is the best
Tripadvisor review: Himeji Half-Day Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide
Yumiko was such an amazing and sweet guide!! She was so insightful and managed to find
the best spot to eat (my friend has a seafood allergy including fish broth which makes it a
bit more of a challenge to find food places)!!
Jul 12, 2024
jennarD7008EA
A MUST DO in Kobe!!! Amazing Sake Tour and Kobe Beef Lunch with Yumiko
Tripadvisor review: Exploring Nada Sake Breweries Kobe…
Jul 12, 2024
jennarD7008EA
A MUST DO in Kobe!!! Amazing Sake Tour and Kobe Beef Lunch with Yumiko
Tripadvisor review: Exploring Nada Sake Breweries Kobe Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide
This tour was amazing! We visited a mix of traditional and more modern sake breweries and the mix was perfect. We learned so much about the sake making process and the history behind it, it made us appreciate the process and the product even more! Yumiko was our guide and she was absolutely incredible. She was kind, professional, knowledgeable, and fun! She had an incredible knowledge of the sake history as well as Kobe beef history. She had incredible recommendations on the route of our tour and where to have our Kobe beef lunch. The Kobe beef lunch was INCREDIBLE. The beef was prepared impeccably and the accompaniments were amazingly delicious. The chef at the restaurant was top notch and provided the best service to our family, even accommodating vegetarian/pescatarian diets. I cannot stress enough how amazing this meal was! If you are wanting to have a truly authentic Kobe beef experience, this is your place! Our group was made up of 4 adults and 2 children (6 & 8 y.o.) and this tour was perfect for children to be included. They enjoyed the sake tours and the Kobe beef lunch just as much as us adults! Kid friendly tours might be hard to come by, so it was a relief that this tour was kid friendly. I can’t recommend this experience enough. BOOK IT!!! And ask for Yumiko because she was absolutely amazing!! This was one of the best days we had in Japan, most definitely. We love you, Yumiko!