Private Food & Sake Guide in Japan

Japanese food becomes far more rewarding once you know where to go, how to order, and the culture behind each dish.

A local Partner who knows the food scene accompanies you to markets, izakaya alleys and sake breweries, helping you past the language and etiquette barriers.

You can request private, small-group guiding, mainly in Tokyo, Kyoto and Osaka.

Who this is for

• Travelers who want to experience Japanese food at their own pace, not on a group tour
• Anyone curious about markets, izakaya alleys and local restaurants but unsure about the language or how to order
• Those who want to visit sake breweries and specialty shops to learn more about sake and food culture
• Anyone who wants advice on where to eat, planned around their itinerary

How we're different

• Private and built around you: Cooking classes and food tours are mostly set menus or group experiences. On jpwork hub, you can request private, small-group guiding around where you want to go and your dietary needs.
• Plan your meals before you travel: Food tours usually cover just the day itself. On jpwork hub, you can also request an online consultation to plan where to eat around your itinerary.
• Reservations done right, in your name: Some reservation services for hard-to-book restaurants amount to reselling tables. On jpwork hub, reservations are made in your own name, and tables are never resold.

What Partners can help with

• Guiding you to markets, izakaya alleys, restaurants, sake breweries and specialty shops
• Explaining menus, helping you order, and explaining food culture and etiquette
• Advice on choosing restaurants based on your preferences and dietary needs (allergies, vegetarian, etc.)
• Helping you make restaurant reservations in your own name
• Accompanying you on public transport or taxis and showing you the way

What we cannot accept

• Arranging transport or accommodation, or pick-up services (including paying the Partner for arranging taxis or similar)
• Reservations under the Partner's name or a false name, reselling or transferring reservations, or guaranteeing reservations at hard-to-book restaurants
• Advancing or holding payment for meals (please pay restaurants directly)
• Cooking or serving food, or selling alcohol, by the Partner
• Asking an unlicensed Partner to provide services under a title legally reserved for licensed professionals, such as "National Government Licensed Guide Interpreter"
• Dealing directly with a Partner you met through this service without going through the platform (contracts or payments outside the service)

Please check each Partner's plans for guiding fees. Your meals, admission fees and transport costs are not included in the guiding fee and are paid by you. For how the Partner's own meals during the guide are handled, please check each Partner's plan details.