Trackside Craft Beer by Train from Tokyo with Ex-JR Conductor

Duration5h

Free cancellationFull refund up to 24 hours before

Instant confirmationYour booking is confirmed right away

TicketMobile or paper ticket accepted

LanguagesJapanese, English

Private tourOnly your group will participate

Overview

Escape central Tokyo’s crowds by train with a former conductor and explore local craft beer taprooms along the Chuo Line.

The “passenger” on this journey is you.

Travel comfortably from Shinjuku Station or Tokyo Station on the JR Chuo Line Green Car (premium seating) with Samurai Guide Sho, who spent 22 years as a conductor on this line.

Once his workplace, the Chuo Line is now the stage for your journey. As the scenery shifts outside the window, step off into everyday Tokyo, away from tourist spots.

At small taprooms along the line, savor craft beer brewed by local microbreweries while taking in each town’s atmosphere. Bring local food into the taprooms to enjoy with your beer.

This is more than a craft beer crawl. The train ride and time in each town form a private railway journey just for your group.

No beer expertise is needed. Just take your time to enjoy the rhythm of the Chuo Line, each town’s character, and local craft beer in your hand.

Options

Shinjuku Station + 3 Beers

Duration: 5 hours
Return to Shinjuku Station: Sho accompanies you on the return train until the tour ends, so you can relax all the way back.
3 Craft Beers Included: Includes 3 craft beers per guest, any size. The total can be shared within your group.
Starting point:
Suica Penguin Park, 5 Chome-24 Sendagaya, Shibuya, Tokyo 151-0051, Japan

Tokyo Station + 3 Beers

Duration: 5 hours
Return to Tokyo Station: Sho accompanies you on the return train until the tour ends, so you can relax all the way back.
3 Craft Beers Included: Includes 3 craft beers per guest, any size. The total can be shared within your group.
Starting point:
Tokyo Station, 1 Chome Marunouchi, Chiyoda City, Tokyo 100-0005, Japan

Shinjuku Station Guide Only

Duration: 5 hours
Return to Shinjuku Station: Sho accompanies you on the return train until the tour ends, so you can relax all the way back.
Guide Only: Beer Not Included: Beer is not included. Choose and pay for your drinks at the local craft beer taprooms.
Starting point:
Suica Penguin Park, 5 Chome-24 Sendagaya, Shibuya, Tokyo 151-0051, Japan

Tokyo Station Guide Only

Duration: 5 hours
Return to Tokyo Station: Sho accompanies you on the return train until the tour ends, so you can relax all the way back.
Guide Only: Beer Not Included: Beer is not included. Choose and pay for your drinks at the local craft beer taprooms.
Starting point:
Tokyo Station, 1 Chome Marunouchi, Chiyoda City, Tokyo 100-0005, Japan

What's included

Former JR Chuo Line conductor (22 yrs): his firsthand perspective brings the train ride to life
Cooling support for takeaway craft beer (during the tour only).
Former JR East employee (23 yrs): help with stations, tickets, Suica, transfers and rail disruptions
Private guided tour of multiple carefully selected local craft beer taprooms in western Tokyo.
3 craft beers per guest at taprooms (Beer-Included option); any size, shared within your group.

Round-trip train fares & Green Car (premium seating) fees; physical Suica card recommended.
Beer on Guide-Only plans; beer beyond the included total; takeaway beer (credit cards accepted).
Food (optional; credit cards accepted)

What to expect

Tokyo Central Railway Station
10m

This stop is for guests who booked the Tokyo Station start/end option. If you booked the Shinjuku option, meet Sho at Shinjuku Station instead; you do not need to come to Tokyo Station.

Meet Sho just outside Tokyo Station's Marunouchi South Gate. This location is convenient if you are staying near Tokyo Station, Marunouchi, Otemachi, Nihonbashi, or Ginza.

Travel west with Samurai Guide Sho, a former JR Chuo Line conductor, on the JR Chuo Line Green Car (premium seating). Sho will assist you with station navigation and Green Car tickets. There is no need to travel to Shinjuku first or change trains there.

As the cityscape gives way to everyday neighborhoods along the Chuo Line, the journey becomes part of the experience. Your craft beer journey begins before you reach the first local taproom.
Shinjuku Southern Terrace
10m

This stop is for guests who booked the Shinjuku Station start/end option. If you booked the Tokyo Station option, meet Sho at Tokyo Station instead; you do not need to come to Shinjuku Station.

Meet Sho at Suica Penguin Square, directly in front of JR Shinjuku Station's New South Gate.

Travel west with Samurai Guide Sho, who worked for JR East for 23 years, including 22 years as a conductor on the JR Chuo Line. Sho will guide you through Shinjuku Station and assist with Green Car tickets before you travel west on the JR Chuo Line Green Car (premium seating).

As skyscrapers give way to residential neighborhoods and everyday Tokyo along the Chuo Line, the train ride becomes part of the experience. Your craft beer journey begins before you reach the first local taproom.
4h 20m

After stepping off the train, you will visit multiple craft beer taprooms along the JR Chuo Line in Western Tokyo, carefully selected by Samurai Guide Sho as the best options for the day.

The exact route may vary depending on opening hours, seat availability, the pace of the group, and the best taproom options on the day.

This tour is about tasting locally brewed craft beer in the neighborhoods where it is made. At each stop, you can enjoy a freshly poured beer from the tap while discovering the different atmosphere and character of each place.

The movement from one taproom to the next is also part of the journey. As you walk through the area and notice the changing atmosphere, the scenery, mood, and impression of the beer shift little by little.

Along the way, you can buy local food, bring it into the taprooms, and enjoy it with your craft beer.

Rather than simply visiting bars, this tour lets you experience the flow of Western Tokyo itself.
Suica's Penguin Park
5m

This is the final stop for guests who booked the Shinjuku Station start/end option. Guests who booked the Tokyo Station option continue with Sho all the way to Tokyo Station.

After visiting multiple craft beer taprooms, relax on the return journey in the JR Chuo Line Green Car (premium seating). With a restroom, seat tables, and trash bins on board, you can travel comfortably even after enjoying local beer.

If you purchase takeaway craft beer, you can enjoy it at your seat while watching the neighborhoods pass by. The changing scenery invites you to savor the flavors and moments of the day a little longer.

Sho, a former JR Chuo Line conductor with 22 years of experience, accompanies you throughout the ride and helps you navigate Shinjuku Station. The tour ends here, but you take home memories of the local streets, craft beer, and a side of Tokyo you discovered by train.
Tokyo Central Railway Station
5m

This is the final stop for guests who booked the Tokyo Station start/end option. Guests who booked the Shinjuku Station option finish their tour at Shinjuku Station.

After visiting multiple craft beer taprooms, relax on the return journey in the JR Chuo Line Green Car (premium seating). With a restroom, seat tables, and trash bins on board, you can travel comfortably even after enjoying local beer.

If you purchase takeaway craft beer, you can enjoy it at your seat while watching the neighborhoods pass by. As the train approaches central Tokyo, savor the flavors and memories of the places you visited a little longer.

Sho, a former JR Chuo Line conductor with 22 years of experience, stays with you beyond Shinjuku and helps you navigate Tokyo Station until the tour ends. You take home memories of the local streets, craft beer, and a side of Tokyo you discovered by train.

Meeting and pickup

Meeting point

Meet just outside the Marunouchi South Gate at JR Tokyo Station.

Search “Marunouchi South Gate” on Google Maps.

Use the ground-floor gate, not the Marunouchi Underground South Gate.

Your guide Sho will wear modern samurai attire and be easy to find.

Meeting point

Meet at Suica Penguin Square, directly in front of JR Shinjuku Station’s New South Gate.

Search “Suica Penguin Square” on Google Maps.

The address is shown as Shibuya City, but it will take you to the correct meeting point.

Your guide Sho will wear modern samurai attire and be easy to find.

End point

Meet just outside the Marunouchi South Gate at JR Tokyo Station.

Search “Marunouchi South Gate” on Google Maps.

Use the ground-floor gate, not the Marunouchi Underground South Gate.

Your guide Sho will wear modern samurai attire and be easy to find.

End point

Meet at Suica Penguin Square, directly in front of JR Shinjuku Station’s New South Gate.

Search “Suica Penguin Square” on Google Maps.

The address is shown as Shibuya City, but it will take you to the correct meeting point.

Your guide Sho will wear modern samurai attire and be easy to find.

Additional information

Public transportation options are available nearby
Infants are required to sit on an adult’s lap
Not recommended for pregnant travelers
Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health
Suitable for all physical fitness levels
This tour is independently operated and is not affiliated with JR East.
To capture the authentic atmosphere of local establishments, the photos were taken at real taprooms and eateries that may be visited during the tour. The craft beers and food shown were actually served there.
We recommend loading about ¥4,000 per person onto a Suica or PASMO card for transportation. If you prefer to pay in cash, please bring about ¥4,000 per person. Sho can help you top up your card or purchase train tickets and paper Green Car tickets with cash at the station before boarding. Credit cards are accepted at every stop for additional food and beer purchases.
A physical Suica or PASMO card is recommended for a smoother Green Car experience, but it is not required.
This tour uses JR Green Car premium seating for the train ride both ways.
The Green Car has seat tables, drink holders, power outlets, a restroom, and trash bins, so you can enjoy your own meals or drinks on board, and it is also convenient for charging your phone or other devices.
Since this tour starts at 12:00, some guests choose to have lunch on the outbound Green Car train ride.
After arriving at the station nearest the taproom, you can also purchase local food and snacks that pair well with craft beer. Credit cards are accepted. You may bring your purchases into the taprooms I guide you to.
This is not a detailed brewery or brewing facility tour, but a tour where you visit selected taprooms in West Tokyo and enjoy fresh craft beer on tap in the local atmosphere of each area.
The organizer is not responsible for illness, injury, or loss or damage of personal belongings during the tour.
Alcohol is available only to guests aged 20 and over. While the guide takes great care to ensure safety throughout the tour, guests are responsible for managing their own condition and personal safety, especially when consuming alcohol.
The tour may be terminated without refund in case of disruptive behavior.

Cancellation policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

Reviews

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