Sake Highball Karuta Tournament 2026

Dates & time: October 17, 2026 (Sat) 13:00〜15:30（受付12:45〜）
Price & booking: Karuta tournament entry: ¥2,000 incl. tax (30 places)
Watching is free (about 50 people); sake highball tasting tickets are ¥500 for 5 Both tournament entry and viewing are booked in advance through their own options on the ROJI Nihonbashi ONLINE STORE; entry is by the QR code issued at purchase.
Venue & access: Matsunoo Taisha Shrine, Great Hall About a 3-minute walk from Matsuo-taisha Station on the Hankyu Arashiyama Line or the Matsuo-taisha-mae city bus stop. The organizers ask guests not to come by car, motorbike or bicycle.

There are 2 car parks within a 12-minute walk of Matsunoo Taisha Shrine, Great Hall, and 1 public restrooms within 8 minutes. The map shows each with its walking time.

Facility data comes from OpenStreetMap. It does not include opening hours, fees or availability.

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Why You Should Visit

A sake event at Matsunoo Taisha, the Kyoto shrine revered as the guardian deity of sake brewing. In the shrine's Great Hall, players split into teams and compete at karuta, the Japanese card-snatching game, using a deck in which breweries from across Japan describe their sake in 5-7-5 verse. Between rounds you drink sake highballs, sake mixed 1:1 with soda. It is a casual game rather than competitive karuta, and no sake knowledge is needed. Watching is free, and spectators can taste highballs from breweries such as Tamanohikari with tasting tickets. The verses are read aloud in Japanese.

Programs

Timetable & Map

NOTE

Booking & tickets

Enter the tournament alone or as a group; teams are formed on the day
The store's viewing-only option is ¥500
Tasting tickets can be bought in advance at the same store or on the day with PayPay
No refunds from 10 October

Tournament entry includes

A visit to worship at Matsunoo Taisha
A pre-written goshuin (shrine seal) from Matsunoo Taisha
A canned drink as a participation gift (planned)
A premium cup-sake set for the winning team and the top individual (shipped later)

Tasting

One ticket gets about 200 ml of sake highball or about 30 ml of sake
Breweries expected: Tamanohikari (Kyoto), Saito Shuzo (Kyoto), Yamamoto Honke (Kyoto), Okunomatsu (Fukushima), Nakano Shuzo (Aichi), Tosatsuru (Kochi)

Other

Kimono and other traditional dress are welcome
The Sake Highball Karuta deck is sold at the ROJI Nihonbashi ONLINE STORE

※Breweries, programme and times may change

Craft Beer Sake Culture Art History Heritage Solo Trip

出典: 地酒蔵元会公式サイト

Kobe · Gluten-free

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FAQ

Can I go without entering the tournament?

Yes. There is a viewing-only option (about 50 people, free entry), also booked in advance through the store. Buy tasting tickets to sample the sake highballs.

Can I bring children?

Both entry and watching are for ages 20 and over, and ID may be checked at the venue.

Do I need to know karuta or sake?

No. It is a casual game rather than competitive karuta, and no sake knowledge is required. The verses are read in Japanese.