Don't be fooled...This store in Takayama (Gifu-ken) isn't your normal beer store!!! The beer scene there is great, and it seems like more and more good bars and beers are popping up all of the time. It stands to reason that one of the world's largest cities would have a good selection of beers...but what about the rest of Japan?
The problem with Tokyo is that many of the folks who only live in Tokyo--don't understand what it is like to live in the far reaches of the nooks and crannies of Japan. I've gotten several emails recently from people asking where in the world can they find craft beer in Japan? Since Nate nor I live in Tokyo, I thought it was time we got back to the basics of where to find good jibeer in Japan.
(Being an English teacher, I know that many new teachers are about to come to Japan in the late summer/fall to start their teaching assignments. Often times these people don't have too good of an idea of where to find good beer in this country. I hope this helps.)
If you live outside of Tokyo, but still in a bigger city (Sapporo, Osaka, Nagoya, etc.) you probably are still in luck.
However, be prepared to find that the beer scene in every other city of Japan can't compare to Tokyo. I live near Nagoya, and I can count the number of bars on one hand (that I know of!) that are serving Japanese craft beer.
In the bigger cities, the first thing you need to look for is an international store. Stores like Seijo Ishii and Yamaya are goldmines when it comes to finding good jibeer from Japan, and the rest of the world. Ask around and see if anyone knows of a good international grocery or liquor store in your area. Chances are you can find the most popular and widely distributed jibeers in these joints.*
After that, hit up your department stores. Stores like Matsuzakaya and Mitsukoshi usually have nice 'grocery' and specialty food shops in their basements. More often than not, this means that they will have a liquor department. Many department stores carry several types of jibeer, usually only from the area and surrounding regions though.
Once you have checked all of your department stores, it's time to hit your
major supermarkets. Stores like JUSCO, AEON, Domi, and other bigger supermarkets will usually have some kind of jibeer for you to choose from. In Aichi, we have Atsumi Foods, a great local supermarket that carries a great selection of jibeer.
Now comes the tricky part. You can hit your conbinis, but more often than not their shelves will be full of The Big 4's brews and Chu-hai.
Now it's time to look for your liquor stores in town. Most liquor stores won't have too big of a beer selection, but you may get lucky. The best thing to do is to develop some kind of relationship at a store, and then ask the owner where you can get jibeer. I always find that people are more willing to help AFTER I have just bought something from them. It may be worth dropping 1000yen on a cheap bottle of sake to help your chances of finding a good jibeer spot.
The hardest place to find jibeer (in Aichi at least) is at your local bar. Most bars only serve one of the Big Four's Brews, and that's that. When you ask for a beer, you will be served a 'beer' and won't even be told what kind. Don't worry. It's Japan. However, the bar is a great place to meet (surprise surprise!) other drinkers who love beer. Try asking some of the locals if they know of any places to get jibeer in the area.
The Japanese people might not be as helpful as you imagined when you ask them about jibeer in the area. I have been in Nagoya right next to the cities ONLY brewpub and had people tell me that they had never heard of beer in Nagoya before. Don't get discouraged.
Lastly, to those of you living in the countryside: Gambatte. I do, and I can't buy any kind of jibeer for miles and miles. This just means that I have to know where to look on the weekends and stock up when I am in the big cities. ALSO, don't overlook the Internet. Many Japanese brewers offer good deals with beer shipped right to your door. The beer might have been mistreated a bit, but wouldn't you choose a mistreated good beer over no beer at all?
Many ask us where Nate and I find so many jibeers in Aichi, since we don't have all the availability from Tokyo.
The answer is simple: We are very tenacious. It's not uncommon to find us walking around Nagoya early on a Saturday morning hitting up all the usual spots, looking for anything new. We put a lot of effort (and travel!) into tracking down some good beer here, and it can get tedious. Keep fighting. Great is your reward!
Remember, if you are having trouble locating good Japanese beer in your area, get on the net. Chances are, someone is/was having the same trouble that you are. Get on sites (like this one) and ask people about the local beer near you. Don't be afraid to ask!!!!!
So, as we all wait for the day when our cities have beer scenes that can rival Tokyo's--let's keep hunting for the best beer we can find here. You never know
* The most available jibeers in Japan are from Yo Ho Brewing (Yona Yona, Tokyo Black, Aooni, etc.) and Ginga Kogen (white ale, weizen, pale ale). They usually run about 260-300 yen a can and are good beers. These are a great place to start if you are getting into the jibeer scene here in Japan!
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And here is Miyuki modeling this beer dispensing back unit.
Also, I just finished watchingthe documentary Beer Wars. It is good but I was kinda disapointed that the only craft breweries she talks with are Stone, Dogfish Head, and New Belgium. Well, she visited Yuengling too but...didn't dwell there like she did up in Milton, Delware where Sam and the Dogfish boys play. And who really cares about Moonshot caffeinated beer? That woman should have never left Sam Adams!
