Name: Exploring Craft Beer & Sake in Central Japan
Uploaded: 2025-07-22T18:06:15.000Z
Duration: 17 min 15 s
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Sake, whiskey and beer are three popular alcoholic beverages in Japan that are also exported to many countries.

When it comes to popularity and exports, beer takes the lion's share in both the global and Japanese market, while sake and whiskey do not trail too far back.

Visiting small craft breweries or distilleries are great ways to learn more about Japanese drinks and connect with the locals.

And that is what I'll be doing in central Japan, starting from Nagoya's Chubu Sentrae International Airport.

From the bustling city of Nagoya, to the countryside town of Gujo Hachiman, to the traditional pilgrim route of the Ise Shrines, we'll be exploring the world of two popular alcoholic beverages, beer and sake, and enjoy some sightseeing as well along the way.

So join me, Raina Ong, as I go on an intoxicating journey through craft beer and sake in and around Nagoya.  Nagoya is one of the most populous cities in Japan, and only 30 minutes by train from Chubu Sentrae International Airport.

The city is known for its local specialties like unagi, chicken wings, miso katsu, and Nagoya kochin chicken.

There is no lack of eateries in central Nagoya, and the two main shopping and dining areas are around Nagoya Station and Sakae, the city's lively downtown core.

In this section, we'll introduce two craft beer breweries, one in central Nagoya, and the other in the neighboring city of Handa.

Handa Red Brick Building The late 19th century was when the Japanese beer industry started to develop, and when the country's four major beverage companies we know today were established.

Coming up against these four giants was the modestly-sized Marusan Brewing Company.

The company commissioned the Handa Red Brick Building in Handa, Aichi Prefecture, which was completed in 1898 and outfitted with the then-cutting-edge beer brewing technology.

Brewmasters from Germany were invited to impart their knowledge, and this was the humble beginnings of Kabuto beer.

This is the Handa Red Brick Building, which was designed by the same architect who also did the Yokohama Red Brick Warehouses and the ornamental designs of the Nihonbashi Bridge in Tokyo.

No expense was spared, and everything you see here was done using the latest technology and designs of the 19th century.

Inside the historical building is a museum, a shop selling beer and various other souvenirs, and a restaurant to enjoy the brew which has been reproduced using its original recipes.

The various informative displays in the museum tell the story of Kabuto beer, outlining its history from its modest start to becoming the best-selling beer in central Japan, and even winning a gold award at the 1900 Paris Expo.

However, the brand did not survive the trials of the 20th century and disappeared from the public eye by 1945.

Over a hundred years since the first Kabuto beer was brewed there, modern brewmasters have succeeded in reproducing its centuries-old recipe through research, trial and error.

You can sample the two types of Kabuto beer here, which are named after the periods they're made in.

The darker one is the Meiji Kabuto beer, while the lighter one is the Taisho Kabuto beer.

The beer is weirdly light for the color it is.

You know, between the two, I think I like the Meiji beer better.

Handa Red Brick Building is about an hour by train or bus from Chubu Sentra International Airport, or a quick 35-minute train ride from Nagoya Station, making it a nice half-day trip out of central Nagoya.

The number of Japanese craft beer breweries increased in 1994 when the minimum quantity of beer brewed to qualify for a brewing license was reduced.

However, the popularity of craft beer only took off in the 2010s when breweries started to focus on improving quality and flavor, and associating craft beer as the local specialty.

Why Market Brewing, which opened in 2014, is Nagoya's first craft beer brewery.

The Why Market Brewing tap room is located in what looks like a light industry district.

I feel like I found this cool secret drinking spot, so let's go drink some beer!

I got special permission to tour the Immaculate Brewery and learned that there is just so much happening behind the scenes to make a batch of beer.

We're inside the tap room and they usually have about eight varieties of beer and taps.

I think I'm going to go for this, this, this, that, that, that and that, that.

I ordered the Fruit KB IPA, which is a melon beer.

I heard that the melons were actually cut and processed on the premises here, so I'm going to give it a try.

It's almost like drinking a melon juice, but it's actually beer, and I can see myself drinking lots of this on a hot day.

From here, I return to the station and head for Sakae, the heartbeat of Nagoya.

The area around its iconic tower and landmark is nice for relaxing and going for an evening stroll to enjoy the night views.

Just around the corner is Craft Beer Keg Nagoya, a craft beer specialty restaurant including ones from Y Market Brewing.

The food menu also contains a nice selection of dishes which pair well with beer.

It's like fruity at first, and then pow, the smokiness just hits you.

I highly recommend spending your evening in the vibrant Sakae district, where you can enjoy delicious food and drink and soak in the city vibes.

The Ise Shrines, or Ise Jingu in Japanese, are the most sacred shrines in Japan and located a 90-minute train ride south of Nagoya in Mie Prefecture.

Made up of the outer and inner shrines, Ise Jingu has been visited by pilgrims and worshippers for centuries.

Oharaimachi, the traditional approach to the inner shrine, is lined with stores offering tired travelers nourishing food, a place to rest, treats and souvenirs to bring home.

Today, it is a popular place to soak in the traditional atmosphere and sample the local foods and drinks.

We'll spend a few hours visiting the charming Oharaimachi and Okageyokocho, including visiting one craft beer restaurant operated by the brewery and one sake brewery.

We're at the craft beer restaurant operated by Ise Kadoya Bakushu.

Established in 1575, Ise Kadoya is a family business that provided visitors to Ise Jingu, a place to rest, tea and sweets for over centuries.

Making miso and soy sauce was another branch of the business, and over the years, the company expanded on their brewing techniques and switched to craft beer in 1997.

Their craft beer label, Ise Kado, has won numerous awards domestically and internationally since 2001.

Inside the atmospheric restaurant, visitors can enjoy the Ise Kado craft beer as well as the local specialties.

The area around Ise is famous for its seafood like oysters, abalone and Japanese spiny lobster or Ise Ebi.

I've ordered some oyster dishes, as well as a tasting flight.

I probably could finish the whole plate myself.

Not far from the entrance to Okageyoko-cho is Iseman Naikumae Brewery, the only sake brewery in the Iseshima region.

A cedar ball or a sugidama lets you know where sake is sold.

A new sugidama that is fresh and green indicates that new sake is available.

Over time, the cedar dries out and becomes brown, indicating that the sake has matured.

Regardless of colour, you can be sure that when you see one of these, sake is sold there.

Japanese sake has been produced since ancient times, but it was used mostly for religious purposes.

This is the sake that is offered to the Ise shrines.

Sake, at its essence, is an alcoholic drink made from fermented rice, and its key ingredients are water, rice, koji mould and yeast.

The sake we know today dates back to the 18th century, when the advancements of brewing techniques led to major improvements in flavour, and its usage spread from religious purposes to drinking for leisure.

Sake brewing at Iseman happens behind the shop space, and due to the size of the small brewery, each batch of sake comes in limited quantities and are sold only at the brewery shop or at selected liquor stores in the Iseshima region.

While we can't tour the brewery and observe the brewing process, we can go for the paid to taste some of the sake made on the premises.

So clean, so fresh, and it doesn't even taste like sake to me.

About three hours north of central Nagoya by train is Gujo Hachiman, a small riverside town situated at the confluence of two major rivers in the middle of Gifu prefecture and surrounded by mountains.

The small town has an abundance of clean, clear waters, earning it a spot in one of the 100 best water villages in Japan, and consequently makes it a suitable place to brew various kinds of alcohol.

The town is also famous for being the birthplace and the largest producer of food samples, which are the fake food replicas seen in many a store window.

Gujo Hachiman Bakushu Kobokobo is a small craft beer brewery located along the town's main street.

Behind these doors is the Kobokobo microbrewery, which can be hard to miss if you don't know what you're looking for.