Nabowa has been wowing fans for years at packed shows across Japan, and is known to many in the craft beer community for having played at Snow Monkey Beer Live every year. We even sometimes see them at Bungalow, one of Kyoto’s craft beer bars—it’s their neighborhood, after all. We’ve known the friendly quartet since their early days and have watched them transform from a young, talented band still finding their style into a powerhouse act that now influences other groups with its distinct, instrumental sound.

The band primarily relies on guitar, bass, percussion and violin in its songs. Often loosely labeled as a “jam band,” Nabowa plays with more structure than others that fall into the category. Harmony and melody loops are standard fare, but the patterns evolve and songs never seem repetitive. Bright and often high-tempo, the songs find a groove quickly and pull you in.

Nabowa has a handful of studio releases, some of which include guest vocalists. This year, the band has been together for ten years and is releasing a new album in June entitled “4”. Get the album, grab a beer or two, enjoy the hour. Then repeat, like one of their infectious loops.

This article was published in Japan Beer Times # () and is among the limited content available online. Order your copy through our online shop or download the digital version from the iTunes store to access the full contents of this issue.