It’s been a busy, busy few months for beer enthusiasts in Japan, what with all the many festivals, both established and new. Hakata (Fukuoka) kicked off its first in the middle of a filthy hot summer with some organizational help from Okura Hotel’s brewery. Some didn’t like the heat, but it sure made the beer go down quickly! The Microbrewery Beer Festa in Hiroshima this past September featured beers primarily from nearby regions, offering yet another decent option in southern Japan. We look forward to the growth of this festival in an area of Honshu underrepresented by craft beer. Toyama prefecture hosted the Tanabata Beer Festa out in its countryside environs. Several visitors remarked enjoying the laid-back atmosphere because they were able to chat with brewers. The 13th Ichinoseki Beer Festival was the highlight of the season for many. 60+ breweries. Three days. Lovely location. Says Chris Chuwy, ubiquitous happy drinker and tireless curator of Booze List (http://boozelist.blogspot.com), “The festival is great because the whole town comes alive for it.”

It’s been a big beer season for Yokohama. Quick on the heels of the Bruxellensis Belgian Beer event held in July in Minatomirai, JCBA opened the doors at Osanbashi Hall for the Great Japan Beer Festival. Some attendees questioned the abundance of overseas craft beer at a ‘great Japan’ event, but most drinkers seemed delighted for the rare opportunity to try the many kinds of craft made available through the American Brewers Association. Some representative overseas beers at every craft beer festival seems like a good idea to us: drink and compare! Later that week, Suzuki Shinya of Yokohama brewery kicked off a festival featuring some rather rare beer not normally available in kegs (our favorite, the Myoko Kogen dark lager). Alas, the first two days were canceled because of a typhoon, but it veered out to sea just before the Japan Beer Times launched its craft beer cruise around Yokohama Bay.

In our next issue, we will cover the Japan Craft Beer Selection festival and other early fall events. Expect articles on Hitachino Nest, Swan Lake and several other brewers.

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.