Tokyo/Kyoto Suggestions?

Discussion in 'Asia' started by Tukee, Apr 16, 2012.

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  1. Tukee

    Tukee Devotee (363) Aug 1, 2009 Arizona

    Any good beer bar/store suggestions for Tokyo (Giza area) or Kyoto (Kyoto Station area)? Thanks!
     
  2. Ultraman9000

    Ultraman9000 Crusader (475) Jul 22, 2008 California

    Tanaka-ya in Mejiro (http://beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/3433) is the best bottle shop I've been to in Tokyo, and they sometimes have stuff that isn't stocked on the shelves (since there is so much inventory in the store, they are always playing catch-up). For beer bars, I enjoyed visits to Popeye and DevilCraft, but would suggest checking out the following post: http://www.timeout.jp/en/tokyo/feature/5263/Tokyos-best-craft-beer-bars/

    In Kyoto, Wachi (http://www.wachi.info/) sounds like it might be a nice place for a beer and some tapas-style Japanese food, and Yamaoka sake-ten (http://yamaokasaketen.blog.shinobi.jp/) gets some good reviews from beer sites as well.
     
  3. teamizm

    teamizm Initiate (0) Feb 4, 2005 California

    I went to Craftheads in Shibuya and thought the selection was great (albeit on the pricier side, even for Tokyo standards).
     
  4. distantmantra

    distantmantra Pooh-Bah (2,954) May 23, 2011 Washington
    Pooh-Bah Trader

    I really enjoyed Baird's taproom in Harajuku.
     
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  5. Duffman929

    Duffman929 Initiate (0) Nov 27, 2010 Illinois
    Trader

    It sucks that I cannot go to any of these places. There are 2 craft beer bars in Oki that charge about $13 for a pint.
     
  6. DenverBeerDrinker

    DenverBeerDrinker Initiate (0) Apr 5, 2012 Colorado

    I really don't want to hear that since I'm going to be in Oki later this summer. Guess I'll have to stock up on my stop over in Tokyo first.
     
  7. Duffman929

    Duffman929 Initiate (0) Nov 27, 2010 Illinois
    Trader

    Most of the bottles that I get are shipped from the mainland to me, and even then, some have pretty slim pickings. The beers here on Oki aren't horrible, just expensive. There are 2 places in Naha, one place that is across from Camp Lester, and another place I haven't been yet. The place across from Lester, I's Public Ale House, is also a cigar bar, which is sweet. Unfortunately, expect to spend $40 on a decent cigar and a pint.
     
  8. miketd

    miketd Initiate (0) Mar 2, 2006 Ohio

    Bakushu Popeye Club and Ushi-Tora in Tokyo are awesome. Delerium Cafe Tokyo is ok too. I went to a few good bottle shops as well, but do not recall their names.
     
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  9. pudgym29

    pudgym29 Zealot (598) Mar 14, 2009 Illinois

  10. sapporo777

    sapporo777 Initiate (0) Jul 24, 2012

    There are several options in Ginza. One is LION (run by Sapporo Beer company), Ginza 7-chome, Tokyo, or alternatively, you can visit Yebisu Bar, Ginza 2-chome, Tokyo, where you can enjoy fresh beer. http://www.ginzalion.jp/ (sorry, Japanese language only, use Google translation)
    If you would prefer microbrewery, visit T.Y Harbor Brewery, 2-1-3 Higashi Shinagawa, Tokyo TEL:03-5479-4555. Around 2000JPY by taxi from Ginza.http://www.tyharborbrewing.co.jp/en

     
  11. Naerhu

    Naerhu Initiate (0) Dec 22, 2002 Japan

    Giza? Thats in Egypt, not Tokyo. Ginza perhaps? Its hard to find craft beer in Ginza. Lots of Belgian though. Favori and Houblon. If you go to Toranomon (10 min. on foot) there is Craft Beer Market.

    The following link has a bunch of Ginza venues. Including most of the beers ones: http://bento.com/ra-ginza.html
     
  12. Hoppsbabo

    Hoppsbabo Pooh-Bah (2,029) Jan 29, 2012 England
    Pooh-Bah Society

    Yo dudes. I'm going over to Tokyo this Christmas and I was hoping to pop into Tanaka-ya. I'd like to try some American beer. Specifically American Style IPA's, the sort that really typify the American style. Can you recommend a beer that I'm likely to find in there? Thanks.
     
  13. DenverBeerDrinker

    DenverBeerDrinker Initiate (0) Apr 5, 2012 Colorado

    When I was there I was surprised to see Dry Dock Double IPA. That is a great beer. Unfortunately since I'm from the US I was specifically looking for Belgian beers and kind of glanced over the American section.
     
  14. Hoppsbabo

    Hoppsbabo Pooh-Bah (2,029) Jan 29, 2012 England
    Pooh-Bah Society

    Dry Rock double IPA, right, I'll give it a try. Actually, like yourself I'm mostly interested in Belgians but as I'm always reading about these American 'hop bombs' on BA I'm eager to try a few.
     
  15. DarwinRay

    DarwinRay Initiate (0) May 17, 2009 Australia

    Just got back from Japan - Shibuya and Yokohama for the football. Best two beers I had were Yona Yona ale on tap at Abbots pub near Shibuya station, then an excellent bottle of Kagua Rouge at a restaurant. Try it if you can find it, especially if you're more into Belgians than hop bombs
    http://www.nipponcraftbeer.com/kagua
    Apart from that, nothing good but then I was more interested in food this time than beer.
     
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  16. pudgym29

    pudgym29 Zealot (598) Mar 14, 2009 Illinois

    In March, I published a zine called "Japan Jaunt". It reports on my visits to Japan, including reviews of Tokyo and Yokohama craft beer bars. Some publisher should have (but nobody did :slight_frown:) printed an article therein. It went through two printings. I recently distributed the last print copy.
    If you would like a copy of it, download it freely here. :grinning:
     
  17. Hoppsbabo

    Hoppsbabo Pooh-Bah (2,029) Jan 29, 2012 England
    Pooh-Bah Society

    While I'm sure the original poster's holiday is long over, a suggestion for Kyoto Station area might be a Belgian Cafe near K's House hostel. It has a decent assortment of Belgian stuff. Just tap this into Google Maps: 457 Inarichō (Shichijōdōri).

    There's a great bottle shop accross the river from Sanjo station but I'll be buggered if I could find it on Google Maps.

    For Japanese craft beer my research led me to a tiny mom & pop's store in Kyoto near Kitano Tenman-gu. Said to be one of the best selections not just in Kyoto but in the country and yet it's so unassuming that I walked past it twice whilst looking for it. It's not even a proper bottle shop but it has two fridges full of Japanese craft beer. It's a little out the way but then Kyoto is pretty small. Just type Yamaoka sake shop into Google Maps and it's the one on Senbon Dori. Kitanohakubaicho is your nearest subway station.

    I have so say I was very unimpressed with what I experienced of craft beer in Japan. The best stuff I had was from Baird, an expat brewer. After falling in love with sake I forgot all about it though.
     
  18. amano_h

    amano_h Initiate (0) Mar 18, 2014 Oregon

    For Kyoto...

    Right by Kyoto JR station there's a Yebisu Cafe where you can taste all Yebisu beers on draught. This was probably the only beer I drank while I was in Kyoto for four weeks last year.

    There's also Tadg's: http://tadgs.com/

    If you're trying to buy "craft" beer in Kyoto, good luck -- The demand for happoushu and "-off" beers (low calorie beers) are dominating the market due to recent trends in marketing beer to the working men and women. If you're looking for a one-stop shop, there's quite a few Liquor Mountains around the Doshisha area...
     
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