Beer is the most popular alcoholic drink in Japan, pronounced “bi-ru”. It was introduced to Japan in 1870 by an American named William Copeland, who set up the Spring Valley Brewery. The brewery later changed its name to Kirin, inspired by a mythological creature—a half horse and half dragon depicted on their label for luck.
It didn’t take long for the Japanese to prefer beer over sake. Today, there are hundreds of microbreweries across Japan producing thousands of boutique beers alongside well-known brands.
Beer in Japan can be reasonably priced at the right bars, and it’s also very affordable in supermarkets and the street-side vending machines that are popular across the country. Draft beer is always served with a large head, and sometimes their pouring technique may seem a bit excessive for some tastes.
Asahi Super Dry
Asahi is Japan’s most popular beer and ranks number 4 worldwide in beer sales. Asahi claims that their Asahi Super Dry was the world’s first dry beer. It has a light yellow color with a good head and is very clean and crisp.
Kirin Ichiban
Kirin produces a variety of beer products, with their most popular export being Kirin Ichiban beer. “Ichiban” means first pressing, which is the method of producing the beer with the very first wort. The result is a mild and pure-tasting 5.0% beer.
Orion Draft
Originally brewed and sold only in Okinawa by Orion Breweries, Orion Beer has recently been produced and marketed by Asahi Breweries under license for the rest of Japan as Asahi Orion Draft Beer. This 5.0% beer has a crisp, refreshing feel and a mild taste. Orion Pils and Orion Lager are also available in Japan, and Orion Draft has been exported to some parts of the US in recent years.
Sapporo Premium
Sapporo beers date back to 1876, with the founding of the Kaitakushi Brewery, the first Bavarian-style brewing company in Japan. There are several Sapporo products, with the most well-known being Sapporo Premium, exported to many countries and recognized for its distinctive steel can. This 5.0% lager has a refreshing flavor and a moderately light body.
