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Fans drink in Bright Colors, Eye-Catching Designs of Japanese Craft Beer; Label Designs Changed Following COVID-19 Pandemic

The Yomiuri Shimbun
Craft beer cans featuring illustrations of animals

By Kenji Iwaasa / Yomiuri Shimbun Staff Writer

14:00 JST, February 2, 2025

The Yomiuri Shimbun
A label with an alien and unidentified flying objects

Craft beers from small breweries in Japan are not just unique in taste but also have playful and interesting labels that catch the eye.

Threefeet Tokyo, a specialty store for Japanese craft beer in the Jingumae area of Tokyo, stocks its refrigerators with products from more than 240 breweries nationwide.

“The appeal of craft beer lies in its diversity,” said the store’s owner Dry Hop Tada.

There are many types of label designs, some of which feature illustrations of cats, chameleons and seals.

The labels use eye-catching colors and showcase original characters. One design that was particularly conspicuous displayed an image of a man in a suit.

Each label has a message from the brewery written on it that includes not only the flavor but also its thoughts, as well as the story behind the beer. According to Tada, the label designs have become more unique in recent years, as people started to discover the merits of drinking at home amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Yomiuri Shimbun
Illustrated characters are shown on beer labels

While I was looking at a label, I was trying to imagine how the beer would taste. It’s like buying a record based on the art, and it’s exciting.

“There are a lot of cute designs, and some people buy them as gifts,” Tada said.

Tada also runs a website that promotes craft beer. He has traveled to breweries nationwide and has posted articles about the brewers.

He established the craft beer brand Harajuku Beer Club in 2022 and has rented brewing equipment to create his own craft beers. His goal is to open his own brewery.

“I want to firmly establish the craft beer culture while enjoying the interactions I have with breweries and customers nationwide,” he said.

Yomiuri Shimbun photos
**Left:** A can of beer featuring a man in a suit **Right:** An illustration of a woman with a speech balloon that says, “Amakute nigai aji dayo!!” (This has a bittersweet taste!!)

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Using abandoned schools

Courtesy of Inoue Co.
Primary Barrels in Fukuchiyama, Kyoto Prefecture

In recent years, more craft breweries have taken over abandoned schools to brew their beers.

The Open Air brewery in Kobe brews beers using four types of hops in a kitchen of a former school.

Primary Barrels brewery in Fukuchiyama, Kyoto Prefecture, opened at a former elementary school in April 2024. According to the operating company Inoue Co., the beer is brewed in the former principal’s office.

The company, which produces about 10 different brands using locally sourced barley and hops, also runs a cafe at the same site of the brewery where customers can drink freshly brewed beer.

“We want to attract craft beer lovers from all over the country and vitalize the local area,” a person involved said.