Sapporo Beer Museum

The building went up in 1890 as a sugar refinery and was converted to brewing not long after, which is why the red brick block with its chimney looks industrial rather than designed. Sapporo Beer began in 1876 as a government enterprise in the colonisation of Hokkaido, brewed by Seibei Nakagawa, who had trained in Germany - and it is the oldest beer brand in Japan still in production. The museum runs through that history: the state development office, the star mark that came from the pioneer flag, the consolidation of the industry in the 1940s, the later split. The self-guided route is free; a paid tour adds a guide and a tasting of three beers including a reproduction of the original 1881 recipe, which is the reason to take it. The Sapporo Beer Garden next door serves Genghis Khan, the grilled mutton dish that is Hokkaido's own.

History

The Hokkaidō Kaitaku-shi, the island's development office, founded its brewery on 23 September 1876 where the Sapporo Factory now stands; the official Murahashi Hisanari built it, and its chief engineer was Seibei Nakagawa, who had learned brewing in Germany. The museum building itself came out of the sugar industry, after the Sapporo Sugar Company was set up in 1888 (Wikipedia, Sapporo Beer Museum).

What's there

• An 1890 brick plant - a sugar refinery converted to brewing, with its chimney.
• Japan's oldest beer brand - begun in 1876 by a brewer trained in Germany.
• The pioneer star - the mark taken from the Hokkaido colonisation flag.
• A tasting of the 1881 recipe - reproduced and served on the paid tour.

When to go

All year. Two hours. The paid tour needs booking in busy periods.

Good to know

The free route has limited English and the paid tour is in Japanese with printed support. Tastings are small and charged. The beer garden next door is a separate booking and busy. It is a fair way from the city centre.

Nearby

Sapporo city centre is west; Moerenuma Park is north-east.

Key facts