Brewery area

The Yebisu Brewery Tokyo opened to the public on April 3, 2024. Formerly the Yebisu Beer Museum, which closed in October 2022 for renovations, the renewed facility now contains a museum, an on-site brewery, a taproom and a gift shop. The Yebisu beer brand is owned by Sapporo Breweries and started in Ebisu, Tokyo about 14 years after the first Sapporo beer was released in 1877 in Sapporo, Hokkaido. The word "Yebisu" is an old-fashioned way of romanizing "Ebisu", and interestingly, the district Ebisu is named after the brewery.

A large tiled image of Ebisu, one of the seven lucky gods (shichifukujin) in Japanese lore, greets visitors as they descend the stairs into the brewery. Ebisu is known as the god of prosperity, wealth and good fortune, and is often depicted holding a fishing rod and a fish in either hand. The image of Ebisu forms the logo of Yebisu beer and symbolizes good luck to those who drink the alcoholic beverage. A fun Easter egg about the Ebisu logo is that there are extra lucky versions, in which Ebisu has two fish instead of just one, on publicly available cans and bottles of Yebisu beer. Lucky are those who get a Yebisu beer with the Ebisu god holding two fish!

Entrance to Yebisu Brewery Tokyo
A tiled image of Ebisu with the brewery area in the background
All Yebisu beer are lucky, but cans or bottles with two fish like the one on the left are twice as lucky

The brewery is laid out in a large rectangular hall with a compact, but ample museum and a taproom on either ends. The actual brewery area sits between the two and can be seen through large glass windows.

Inside the museum, visitors can learn about the history of Yebisu beer, and see the various Yebisu campaigns and label designs from the past through to the present. Bilingual descriptions of the exhibits make it easy for Japanese and English readers to enjoy the museum and learn more about the Yebisu brand. Over at the taproom, visitors can try the beers that are brewed on-site as well as order some beer snacks. It should be noted that numbered tickets indicating specific entry times are distributed when the taproom is expected to be busy.

A brewery tour named the "Yebisu the Journey" will commence from May 15. The paid, guided tour takes visitors through the history of Yebisu, into the brewery where beer is brewed and ends at the taproom where participants can enjoy the brewery's flagship beer. The tours are conducted in Japanese only, and reservations must be made in advance online.

Brewery area on the left and taproom on the right
The Beer is Journey lounge area displays Yebisu memorabilia over the years
Entrance to the museum area
Video footage and exhibits outline the history of the Yebisu brand
An interesting exhibit about Japan's "King of Beer"
Historical signboards
A video presentation about how beer is made on the left and the actual brewery area on the right
Beer is infinity, which is reflected in the label of the brewery's flagship beer - Yebisu Infinity
Visitors waiting in line to enter the taproom
A large still on display inside the taproom
The beers made on site can be drunk here
A gift shop at the bottom of the stairs

Hours and fees

Yebisu Brewery Tokyo is open from 12:00 to 20:00 (from 11:00 to 19:00 on weekends and public holidays). The facility is closed on Tuesdays or on the following day if Tuesday is a public holiday and over the New Year holidays.

Admission into the museum and taproom is free. Paid, guided brewery tours (1800 yen, approximately 45 minutes) require advance reservations, which can be made from this link.

Access

Yebisu Brewery Tokyo is located in Yebisu Garden Place, which is an approximately five minute walk from Ebisu Station on the JR Yamanote Line.

The Grand Opening was on April 3, 2024
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