Brewing restarts at the birthplace of Yebisu Beer

Yebisu positions itself as one of Japan’s more prestigious beer brands. It gave its name to the Tokyo neighborhood of Ebisu, where you’ll find the fashionable Yebisu Garden Place, a collection of restaurants, cafes, shops, as well as a hotel, cinema and art gallery. Production started in Ebisu in 1890, and beer was brewed on-site for about 100 years until 1988. Thirty-five years later, Sapporo Breweries announced its intention to resume brewing Yebisu beer in Ebisu. The Museum of Yebisu Beer temporarily closed in October 2022 for redevelopment, but has been expanded to include a new brewery facility, reopening on April 3, 2024 as Yebisu Brewery Tokyo.

The Rebirth of Yebisu

In 1890, the Nippon Beer Jozo Co., Ltd (now part of Sapporo Breweries Limited) started manufacturing and selling beer in an area that came to be known as Ebisu. They brewed high-quality beer by importing brewing equipment and brewing engineers from Germany. It received high praise both domestically and internationally, and became one of Japan's leading beer brands.
In 1988, almost a century of beer production came to an end due to the relocation of the factory. But in April 2024, for the first time in 35 years, beer brewing is resuming at the newly expanded Yebisu Brewery Tokyo. The facility has been redeveloped at a cost of approximately 1.7 billion yen, to provide a home for the Yebisu brand, and as part of the wider revitalization of the Ebisu area.

Yebisu Brewery Tokyo has three areas – the Museum Area, Brewery Area, and Tap Room Area. In the Museum Area you can learn all about the history of Yebisu (the company and the beer), its development over the years, as well as the brewing and manufacturing processes.
The Brewery Area brews beer using German-made brewing equipment and has a production capacity of approximately 130 kiloliters per year. Depending on the timing of your visit, you may be able to speak with the Chief Experience Brewer, or watch the brewing process itself.
In the Tap Room Area, you can purchase a range of beers, including two flagship beers, the original “Yebisu Infinity,” which is made with one of the ingredients used in the 1890-era beer, and the dark beer “Yebisu Infinity Black,” as well as some limited edition beers. For a limited period during spring and summer 2024, visitors can purchase “Foggy ale 2024” and "En-en" to commemorate the reopening.
In addition, there’s a “beer storming area” which can be used as a meeting or community space. Look out for the “Yebisu Beer Holiday,” a beer festival held in Yebisu Garden Place (often in September, although exact dates may vary). Yebisu beer can also be sampled at Yebisu Bar Stand (found in Yebisu Garden Place) or Taps by Yebisu (located at the East Entrance of JR Ebisu Station).

Yebisu Brewery Tokyo

For up-to-date information on opening hours and further details please check the official website.