Japan's First Beer Factory, Preserved for 140 Years

At a Glance

Sapporo Beer Museum in Hokkaido opened 1987 in Japan's oldest beer brewery, built 1890. The only nationally recognised beer museum in Japan, listed as a Modern Industrial Heritage site. Free entry; 700,000 visitors a year.

A Meiji Industrialization Story

In 1876, the Hokkaido Development Agency invited German brewers to Japan. Engineer Seibei Nakagawa produced Japan's first lager, launching the beer that became Sapporo.

Highlights

• Meiji-era brewing equipment and labels.
• Massive 1960s German copper kettle.
• 1,000 historic advertisements.
• Tasting lounge (¥500) including the 1876 reproduction.
• Sapporo Beer Garden next door — Jingisukan and draft.

Visiting Tips

Higashi-kuyakusho-mae subway. Free. 1–1.5 hours. Closed Mondays. Winter red-brick scenes are especially photogenic.