Loose ends/various places Part 3

This is part three of what will be constantly updated posts with brief descriptions of places that possibly deserve to be on here but which I have either no time or inclination to visit. Part one is here, part two here, part four is here and part five is here, or you can view all of them by clicking the digest tag, or just clicking here. I have tried various ways of keeping up to date with the crazy amount of places that are opening and have been struggling with deciding which places warrant including and which don’t. This seems to be a reasonable way of dealing with them. They will remain on the map with a question mark as I can’t vouch for any of these. The map will link to this post where places will be listed in alphabetical order with a short description and link which should give you some idea of what to expect and whether it’s worth going to. There will be no tags, as that will just confuse matters I think. If I end up going to any of these places and they are worthy of a full write up, I’ll remove them from here and make them a post of their own. Not everything on the backlog will be on here. This is mainly intended for what I imagine to be a bit less interesting but still worth mentioning places.

Beer Bar Festa – Shimokitazawa
Seems like it has eleven taps of Japanese craft and imports. No idea on prices or sizes. I have so little information on this place, this post is almost pointless…
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Beer Bar Hangout – Ogikubo
A pretty different place to many on this blog. Quite dingy basement bar with eight taps, most of which were Japanese craft. Some unusual breweries available. Smoky, and cramped with quite an old feel to it, but also quite fun. Fridge full of world beer bottles, but mainly macro stuff. I visited here, but maybe as it feels like more of a bar with craft beer rather than a craft beer bar, it will only make it on to this digest post rather than get a full write up. Beers were around ¥650 for a reasonable sized half. Interesting… Check out the missing letters on the outside signage. Lovely stuff!
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Beer Bar Jan – Yotsuya
Five taps which seem to be taken from the more common end of Japanese craft. Snazzy looking place with plenty of wood judging by the Facebook photos. Strangely they don’t have their address on the Facebook page, which is an interesting ploy. Seems a little pricey, but I don’t know their serving sizes.
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Cafe Maison de K – Kuhombutsu
Belgian cafe and restaurant which seems to get some interesting stuff on tap and has a fridge of bottles I can’t make out from the photo. These places are never the cheapest and to be honest, I haven’t got a clue about the possible price range, but it looks like an interesting place and given my predilection for most things Belgian, I should probably head here soon.
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Fukuyoshi – Roppongi
This one is a real mystery. I don’t think anyone ever expected the small Kokubunji bar Gambrinus to expand into one of the most expensive areas of Tokyo. Still not sure how strong the connection is to be honest, but much like Ninkasi, this place shares the same branding and logo. Theme is tempura and craft beer. Plenty of taps, I counted 18 on their online menu, which seems to be published on their website and their facebook. Seems quite fancy.  Now it’s even more mysterious. The name’s changed, the website’s gone. They still seem to mention beer on the Facebook so I presume it’s just a change of focus perhaps. To be honest, I haven’t got a clue what to expect, but definitely seems more foody than beery.
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Garage – Fujisawa
Craft beer and American food apparently. Both branches seem pretty similar. Seem to have around six taps of craft with a mix of Japanese and imports. No idea about prices or sizes. Post on Facebook mainly about the food so maybe that’s their focus.
Fujisawa Garage Facebook

GGC – Kawasaki
The GGC stands for Great German Cook. This is apparently mainly a German style restaurant with absolutely loads of taps of German beer on. They have a pdf of their beer menu that you can download from their facebook page. I don’t really understand the pricing though. But then again, if you want to drink lots of German beers in Japan, you’re probably not that bothered about the cost anyway. Would be interesting to try this place out sometime.
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iBeer Le Sun Palm – Futagotamagawa
(Only the Futagotamagawa branch has survived!) I’m going to take a leap of faith here and guess that all of these bars are quite like the Shibuya Hikarie iBeer Le Sun Palm I posted about here. Given that the theme seems to be young lady friendly bars in shopping centres, I can’t see that they’d be that different. Was quite surprised to find out that they had so many branches. Guess they’re doing ok! Try not to misinterpret their ‘Girls! Beers! Ambitious!’ slogan. I think it’s who they are trying to attract, rather something that is on offer.
Pretty useless website

Jingle Beer & Dining – Yokohama
Seems reasonably priced, focused on local Kanagawa breweries, but perhaps not ultra exciting stuff. Consequently, this is an uninspiring write-up.
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Mimpi Manis – Shin-Nakano
Your guess is as good as mine. Facebook says it’s a beer shop, google an izakaya and the hashtags say a beer bar. A combination of all of those perhaps. Nearer to Shin-Nakano on the Marunouchi line than Nakano JR. Looks like it gets some interesting beers, but no idea on how many taps or prices.
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Mukuraf – Morishita
Craft beer and dark roast coffee is the tagline on the website. Looks like a nice place with a cafe feel. Lots of daytime opening but not sure about beer prices or sizes or number of taps. On Untappd it looks like they have some reasonably interesting beers though.
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My TaBReW – Tachikawa
Think the name is supposed to be a pun on My Table and Brew. Works better in Japanese I suppose. 10 taps with some interesting stuff on from local breweries. Have heard some complimentary things about this place but have still yet to go there. There’s quite a few places I haven’t been in Tachikawa to be honest, but this is probably top of my hit list.
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Octone – Minakami
Newish brewery out in the mountains in Gunma. Eight taps of their own beers available. Pricing looks good too. You just have to get there, I suppose. Will get a full write up when I manage to get there. Check facebook for their current opening hours as I believe they might vary.
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Ottotto – Hamamatsucho
Not sure about these places. There are a few and thus far I’m only adding this one, which is the main brewery I think. Seems like there’s a huge amount of money behind it. Saw it advertised on a Yamanote line train. The Japan Beer Times article about it seemed to suggest that they were trying to make beers that wouldn’t distract you from your food. Whilst I get what they’re saying, it’s not exactly making the beers sound very interesting. Intend to go at some stage, but until then, it’ll remain on this digest post.
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Rudy Brew – Kamakura
Newish bar in Kamakura that took over from another craft beer bar that I never managed to get to before it closed, (Xrosk). Eight taps with a mix of imports and domestic craft. Seems to have a ska theme which I guess is becoming a thing here. (Riot Beer has a bit of ska going on)
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Shared Brewery – Hachioji
I think I can guess what the deal is here from the name, but won’t speculate. Seems to have four taps of beer available, presumably made at the brewery. Very limited opening hours, so best check their Facebook or website before heading there.
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Shiki Beer – Shiki
A Saitama brewery’s taproom and consequently not the easiest place to get to. Have found their beers interesting when I’ve tried them. Quite curious opening hours, so beware. Seem to have six taps available.
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Shizuoka Beer Bar Marumaru Okachimachi – Ueno/Okachimachi
It’s a beer bar, but on facebook it’s down as a Spanish restaurant, so I think we can guess that they do Spanish food. If not, they’ve made a big error somewhere along the line. Seems to have around 10 taps and seems reasonably priced. Hmmmm. *They have now added Shizuoka to the start of their name. Seem to remember it was quite Baird heavy before so maybe now they’re making that a feature*
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Takao Beer – Hachioji
Quite a way from the nearest station. This is the brewery and there is a bottle shop but not sure if drinking on site is available. You probably need a car to get here and then you wouldn’t be able to drink anyway I guess.
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The Life – Kashiwa
‘By Marche Baton’! Whatever that means. Presumably that there’s some money and a big company behind this. Big daytime opening as it’s a ‘cafe, lunch, beer pub, party, meeting’ place. Looks quite nice from the Facebook pictures. 10 taps of imports and Japanese craft (with local-ish brewery Loco represented). Prices seem to be as you’d expect. Rooftop terrace too apparently. Don’t seem to post much about the beer on Facebook so read into that what you want.
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Towers – Tsukishima
Was a much loved standing bar near Tokyo station until it closed and moved to somewhere a lot less convenient. Now seems to have seats and six taps of Japanese craft.
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Two Dogs Taproom – Roppongi
This is a place that probably deserves its own entry, but which I haven’t given one to for a few reasons, some of which I’ll keep to myself, but one of which was an email from someone ‘recommending’ the place to me as a great bar who neglected to mention that they were one of the owners. Lots of taps with menu descriptions cut and pasted from Ratebeer seemingly without actually checking what the rating says with sometimes hilarious consequences. It’s in Roppongi and feels like it, which is great for some, but for me always means I’m less likely to visit.
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