Loose ends/various places Part 12

Here’s the usual digest post blurb. If you want to see all of the digest posts and find out a little bit about places that we have not made it to yet, please check the digest category on the right hand side or alternatively you can just click here. As with previous digest posts, an inclusion here doesn’t vouch for a place, but does just say that it looks like it might be of some interest. (Or in the case of some, it might mean that I’ve been there and it was OK but not that exciting). Places will remain as a ? on the map till they have been visited. But hopefully in the brief write ups there will be enough to give you some idea of what they might be like.

Adachi Brewery Beer Stand – Kohoku
Little tricky to tell what the place is like from the photos online. As the name suggests, it looks like it might be a standing bar. Seven taps of their own beer and the prices look good. Beer flight too. And they do food. Not too far from Kohoku station which I have to admit is a station I had never heard of till I checked this place on the map. Will definitely give it a try sometimes as it looks like the kind of place that is someone’s labour of love so I feel should be supported.
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The All Day – Hikifune

Restaurant with nine taps of interestingly chosen and mostly Japanese craft beer. Prices look expensive but I think the focus is more on food here. Looks like a nice place, but it’s unlikely that I’ll ever be in the area and the prices aren’t helping to draw me there really.

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Bamboo 4 – Yokohama
Didn’t know about this place which is quite annoying as I was quite near it a few weeks ago and would have had a look. Don’t think there is any connection to the legendary old Bamboo pub in Shinjuku. Guess I’ll have to check for dam related paraphernalia when I visit. Eight taps of Japanese craft. And Tacos according to the signage outside. I think this is the old Sakura Taps location. Looks nice.
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Bar so-ma – Nerima
Six taps of Japanese craft, little more expensive than some other places but not ridiculously so. Maybe not surprising considering there’s not much else in the area. Looks like the kind of beer pub that was a lot more common a few years ago and is probably popular with locals. Another place that I’ll visit if I’m in the area, if that ever happens.

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bibibi – Daiknayama

Also known as Beer Beer Beer so don’t get confused. From the pictures, a smallish standing bar with beers from interesting breweries and surprisingly pretty good prices. Some bottles and cans too. Between Daikanyama and Shibuya but closer to the former. Pleasantly surprised by what I’ve seen so far so will have to go and have a proper look sometime soon. Update: I was so pleasantly surprised that I went here on the way to football and discovered that I shouldn’t ever be so optimistic. It’s a nice place, but the ‘pretty good’ pint prices don’t include tax so immediately jump up by 10%. Also the ‘pint’ is nowhere near a pint. Maybe 350ml max as far as I could judge. Also, the interesting brewery selection might actually just be a collection of cheap kegs from breweries that most bars aren’t interested in stocking, sold at a massive mark up. So basically, this place is expensive and I reckon doesn’t really merit an entry of its own.
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The Bliss Brewery – Yokohama
Seems like another one of the many quite-fancy-with-a-lot-of-money-behind-them brewery and restaurant places that have sprung up semi-recently in that bit of Yokohama between Bashamichi station and the sea. Seems reasonably priced though, they do a flight and the beers look kind of interesting. Obviously the proof is in the pudding, but not sure when I’ll ever be likely to make it here. But having seen the beer list it has made it a bit more likely that I’ll give it a go.
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Bronx – Higashi Urawa
Exactly the kind of place that these digest places were made for! Local kind of bar that seems to have 20 taps! Seems like only half of them are craft beer though, all of which is Japanese. Couldn’t see any sign of prices and Tabelog says there is a cover charge. Looks surprisingly big with plenty of seats. Maybe Higashi Urawa is the least likely Urawa for me to go to so not sure I’ll ever make it there (as I seem to be saying with most places on this post), but looks kind of fun.
Update: Check the comments for info from someone who has actually been there
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Canal Brewing – Oimachi
A few words from my friend Josh who has been there. “Canal is a very small place, with a couple of standing counters and standing tables. Can spill out in front on a nice day. Owner is a serious, but nice guy. Usually one other staff. I think they may have some food, but can’t recall. 10 taps and only one was their own when I went (no brewing location yet).”
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CE Lab (Logram Brewing) – Fukusawa
Fukusawa didn’t really ring any bells for me, and if it doesn’t for you either, just think southern Setagaya, down towards Ota. Small and low-key looking place but serves some nice looking food and is the taproom for Logram Brewing (who like Fukasawa, I had never heard of). A photo from a few months ago shows that only three out of the eight taps were their own beers with the rest being guests. Their own beers are priced pretty normally and the guests are a bit more expensive as you’d expect. Presumably they will move towards having more of their own stuff on after a while. I believe the brewery is pretty new. Actually, I’m just just guessing, and maybe it isn’t even a brewery yet. It doesn’t appear to be on site.

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Cotama Brewery – Takasaki
Fairly new brewery (as you’d expect when I say this, it has been open over a year already…), not too far from Takasaki station. Looks like they have six taps of their own beer in the more traditional Japanese local brew pub styles you’d expect at prices that are pretty standard for most pubs. Looks like a small standing area downstairs with seating upstairs. Will visit and update this.
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Craft Beer Scissors And Kitchen Asakusa – Asakusa
Presumably quite like the other Craft Beer Scissors bars but this time in Asakusa. Guess you could work that out from the name. 15 taps and I’m guessing there’s plenty of decent stuff. Will give it a go when I’m in the area.
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Kawasaki Craft Beer Stand – Kawasaki
In the underground shopping mall just in front of Kawasaki JR station. You can probably get here without getting wet if it’s raining. Run by Tokaido Brewing so if you want to drink their beer you now don’t need to do the walk to the brewery. 18 taps of mainly Kanagawa craft beer, about half of which are from Tokaido Brewing. Prices seem to be about what you’d expect, but their own beers are a bit cheaper. As you can probably guess from the name, it’s a standing place.
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My Home // Coffee, Bakes, Beer – Takao
Cafe with coffee cakes, curry and beer. Seems like they have a small exhibition space too. They don’t post about beer very often on their Instagram, but it seems like they have four taps, some of which are from the local Takao Beer brewery. The only photo with beer prices I can find is two years old and they don’t say how big the sizes are so it’s a bit difficult to comment on value. But looks like a nice spot though. And as it’s just over the other side of the train tracks from the Takao Beer taproom you might as well do both, right?
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Neighbor – Nogata
Eight taps, mostly Japanese. Lots about their food on their Instagram and not so much about the beer, but they do write the tap list in the comments each time they post. Prices look about normal judging by a photo from last year. Simple decor. Looks quite nice and nothing much else in the area.
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Odawara Garage Brewing – Odawara
When I started this digest post I thought Odawara Garage and Rodeo Dog / Cowboy Craft (see below) were the same company but it seems that I’m wrong. Odawara Garage Brewing has 10 taps of mostly their own beers, not far from the station. Doesn’t look like there is much seating, but it’s almost certainly the best place to go to drink their beers. Had some of them at a festival and was pleasantly surprised, so I guess I’m overdue a trip to Odawara to check them out properly.
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Osacu – Hatagaya
New place from the lady who used to run Scoo in Hatagaya. This time the focus is a bit more on food but they have three taps of domestic craft beer plus plenty of other drinks. Seats for 16 and some standing room too. Looks fun.
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Parlor (Bierernst) – Tama
Coffee shop that is the taproom for the Bierernst brewery which I know very little about but which looks quite interesting. There seem to be quite a few intriguing places opening out west recently. Beer styles look to be right up my street and Parlor has five taps. Looks quite small from the pictures. Only open in the daytime and closed on Tuesdays and Wednesdays so best check before you visit.
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Pizza And Craft Beer Gufo – Ikebukuro
12 taps of domestic craft with an interesting mix of the quite trendy and the extremely untrendy. The tap list is put up on their Instagram daily. Not sure about prices, but their pizzas, (which look good), seem quite expensive.
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Riverside Base – Mizonokuchi

Riverside Base Home Field – Futako Shinchi
Riverside Base looks like a clothes shop that also serves food and has a fridge full of beers. Home Field describes itself as a ‘Craft beer, coffee, clothes and laundry’ place. Have to say it’s the first time I’ve seen one of those things combined with beer. Seems like it’s got more beers than the afforementioned Riverside Base. Not quite sure what’s going on with either of these places but they’re certainly different.

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Rodeo Dog Beer Stand – Odawara
Rodeo Dog is a bit closer to the station than Odawara Garage (see above), has five taps, which judging by previous tap lists sometimes include their own Cowboy Craft beers, but are mostly made up of Japanese guests with the occasional import. Think they only started brewing relatively recently so maybe they will have some more of their own stuff as time goes on. Along with the taps it looks like they have a lot of imported cans. It’s called a beer stand but it looks like there are some seats. Looks like a laid back place.
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Sabo Beerbar & Bookstore – Kiyosumishirakawa
Nice looking place in the east of Tokyo. Book shop with a cafe attached that has eight taps of Japanese craft as far as I can see. The breweries featured looked quite interesting. The picture cut out the prices so can’t comment on them. Some food too. Looks like a nice spot to visit and relax in.
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Select Beer Shop Shachi – Omiya
Beer shop with on site drinking and some food too. Doesn’t look like they have any taps and the focus seems to be very much on hazy IPAs which will delight some. Just over ten minutes walk from Omiya station in the direction of the football ground, so if we ever end up playing Ardijia again, I’ll pop in.
Update: Check the comments for info from someone who has actually been there
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Shibuya Brewery – Shibuya
Quite suspicious of this place as who in their right mind would open a brewery in one of the new and presumably expensive to rent buildings right next to Shibuya station? Apparently they only have two of their own beers and the others are guests. Food hall kind of vibe to the place. I wonder if the brewery on site is not where the beers are made but I have nothing apart from my cynicism to base this on. Probably should check it as I live kind of close.
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Ucciare! – Ota
Pizza restaurant with an interesting twist to their pizzas which I have to admit I didn’t really understand but sounded good. About eight taps of beer judging by photos. Can’t really find any info about what those beers are. They also brew their own beer, but presumably, this is at someone else’s brewery. All a bit of a mystery, but intriguing so thought it was worth adding.
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WPU Cafe & Diner – Shinjuku
Seems to be in the bottom of a slightly trendy hotel. (Actually saw it described as a boutique hotel). 16 beers on tap. Prices seem slightly… ‘boutiquey’ but the selection seems interesting and there is some value to be had. Seems like a pretty spacious place. Interesting look to it. There’s a record shop near here that I’ve been meaning to go back to, so when I do that, I’ll pop in here as it seems to open all day.
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Wythe Tokyo – Daikanyama
Looks like it has six mainly expensive taps, about half of which are imports. Fridge full of bottles and cans too. Seems quite small and like it has a mix between seating and standing. Apparently the owner loves lagers and sours, which I also do, but it seems like the owner loves them more, because I don’t think I would pay ¥2100 for a pint of Helles imported from Ireland. To be fair though, it does look like they have some good stuff if you are happy to pay for it.
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Yudanaka Brewery – Nagano
Perhaps the fact that the site where this brewery is located is called the Yudanaka Brewery Complex might give you an idea of the scale involved here. Looks like there’s a lot of money behind this! Brewpub, restaurant, shop, spa and sauna all on the same site. Haven’t heard anything about the beer and can’t fond anything about the prices. Am planning to visit later this year on the way to going to the Shiga Kogen Farmhouse which is a bit further up the mountain, so will do a proper post when I do.
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Yumegaoka Sunday Brewing
Hadn’t heard of this place at all until someone mentioned it to me. Brewpub in a shopping centre that is officially in Yokohama, but pretty much on the way to Fujisawa so don’t expect to walk there from the port area of Yokohama. Looks like a decent size with some seating and some standing tables. Given that it’s in a shopping centre there is naturally plenty of daytime opening. They have plenty of beers on Untappd so that suggests they are already up and running with the brewing, unlike many others. Kind of intrigued by this place so will check it out soon.

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