Sapporoo Biiru-en to Hakubutsukan (Sapporo Beer Garden and Museum)

Sapporoo Biiru-en to Hakubutsukan (Sapporo Beer Garden and Museum) Review

Redbrick buildings overshadowed by a giant shopping mall make up the public face of Sapporo's most famous export. The original brewery buildings are at another nearby mall, Sapporo Factory, and now brewing takes place in Eniwa City near Chitose Airport. At the downtown Sapporo site a small museum with mostly Japanese-language-only information shows the development of bottle and label designs, and beer-poster pin-up ladies over the ages. For ¥100 for one kind or ¥400 for three, visitors can taste the brews: Black Label is most popular, Classic is only available in Hokkaido, and the original brew of Kaitakushi uses local hops.

In the evening the cavernous downtown Sapporo Biergarten is filled with serious drinkers tackling the tabe-nomi-hodai (all-you-can-eat-and-drink) feast of lamb barbecue and beer (¥3,570 per head). Recent menu additions include fish and vegetable dishes.

To get to the Sapporo Beer Garden and Museum, take a 15-minute Sapporo Walk circular bus from the station or Odori area (the same bus also stops at Sapporo Factory mall) or a ¥1,000 taxi ride.