KIRIN BEER FACTORY TOUR !!!

Ticket issuance

Tickets could be issued by a machine that looks like a ticket vending machine. 500 yen for those over 20 years old, and free for those under 20 years old to visit the factory. (Advance reservations are required for factory tours. Weekends and Saturdays fill up fast, so book early!)

Participation in the tour

With great anticipation, we proceeded as we were led, first watching a video about the history of beer on a large screen. There was Japanese audio with English and Chinese subtitles, and looking around, had the impression that there were many foreign tourists.

Next, we were taken to the beer ingredients section. We could directly smell the aroma of hops and taste malt, an ingredient of beer. The aroma of hops was a bit strong, but the malt was easy to eat, and I was so hungry that I couldn’t resist having a second helping.

Next, we observed the brewing process. They boil the raw materials in four different types of large kilns in turn to make the wort that is the base of the first-pressed beer. During the staff’s explanation, the kilns they were explaining were lit up, which was very exciting. The explanation was very easy to understand, and the passion that Kirin puts into their beer was very evident.

Next was the wort tasting! We compared the first and second pressed wort. The first one tasted richer and the second one was gentler. Both were delicious, and the members were divided as to which they preferred.

The next process is the most important for beer, the fermentation process. A cute yeast character appeared on the monitor, and when you held your hand over it, it actually started to move! The booth was not only for adults, but for children as well, with its playful mechanisms.

Next up was the beer shipping process. Beer is placed on a rotating conveyor belt, which rotates at high speed, making it possible to produce large quantities of beer cans in a short period of time.

Finally, we had a tasting of Ichiban Shibori beer, which is a very different beer from the other three. The beer tasted so good that we were careful not to drink too much! Underage drinkers were given juice instead of beer. There is also an gift corner in the back where you can purchase factory-specific straps and souvenirs.

There is also a restaurant adjacent to the brewery, where you can enjoy a meal along with delicious beer.

Summary of members’ impressions of the experience

Louisa

Kirin, a Japanese beer and beverage manufacturer, has over the years proved itself to be a ubiquitous name known to every household. In particular, there is hardly any beer drinker who has not heard of “Kirin Ichiban”, possibly the most popular among the brand’s abundance of products. During Mita Campus’s visit to the Yokohama Brewery in June 2024, Kirin showcased its advanced and meticulously managed manufacturing processes, its continuous strive for excellence and creative flavours, and its commitment to bringing joy and happiness to its customers.

By simply paying a JPY500 coin, you will have access to an hour of informative tour with immersive experience, during which you can smell the beer hops, taste the malt, deepen your understanding in the brewing ingredients, and appreciate the highly organised factory lines. One impressive feature of the manufacturing processes is that in order to support the huge demand of the Kirin devotees, the efficient packaging machinery can fill and pack 2,000 cans of beer every minute. At the end of the tour, the participants will have the chance of having all three wishes satisfied – they can savour three key beer products of Kirin straight from the production lines and be brought sheer bliss.

Kirin has successfully demonstrated its capabilities through the brewery tour and the reasons contributing to its immense success as the industry leader. From the professional tour guides, the carefully designed tour activities, and the good value for money ticket that enables a visitor enjoy glasses of beer, Kirin lives up to the commitment to bringing joy and happiness to its customers. For those who are Kirin supporters, they will certainly remain loyal to the brand after the tour and for those who are new to the brand, they may become immediately converted!

Lin

When I visited the KIRIN factory this time, the first thing that struck me as very considerate was the fact that there are instructions in various languages in the factory for people from different countries. In addition, the service staff at the factory also confirmed everyone’s age and whether they were driving. It made me feel that in addition to the Japanese people’s emphasis on obeying the law, it can also be seen that the company is quite strict in its attitude towards work.

As for the content of the visit, in addition to letting us understand the company’s beer making philosophy and manufacturing process through a video, and also let us actually taste the wheat they use to make beer and smell the floral aroma of the hops they use, as well as the first the difference between wort and second wort, and it shows that KIRIN ICHIBAN only uses the first wort. In the packaging part, we mainly use mechanized processing and manual inspection to improve packaging efficiency and reduce errors. I discovered that there are so many details that go into making a bottle of beer. Finally, after the entire guided tour, we were also allowed to taste the beers produced by their professional staff and provide different flavors for everyone to taste.

I thought the whole visit was a really good experience at a very cheap price, and I was able to learn a lot and taste the fresh beers there. In addition to the above things I learned and experienced in the factory, since beer requires a large number of aluminium cans, I am also very curious whether KIRIN has relevant solutions on resource recycling and sustainability issues.

Takumi

Today, I went to the Kirin Beer factory. When I entered the factory, I was surprised that Kirin Corporation was very strict about age. Those under 20 had to wear a card around the neck that stated that you are underage. While I was downing on apple juice and Kirin lemon soda, a member of staff was watching me from behind at all times, making sure I would not consume alcohol even accidentally. Although I was worried that I would not enjoy the experience due to me being underage, I had a fun time touring the facilities and drinking soft drinks for free.

Mahiro

I had a really enjoyable experience at the Kirin Beer factory. During the tour, I got to see the entire process of beer production, from brewing to shipping. While I love drinking beer, I didn’t have much knowledge about it before. Some of the specialized terms used in the beer tour were a bit difficult to understand, but there were plenty of videos and activities that made the experience enjoyable overall. One particularly valuable experience was the tasting comparison between Kirin’s unique “First press wort” and “Second press wort “.

At the end of the tour, we got to taste freshly poured beer, expertly poured by a Draft Master , Beer “Sommelier” in Kirin company. It was incredibly delicious! After that, we even got to do a tasting comparison of three different beers, including some that I wouldn’t usually try, like black beer.

Considering the entrance fee was only 500 yen, I couldn’t believe how satisfying the factory tour was. I gained a deeper understanding of beer, and I now feel like I’ll enjoy drinking beer even more in the future!

Stella

Exploring the Kirin Brewery in Yokohama is an amazing experience for every beer lover and those who are just interested in beer production. This facility tells about the history and work of one of the most renowned beer producers in Japan. Immediately after entering the facility, equipped with modern interior, the friendly staff guides you through the entire process, elaborating each step of beer brewing with educational exhibits and captivating stories.

One of the interesting stages is that you can taste the many phases of beer manufacturing, from the raw ingredients to mid-processed barley juice and the final product—Kirin beer, served in a special glass. Also, visitors get the chance to see all the brewing equipment as if from the top of the factory, and learn about the selection of ingredients that make up the unique taste of Kirin. The tour ends in the tasting room, where you will be able to taste the fresh crispy flavors of Kirin’s different brews. It is, in fact, both an educational and enjoyable experience, making it a good outing for individuals and groups.

Written by Louisa Wong, Wei-Han Lin, Takumi Otani, Sung-ah Min, Mahiro Nojiri, Rento Kawakami

Editied by Tomoya Takahashi