North Island Beer is a craft beer brewery based in Ebetsu, Hokkaido. It is a brand started by a brewer who trained in Canada, and its official website presents the phrase "Beer is Art" as the philosophy behind its beer making. In addition to its five core beers, it also offers limited-batch brews and seasonal products, giving it a broad lineup.

In its Instagram post on April 18, the company announced a factory direct sales day at its Ebetsu plant. North Island Beer also promotes direct sales and growler fills at the Ebetsu brewery on its official website, creating an opportunity to choose products at the place where they are made, separate from its online shop and its directly operated beer bar in central Sapporo.

Ebetsu, where the factory is located, is easily accessible from the Sapporo area. The directly operated beer bar is said to offer up to 12 kinds of draft beer, including the five core beers and limited brews such as seasonal offerings, so the direct sales day and the bar together provide a way to experience the brand's breadth. For people looking to buy limited items or enjoy beer that is close to freshly made, this is the kind of announcement that is hard to miss.