Honjo Ginza Brewery Featured in the Craft Beer Program for Metsä Midsummer Festival 2026
At Metsä Village in Hanno, Saitama, "Forest and Lake Craft Beer Journey -Metsä's Midsummer Festival 2026-" will be held on May 23 and 24, 2026. Breweries from Saitama and the Musashino area, including Honjo Ginza Brewery, will gather, letting visitors enjoy a satisfyingly robust pint.
Hop BroThis coming weekend, it's a forest and lake beer trip at Metsä Village. On May 23 and 24, 2026, craft beer gathers there as the opening event for the Midsummer Festival.
MugiWhat! Metsä is that Nordic-style place, right? And it's free admission, so there really isn't a reason not to go!
Hop BroExactly. The venue is Metsä Aukio, and about seven breweries are coming together as selected by CARVAAN Brewery & Restaurant. The Saitama and Musashino tasting comparison is the exciting part.
MugiAbout seven breweries is the perfect number to make it hard to choose! What does Honjo Ginza Brewery's flavor profile taste like?
Hop BroHonjo Ginza Brewery's strength is a beer that makes use of the local water from Honjo City, which is hard water. It has real body, but finishes crisp, so it never gets heavy or dull.
MugiWow! But when I hear hard water, it suddenly feels like science class! How does the appeal of hard water show up in beer?
Hop BroIn simple terms, the mineral content helps bring out the malt's outline. That's why you get that malt backbone that's so brewpub-like, with a finish that tends not to wear you out.
MugiI see! Then CARVAAN's Arabian Lime Ale is tempting too. Just from the name, it already feels like a tropical breeze!
Hop BroThat one stands out for its exotic aroma, and even at the same venue the directions are totally different. Mugizakkoku Kobo also has labels like Zakkoku Weizen, where you can enjoy grain character and fruitiness.
MugiJust the name Zakkoku Weizen sounds delicious! Chichibu Beer, Nobody Brewing by TEENAGE, and the rest make it way too much of a tasting paradise!
Hop BroAnd there will also be live music, Finnish dance, and in the evening even a Midsummer Bonfire. It's an event where you can enjoy the whole season with a beer in hand.
MugiThere's no question, I have to go! Drinking a crisp pint while feeling the forest and lake sounds amazing, doesn't it?
Hop BroAbsolutely. Because you can enjoy even the atmosphere of the event itself, it ends up being the kind of place where you think, let's have one more.
MugiI agree! Let's toast at Metsä, and make craft beer for the weekend the plan!
At the Nordic lifestyle experience facility "Metsä Village" in Hanno, Saitama, the event "Forest and Lake Craft Beer Journey -Metsä's Midsummer Festival 2026-" will be held on Saturday, May 23, 2026, and Sunday, May 24, 2026 as the opening program for the Midsummer Festival. The venue is Metsä Aukio, and admission is free.
For this program, about seven breweries centered in Saitama Prefecture and the surrounding Musashino area, selected by Hanno local brewery CARVAAN Brewery & Restaurant, will come together. Honjo Ginza Brewery is one of them, and its specialty is beer that makes use of the hard water from its hometown of Honjo City, balancing full-bodied drinkability with a crisp finish. As a brewpub, it is a notable choice for people looking for a solid malt backbone and a beer that never grows tiring.
The featured lineup includes several labels worth noting. CARVAAN Brewery & Restaurant is highlighting its "Arabian Lime Ale", known for its exotic aroma. Mugizakkoku Kobo is introducing its signature beer, "Zakkoku Weizen", which offers a grainy character and fruity yeast-derived flavors. Chichibu Beer Brewery, Nobody Brewing by TEENAGE, U.B.P BREWERY, and Igarashi Sake Brewery are also participating, creating a selection that lets visitors compare different flavor directions side by side.
Live music, a Finnish dance performance, and in the evening a "Midsummer Bonfire" and fire dancing are also planned at the venue, making this an event where you can enjoy the entire seasonal atmosphere with a beer in hand. Combined with the open, airy setting of Metsä Village, it looks like a weekend destination craft beer fans will want to visit for a proper tasting walk.
Information may be inaccurate. Please refer to the venue’s official channels for the latest details.
Hop BroThis coming weekend, it's a forest and lake beer trip at Metsä Village. On May 23 and 24, 2026, craft beer gathers there as the opening event for the Midsummer Festival.
MugiWhat! Metsä is that Nordic-style place, right? And it's free admission, so there really isn't a reason not to go!
Hop BroExactly. The venue is Metsä Aukio, and about seven breweries are coming together as selected by CARVAAN Brewery & Restaurant. The Saitama and Musashino tasting comparison is the exciting part.
MugiAbout seven breweries is the perfect number to make it hard to choose! What does Honjo Ginza Brewery's flavor profile taste like?
Hop BroHonjo Ginza Brewery's strength is a beer that makes use of the local water from Honjo City, which is hard water. It has real body, but finishes crisp, so it never gets heavy or dull.
MugiWow! But when I hear hard water, it suddenly feels like science class! How does the appeal of hard water show up in beer?
Hop BroIn simple terms, the mineral content helps bring out the malt's outline. That's why you get that malt backbone that's so brewpub-like, with a finish that tends not to wear you out.
MugiI see! Then CARVAAN's Arabian Lime Ale is tempting too. Just from the name, it already feels like a tropical breeze!
Hop BroThat one stands out for its exotic aroma, and even at the same venue the directions are totally different. Mugizakkoku Kobo also has labels like Zakkoku Weizen, where you can enjoy grain character and fruitiness.
MugiJust the name Zakkoku Weizen sounds delicious! Chichibu Beer, Nobody Brewing by TEENAGE, and the rest make it way too much of a tasting paradise!
Hop BroAnd there will also be live music, Finnish dance, and in the evening even a Midsummer Bonfire. It's an event where you can enjoy the whole season with a beer in hand.
MugiThere's no question, I have to go! Drinking a crisp pint while feeling the forest and lake sounds amazing, doesn't it?
Hop BroAbsolutely. Because you can enjoy even the atmosphere of the event itself, it ends up being the kind of place where you think, let's have one more.
MugiI agree! Let's toast at Metsä, and make craft beer for the weekend the plan!
