THE KICHI Set to Open a Booth at TOCHIGI CRAFTBEER FESTA 2026, Three Days in Utsunomiya
The Tochigi brewery "ザ・キ (THE KICHI brewery & cafe)" announced on Instagram that it will have a booth at "TOCHIGI CRAFTBEER FESTA 2026." The venue is Light Cube Utsunomiya, and the event will run from April 17 to 19. It is a spring event drawing attention for bringing together craft beers from within and outside the prefecture.
Hop BroNews of a festival booth has arrived in spring Utsunomiya! The Tochigi brewery "THE KICHI" is going to TOCHIGI CRAFTBEER FESTA 2026 from April 17 to 19.
MugiWhat, for three whole days!? And the venue is Light Cube Utsunomiya? That sounds easy to get to since it’s near the station!
Hop BroThis year it’s 15 booths total with 13 Tochigi makers and 2 importers, plus 2 new makers added, making it the biggest event yet.
MugiNo way! Just hearing largest-ever scale gets me excited! What beers from THE KICHI can we drink?
Hop BroThe specific labels haven’t been announced yet, but in article terms it feels like the beer lineup is something to look forward to on the day. It’s very likely they’ll have everything from staples to seasonal brews.
MugiOhhh! But the tasting flight you mentioned, Hop bro, isn’t that something you drink on an airplane!?
Hop BroSharp catch! A tasting flight is a way to sample small amounts of several beers, making it easy to compare styles. It’s great for following everything from pale ale types to seasonal limited releases.
MugiI get it! A route that’s easy to move through the event with first a staple, second a seasonal beer, third something new is way too beginner-friendly!
Hop BroAnd the signature Craft Beer Challenge is planned as a RADIO BERRY collaboration, and with the Yayoi Festival in Nikko on the 17th, it really completes a festival-and-brewery-hopping weekend.
MugiIt’s decided! Let’s compare THE KICHI’s character through tasting and enjoy spring Tochigi to the fullest. I already want to pour the first glass!
Key Points of the Booth Announcement
THE KICHI announced in an Instagram post "" that it will be opening a booth at TOCHIGI CRAFTBEER FESTA 2026. While prefacing the announcement with "Sorry for the delay in sharing this news," the brewery made clear that it will participate again this year.
The event details given were as follows.
- Dates: Friday, April 17; Saturday, April 18; Sunday, April 19
- Venue: Light Cube Utsunomiya
- Scale: 13 Tochigi makers + 2 importers, for a total of 15 beer booths
It was also announced that this year’s event will be held on a "largest-ever scale," with two new Tochigi makers joining the lineup. The festival’s signature "Craft Beer Challenge" is also scheduled to take place, this time as a collaboration with RADIO BERRY.
Points of Interest for Beer Lovers
THE KICHI is a brewery based in Tochigi. By continuing to participate in a major local festival, it creates an opportunity to experience the individuality of brewers that is usually hard to encounter except on site, while comparing beers side by side.
An event that brings together breweries from the same prefecture makes it easy to create a tasting context. It should be an easy route to move through the event: first a staple beer, second a seasonal release, third a brewery you have not tried before. The article also mentions the Yayoi Festival being held in Nikko City on the 17th, making a spring Tochigi weekend plan that combines festivals and brewery hopping feel realistic. For craft beer fans, it looks set to be three days that let them take in the prefecture’s movements all at once this year.
Information may be inaccurate. Please refer to the brewery’s official channels for the latest details.
Hop BroNews of a festival booth has arrived in spring Utsunomiya! The Tochigi brewery "THE KICHI" is going to TOCHIGI CRAFTBEER FESTA 2026 from April 17 to 19.
MugiWhat, for three whole days!? And the venue is Light Cube Utsunomiya? That sounds easy to get to since it’s near the station!
Hop BroThis year it’s 15 booths total with 13 Tochigi makers and 2 importers, plus 2 new makers added, making it the biggest event yet.
MugiNo way! Just hearing largest-ever scale gets me excited! What beers from THE KICHI can we drink?
Hop BroThe specific labels haven’t been announced yet, but in article terms it feels like the beer lineup is something to look forward to on the day. It’s very likely they’ll have everything from staples to seasonal brews.
MugiOhhh! But the tasting flight you mentioned, Hop bro, isn’t that something you drink on an airplane!?
Hop BroSharp catch! A tasting flight is a way to sample small amounts of several beers, making it easy to compare styles. It’s great for following everything from pale ale types to seasonal limited releases.
MugiI get it! A route that’s easy to move through the event with first a staple, second a seasonal beer, third something new is way too beginner-friendly!
Hop BroAnd the signature Craft Beer Challenge is planned as a RADIO BERRY collaboration, and with the Yayoi Festival in Nikko on the 17th, it really completes a festival-and-brewery-hopping weekend.
MugiIt’s decided! Let’s compare THE KICHI’s character through tasting and enjoy spring Tochigi to the fullest. I already want to pour the first glass!
