Nara Brewing to Open a New Taproom-Style Direct Shop in Nara in Spring 2027
Nara Brewing has announced plans to open a new direct shop in WaQWa, an incubation facility scheduled to open in Nara’s Mochiidono shopping street in spring 2027. Located less than a 10-minute walk from Kintetsu Nara Station, the compact shop will offer Nara Brewing beers on weekdays as well as weekends.
Hop BroNara is getting a new place to raise a glass. Nara Brewing's own shop is planned for spring 2027 at WaQWa in Mochiidono Shopping Street.
MugiWhat! Is it close to Nara Station? Less than ten minutes on foot means we can stop by while sightseeing!
Hop BroIt will be a compact shop of about four tsubo, within walking distance of Kintetsu Nara Station. Even small, it aims to be the brewery's public face.
MugiHow big is four tsubo? Like a corner of my apartment? Won't it become beer-fueled standing room only?
Hop BroIt sounds like a tightly packed, appealing space, likely focused on standing and drinking. A place serving beer from taps is often called a taproom.
MugiWhat's that? Is “tap” the faucet? So it means a place for a fresh-feeling pint, right?
Hop BroExactly. After pausing its brewery taproom in June 2025, Nara Brewing kept active through brewery-visit events and beer festivals around Japan.
MugiThere must have been lots of people hoping it would return. I love that they want a place to drink on weekdays, not only on weekends!
Hop BroIt should become a hub for locals and visitors to enjoy Nara Brewing's diverse craft beers. Mochiidono Shopping Street even has occasional deer sightings, apparently.
MugiCheers under the watch of deer?! In spring 2027, I’ll want to stroll through Nara and toast with Nara Brewing!
A new home for Nara Brewing in central Nara
Nara Brewing, a craft brewery based in Nara City, has announced plans to open a direct-operated shop in Mochiidono shopping street, less than a 10-minute walk from Kintetsu Nara Station. The shop will be part of WaQWa, a new incubation facility scheduled to open in spring 2027.
The space will be approximately four tsubo, or around 13 square meters. Its name has not yet been decided. According to the brewery, the small shop will be designed to hold its ideas and identity in a concentrated form, serving as a welcoming face for Nara Brewing. The brewery is also looking for a shop manager and plans to share more details as preparations progress.
From a taproom pause to a permanent shop
Nara Brewing temporarily closed its brewery taproom in June 2025. Since then, it has occasionally opened the taproom for limited events combining brewery tours and beer service, while also increasing its participation in beer events across Japan.
The new project was shaped in part by repeated requests from customers who wanted the taproom to reopen. Nara Brewing says it has spent more than a year exploring ways to create a place where its beers could be enjoyed regularly—not only on weekends, but on weekdays as well.
Mochiidono is a lively shopping street where local residents and visitors mingle throughout the day, and where deer occasionally wander in—an unmistakably Nara-like setting. Once open, the new shop should give beer lovers another way to pair a walk through the city with a taste of Nara Brewing’s varied lineup.
Information may be inaccurate. Please refer to the brewery’s official channels for the latest details.
Hop BroNara is getting a new place to raise a glass. Nara Brewing's own shop is planned for spring 2027 at WaQWa in Mochiidono Shopping Street.
MugiWhat! Is it close to Nara Station? Less than ten minutes on foot means we can stop by while sightseeing!
Hop BroIt will be a compact shop of about four tsubo, within walking distance of Kintetsu Nara Station. Even small, it aims to be the brewery's public face.
MugiHow big is four tsubo? Like a corner of my apartment? Won't it become beer-fueled standing room only?
Hop BroIt sounds like a tightly packed, appealing space, likely focused on standing and drinking. A place serving beer from taps is often called a taproom.
MugiWhat's that? Is “tap” the faucet? So it means a place for a fresh-feeling pint, right?
Hop BroExactly. After pausing its brewery taproom in June 2025, Nara Brewing kept active through brewery-visit events and beer festivals around Japan.
MugiThere must have been lots of people hoping it would return. I love that they want a place to drink on weekdays, not only on weekends!
Hop BroIt should become a hub for locals and visitors to enjoy Nara Brewing's diverse craft beers. Mochiidono Shopping Street even has occasional deer sightings, apparently.
MugiCheers under the watch of deer?! In spring 2027, I’ll want to stroll through Nara and toast with Nara Brewing!
