The craft beer brand Eight Peaks Brewing, based in the foothills of Nagano's Yatsugatake mountains, is making a new move that captures the station-front flow of people. According to company news released on March 25, 2026, it will open 8Peaks' first direct-run store specializing in draft beer at its nearest station, Chino Station (Belvia 1F).

The new store will be called "8Peaks ALE STAND". The planned opening date is April 25, 2026. The project page says it will serve draft beer brewed with Yatsugatake soft water from eight taps, and aims to optimize gas conditions for each beer type. With its location directly connected to Chino Station, a place that naturally serves as a starting point for travel, it seems likely to function as a "first drink" touchpoint where locals and tourists meet.

The crowdfunding campaign launched at the same time runs from March 25 to April 26, 2026. In addition to opening preparation costs such as interior design and equipment, the funds are also slated to support local event planning and the development of limited-edition beer using hops grown in the Yatsugatake area. Rather than being just another new store opening, this can be seen as an effort to create a hub at the station front that makes the region's beer culture visible.

Eight Peaks Brewing, headquartered in Chino City, Nagano Prefecture, was established in 2018. It has continued brewing with the natural environment of the Yatsugatake foothills and a local story layered into its brand. Official information also notes that the western foothills of Yatsugatake are historically associated with hop cultivation, and this station-front opening deserves attention as a move that connects that sense of place to an urban travel route as a drinking experience.