OctOne Brewing

OctOne Brewing in Minakami has an incredibly passionate story. Brewer Yasuharu Takeuchi spent more than twenty years as a salaryman in Kanagawa, believe it or not.

When he traveled through Europe, he saw local people gathering at small breweries and the beer there being part of everyday life. That inspired him to return to Minakami in 2017 with his wife, Miwa, and start brewing in a small facility in the Minakami hot spring district in 2018.

And they didn't stop evolving from there. During the pandemic, they got information about idle farmland and started growing hops. Now they also grow wheat and apples on their own farm. Their homegrown Crystal hops are used in Kayaba Saison, which won the silver medal at the International Beer Cup 2025.

That is not all. In 2024 they won two gold medals and one silver. Long Shot Pils also took bronze in 2025. Oktone Ale, Yamabito Ale, Morino Porter, and Upstream IPA all have names that evoke Minakami's natural surroundings.

In spring 2025 they moved and expanded to the Nakakuro district, and the building used to be a town kindergarten, going even further back, a branch school of an elementary school. They also obtained a fruit wine license and began making hard cider from 100% Minakami-grown apples, using designated varieties like Gunma Meigetsu and Granny Smith.

They also offer growler sales by weight at the taproom in the hot spring district, so the best move is to take some back to your lodging and drink it after the bath. They also seem set to appear at the Fujisawa Craft Beer Fest 2026, so the chances to drink their beer in the Kanto region are growing.