Ogose Brewery

Ogose Brewery is part of Asahara Shuzo, the parent company founded in 1882, the 15th year of the Meiji era. It is a brewery with more than 140 years of history that also makes beer.

The founder, Zenjiro Asahara, was an incredible figure too. He was born near Lake Biwa in Shiga Prefecture, entered apprenticeship at a sake brewery in Ome, Tokyo, at age 9, trained for 20 years, and opened his own brewery in Moroyama at 29.

Their flagship is the sake "Biwano Sasanami," but they don't just make sake. They're a comprehensive brewery that also produces beer, wine, liqueur, and shochu in-house. In beer, they make a pilsner called "Kobaton Beer," which uses German malt and wheat malt for a fruity, crisp finish.

Another highlight is the "Katsuragi Yuzu Ale." Ogose Town is said to be the oldest yuzu-producing area in Japan, and they use local Katsuragi yuzu in the beer. Because it's a sake brewery, they're especially skilled at handling fruit. Their liqueurs made with plums and strawberries are also well regarded, so fruit handling is one of their strengths.

The Moroyama factory in Ogose still keeps the atmosphere of a traditional sake brewery, and you can tour the facility too. What's more, "Kurabiraki 2026" is scheduled for April 11, and food stalls are expected to include things like Kushi-yaki Kami from a kitchen car as well as local gourmet vendors.

What makes this place interesting is how it pours the fermentation know-how and fruit-handling expertise of a sake brewery into its beer. The direct sales shop is open every day from 10:00 to 18:00, so taking your time to choose beer surrounded by Ogose's nature sounds great too.