Maruya Brewery

Have you heard of Maruya Brewery, Ichikawa City's first brewery? The thing is, it was started by the owner of a stationery store.

It's run by Katsunori Kuginuki, the third-generation owner of Maruya Stationery Store, which has been in Mama, Ichikawa City for 90 years. He used to direct children's traffic every morning in front of the main gate of Mama Elementary School, and he says the idea came to him when he thought, 'When these kids grow up, I'd like to drink beer with them.'

Born and raised in Ichikawa Mama, he's also a member of the NPO Freestyle Ichikawa. On weekends he's a school caretaker, on weekdays he delivers mail at a university, and he also does volunteer tutoring. Then in 2022, he took on a crowdfunding challenge with a goal of 5 million yen and made the brewery construction happen.

They came up with a series called 'Pencil Beer' with a stationery-store twist. Just like the darkness of pencil lead, from 9H to HB to 6B, the beer's flavor intensity is expressed using pencil hardness. HB is the standard, and the higher the number, the richer the taste.

They also have a series featuring Ichikawa landmarks, like 'Tekona Beer,' inspired by Tekona from the Manyoshu; 'Yawata no Yabushirazu Beer,' named after the famous ghost spot; 'Joyo-to Beer,' based on the Edo-period lighthouse; and 'Onigoe Ale,' from the place name Onigoe... it really overflows with local love.

The brewery finally started operating in autumn 2024, and you can also drink there two days a week at 'Maruya Brewery in Tsugihashi,' which is run out of a coffee shop on Daimon Street. The fact that they're moving the project forward together with students from Chiba University of Commerce is also very typical of Mr. Kuginuki's educator-like character.