Habuminato Brewery

Habuminato Brewery. It’s Izu Oshima’s first craft brewery, and it’s pronounced "Habu Minato Brewery."

The representative, Koji Yoshimoto, originally worked in the world of fashion design, but he was mentally worn down. When he returned to Oshima, he said, "I didn’t want to come back like I was running away," and he started the guesthouse "Blue and Cider" in Habuminato. That was the starting point.

After three and a half years of planning, he taught himself brewing knowledge from scratch, and finally began brewing in July 2024. The flagship beer, "Miharayama," is a pale ale that uses hops grown in the island’s volcanic soil for its aroma.

"Kazamachi no IPA" is an American-style beer with a solid bitterness made with island-grown Cascade hops. "Yuhi no Weizen" is a fruity brew made with banana leaf. I like that all of them are named after Oshima’s scenery.

The circular system is interesting too: the malt lees left over from brewing are used as feed for the local Camellia black pork, and fertilizer from the production process is used for hop cultivation. They work with a local farmer, Mr. Komura, so resources keep circulating within the island.

Draft beer is available at Takabayashi Shoten, a long-established shop in Habuminato. Yoshimoto is also involved in reviving this store, and he runs two guesthouses as well. He’s trying to energize the entire nostalgic fishing village of Habuminato.