CRAFTROCK BREWING

CRAFTROCK BREWING TAKAO is a brewery and sauna facility located just a 2-minute walk from Takaosanguchi Station.

It was originally a traditional restaurant called Kappo Hashimotoya, and now the first floor houses the brewery and taproom, while the second and third floors are TAKAO 36 SAUNA. It’s run by a joint venture between Nihonbashi-based CRAFTROCK and a local business partner.

The brewing setup is serious, too: a 1,500L system with an annual production capacity of 200 kiloliters. The Nihonbashi flagship produces 80 kiloliters, so this is 2.5 times larger. You can see 12 fermentation tanks through the glass on the roadside. The main goal is nationwide distribution in 250ml slim cans.

There are 8 taps, and you can drink CRAFTROCK’s Alternative IPA. It’s an American IPA made with 10 to 11 kinds of hops, with grapefruit-like citrus notes, tropical notes, and a clean bitterness. It placed second in the IPA category at the Japan Brewers Cup 2024.

The sauna is serious business too, using filtered water from Mt. Takao’s spring. There’s a 90-degree sauna room with Harvia heaters, a cold plunge below 10 degrees, and an outdoor air bath on the rooftop terrace with views of the Takao mountain range. After you’re fully relaxed, you can head to the first floor for craft beer.

In the future, they’re also planning a mountain-beer brand called TAKAO 36 BEER made with local agricultural products from Takao. They also set up a crowdfunding scheme where supporters receive an original can and taproom drink tickets.