Kagoya Brewery

Kagoya Brewery has a really interesting background. It grew out of Kago-ya Akimoto Shoten, a long-established liquor retailer founded in 1902, and third-generation owner Jiichi Akimoto started brewing beer in 2017.

And the concept is "THE JAPANESE BEER - Japanese beer to pair with Japanese cuisine." Inspired by sake breweries, they even brew their beer in Yoshino cedar wooden barrels.

It's a traditional technique in sake brewing, but applying it to beer is truly rare. They're aiming to spread beer brewed in wooden barrels, and they were promoting that even at their fifth anniversary. It's an idea only possible because of their long history as a liquor store.

Their standard "Kagoya Golden Ale" is easy to drink and doesn't overpower the food. They also have seasonal releases like "Peach White." You can always find 11 varieties on tap at the adjacent restaurant, Kagoya Tasuku.

They also grow hops at Ogawa Farm in Komae City and brew beer with fresh hops harvested in summer. They're serious about local production for local consumption. They even appeared on Matsuco's Unknown World.

You're talking about the Kagoya Beer Stand, which opened in 2024. They apparently serve beer in thin-rimmed glasses chilled in ice water. They also have directly managed shops in Shimotakaido and Sengawa, so it's worth adding to a Tama-area beer stroll route.