Yamamotoyama Highlands Brewery

Yamamotoyama Highlands Brewery in Ojiya is really interesting. It’s run by an agricultural production corporation called Aguri Takano. It’s part of the local favorite supermarket group, Takano Supermarket.

Exactly. And Takano Co. was originally founded in 1873, and it used to be a brewery. The story is that after 150 years, it has returned to brewing.

The brewing is handled by Miki Nihei, a 47-year-old female brewer. She says she makes beer based on the Yamamotoyama concept. The flagship, Yamamotoyama Highlands IPA, has a mature, deep richness and a moderate bitterness, making it the kind of beer you’d want with meat dishes.

The lineup is distinctive too. Grassland Green is a green ale made with lemon peel and citrus, so refreshing that even people who don’t usually like beer can enjoy it. Sea of Clouds WHITE has a silky wheat mouthfeel with a fruity hop aroma. Then Yamamotoyama Highlands BLACK has a roasted character like coffee and chocolate, and Sunset RED is a red ale made with malt that gives it a red hue.

And the labels are great too. They’re fabric-art designs depicting the scenery of Yamamotoyama Highlands using Ojiya-chijimi and hand-dyed hemp cloth. It’s rare to see traditional crafts fused with craft beer like that.

There’s a taproom attached to Takano Supermarket, where you can drink it with weekly changing snacks. Craft beer while shopping at the supermarket is such a great setup.