Yo-Ho Brewing Company

Yo-Ho Brewing is now Japan's No. 1 craft beer seller, but the story of how it got here is like a movie.

Exactly. But at first, Hoshino Resorts' Yoshiharu Hoshino was shocked by ale while studying in the U.S., and founded the company in 1996. Then one of the founding members, Naoyuki Ide - a graduate of Kurume National College of Technology's Electrical Engineering Department, who worked as an electrical equipment manufacturer engineer, at an advertising agency, and even as a professional pachinko player - joined the company and started sales.

But in 2000, the local beer boom collapsed, and the company fell into the red for eight straight years. It was on the verge of going under. The turning point came in 2004, when Ide found a way out through Rakuten's online marketplace and shifted hard into B2C e-commerce. From there, the company grew more than 30% for three straight years, and he became president in 2008. Since then, it has kept increasing revenue for more than 18 years.

As for the beer itself, Yona Yona Ale is an American pale ale with a bright citrus aroma from Cascade hops, and it has won gold eight years in a row in the American-style pale ale category at international beer competitions. That's an unprecedented record.

Indian Blue Demon is an IPA with an intense grapefruit-like hop punch, and even though people inside the company said, 'Who would buy something this bitter?' it ended up selling five to seven times more within seven years. Wednesday Cat is a Belgian white brewed with orange peel and coriander, and it resonates even with people who don't usually drink beer.

Every employee goes by a nickname, and President Ide is called 'Tencho.' All management positions are open to applicants, and there is absolutely no seniority-based hierarchy. In 2017, the company was also selected as a Best Company by Great Place to Work. And in Shinagawa, they also have one of Japan's largest station-connected brewery restaurants, 'YONA YONA TOKYO BREWERY.' It has 28 taps and 200 seats, and they serve a West Coast pilsner exclusive to the location called 'Gate One.'