Kakitagawa Brewing Co., Ltd.

Kakitagawa Brewing goes by the brand name "Numazu Craft." Its head brewer, Tetsuya Kataoka, is a well-known figure in the craft beer scene. He is from Akita, and because his father loved English literature, he studied in London, fell deeply in love with pub culture, and decided, "I am absolutely going to become a brewer."

After returning to Japan, he joined Baird Brewing and spent eight or nine years as head brewer, gaining experience from more than 1,000 brews. During that time he lived in Numazu and came to feel, "I want to put down roots in this city." In 2016, he went independent and renovated the former photo shop building where he had lived for seven years into a brewery.

Yes, on his landlord's recommendation. And the brewery's biggest strength is its brewing water. It uses spring water from the Kakitagawa River, which has been selected as one of the Ministry of the Environment's "Top 100 Famous Waters." It is soft water formed by Mt. Fuji's melted snow passing underground over a long period of time. The flagship "Cream Lager" is defined by the fine, creamy foam and clean, mellow taste that only this soft water can produce.

One interesting one is "Merseyside ESB." Kataoka loves the Premier League, and this ESB is named after Merseyside, the birthplace of Steven Gerrard. The balance of gentle sweetness and bitterness is excellent, with a layered, beautifully refined flavor. "Bikamo IPA" takes its name from an aquatic plant that grows in the Kano River. Every beer name is packed with love for Numazu.

Kataoka's philosophy is pretty uncompromising too. Even though hazy IPAs are hugely popular worldwide, he flatly says, "I prioritize the balance between malt and hops; I do not follow trends." He keeps 20 to 25 hop varieties on hand at all times and also uses whole hops. His favorite malt is Weyermann Caraaroma, and he says it lets him create "the exact gradation of color and aroma I want." He calls himself a "stubborn craftsman."

The brewery's tasting room has 10 taps running all the time, and it's only a five-minute walk to Senbonhama Beach, so a lot of people take their drinks to go and enjoy them while looking out at the sea. They also started a distillery called Senbon Spirits in the former greengrocer across the street, where they make limoncello using 100 kg of lemons from Ito. And from the terrace of the third-floor bar, "SENSPI," you can apparently see Mt. Fuji.