Latticework BREWING

Latticework BREWING in Takaoka's Kanaya-machi is a brewery set amid a townscape that has been home to metal castors for 400 years.

The representative, Toshiaki Oshima, originally worked as an engineer for a major automaker. Then, while stationed in the United States, he got hooked on craft beer, and at 38 he changed careers to become a brewer.

He says, "Using your hands and going through a logical, rational process of making things felt similar to an engineer's job." After returning to Japan, he trained for about a year at a brewery in Tochigi, then moved to Kanaya-machi, where his wife's family lives, and opened the brewery there.

Well, Oshima loves historic buildings, and he fell in love at first sight with the stone-paved street lined with senbon-goshi latticework in Kanaya-machi. He said that "Takaoka being a town of craftsmanship fits the way I live." What's more, the property number matched his birthday, so he decided on the spot.

Yes, it comes from the traditional lattice door called "samano ko" in Kanaya-machi. Their signature beer, "Kanaya Ale," has a fruity aroma and an easy-drinking finish, and they also release beers with hop blends that change by season. Almost everything inside the brewery, except the lattice doors, was DIYed by Oshima himself.

Things like grilled spare ribs, hot dogs, and fish and chips. He brought over the food experiences from his time in the U.S. as they were, and they pair perfectly with Kanaya Ale. It's a tap house where customers can stay close to the staff, and you can also take bottles home.