Kirin Beer Factory Tour

Our trip to Kiyosu castle was combined with a visit to the Kirin Beer Factory, also in Kiyosu. 

Kirin is one of Japan's leading breweries and also the manufacturer of various non alcoholic beverages.

 Kirin traces its origins to a Norway born American, William Copeland who arrived in Japan in 1864 and by 1870 he had already started a brewery called Spring Valley Brewery in Yokohama. 

The Spring Valley brewery was taken over by the Japan Brewery Company in 1885 and the company launched sale of Kirin Beer in 1888. 

The Nagoya factory was established in 1962 and is the oldest brewery in the Tokai region. 

Free guided tours of the brewery are offered at specific times every day and visitors can watch the various stages of the brewing process and also learn about the history of beer and Kirin. 

The 70 minute guided tour is offered only in Japanese but English language guides can be borrowed from the reception. Since the production line does not operate on weekends and holidays, video presentation of the production line was shown. Visitors on week days get to see the actual production line. At the end of the tour, visitors are served beer or non alcoholic beverages and a small packet of snacks to munch on. Drivers and under age children are not served alcoholic drinks but a variety of Kirin's soft drinks or teas are served. A small store sells various Kirin products and memorabilia. 

Various exhibits on display in the Kirin Beer museum within the factory premises.

Old posters for Kirin Beer on display.

They also mailed a thank you card to our home address ! 

Address: Aichi Prefecture, 452-8562, Kiyosu City, Terano hanagasa 100

Entrance fees: Free

Reservation: Recommended. Call on 052-408-2000 
                     (We did not have a reservation but the helpful staff accommodated us)

Tour times: Every hour from 10:30 to 15:30.

Closing days: Monday; in case of public holiday on Monday, closed on following day.

Access: Free Shuttle buses at regular intervals from JR Biwajima station and Meitetsu     
             Sukaguchi station. 

Parking: Available

Website: http://www.kirin.co.jp/about/brewery/factory/nagoya/