Beer in Japan

Back when I started to get more into the craft beer scene in Japan, I put together a map showing me where the craft beer bars were in Tokyo which I carried about with me. That was the first interation of the Tokyo Beer Map. The idea was that wherever I was in Tokyo, I’d always be able to look at that map and find the craft beer bars near me. I’d never have to settle for mass produced beer again.

I soon discovered that having the map wasn’t enough. I’d get to bars and have to navigate using safari on the iPhone to find the bar’s website, which subway exit to get out of. On several occasions I turned up at bars on days that they were closed.

So was born Beer in Japan. If I was going to gather this information for me anyway, I may as well make it available to others. Japan has a vibrant craft beer scene with hundreds of small Japanese microbreweries and international imports, but it isn’t easy to find reliable information about it – I have been stuck in places in Japan not knowing where to get craft beer nearby, maybe this site will help prevent that happening to others.

Beer in Japan isn’t perfect – I still have not visited every bar or written listings for the bars I want to; I’ve tried to expand the listings to cover across Japan, but I have limited ability to travel; there are many more features I’d like to add but it’s something I do as a hobby rather than a full time job, so I have limited time – however I find it useful when I’m out looking for bars (especially since creating the iPhone version) and travelling. If others find it useful too, that’s an added bonus.

You can find out about new listings and articles on BIJ by following the RSS feed or by subscribing to the BIJ newsletter (subscription handled by Google feedburner). You can also follow the BIJ twitter feed which as well as notifying about new listings and articles, sometimes has twits about events, special beers on at particular bars, and other site updates.

Someone I met who uses BIJ once said to me “There’s very little about you as a person on Beer in Japan” – and that’s true. I give my opinion on bars so that people have some idea what the bars are like, but there’s very little reason for me to write pages about me. This is Beer in Japan, not Alan in Japan. If you want to give feedback on Beer in Japan or can suggest a bar I’ve missed, that would be most appreciated so please do contact me. If you find Beer in Japan useful and want to buy me a beer, definitely contact me (it’s only happened once so far!) No bars or breweries have paid to be listed on Beer in Japan.