It may have quirky hours, a quirky menu, a quirky shopping center location, and quirky discounts – but it has also has 5 craft beers on tap and an extensive range of bottles, and for that, I can put up with Bulldog’s quirks.

Osaka’s population falls from 3.7 million to 2.6 million in the evening, but that’s still the third largest in Japan and enough to ensure that hidden amongst the Superdry Izakaya’s and generic gaijin bars, there are a number of places where you can get decent craft beer.

Check out Beer in Japan’s guide to find out where the bars and off-licenses with good beers are in Osaka.

Towers is a tiny little standing bar between Kyobashi and Tokyo stations – but unlike other standing bars that serve standard commercial beers, Towers specialises in craft beers.

How would you like to make your own beer at a Japanese brewery? Well you can, at the Brew on Premises facilities of the Kiuchi Brewery in Ibaraki – and in spring 2009 I did just that. Read on to find out what it’s like making beer at Kiuchi, see my first ever brewery visit, and get the recipe for Kiuchi’s award winning Hitachino Nest White Ale.

Serving Brooklyn Lager on keg in Japan for the first time and with good food and a relaxed atmosphere to match, Brooklyn Parlor is a welcome addition to the Shinjuku bar scene.

Beer with ears? Just 14 minutes from Tokyo by train in the Tokyo Disney Resort, Harvestmoon brews an award winning range of beers for its Roti’s House restaurant. I joined one of their recent brewery tours to see behind the scenes of where this beer is made.

Located in Ichinoseki, Sekinoichi makes Japanese sake and Iwate Kura beer. On the last day of the Ichinoseki beer festival, I took some time out to visit the brewery – and which I couldn’t have a full brewery tour because of the festival, I did get a glimpse of the brewery, tasted some excellent sake, had a look into Sekinoichi’s history, and consumed some tasty and unusual beers.

In the back streets of Kanamecho, The Cat & Cask Tavern is a small, local, friendly bar occupying the ground floor of the owners’ British style home. But it’s not just the unique building and atmosphere that make this bar attractive – it has good beer poured with care and attention too.

Thrash Zone is a fantastic little craft beer bar in Yokohama. It may be a little difficult to find first time, but with good condition local and import craft beers are excellent prices, it’s worth the effort.

Four stops from Meguro in Senzoku is Pangaea, a small friendly little bar with a great nomihodai offer on Friday and Saturday nights. I do wish it didn’t have cigars though…