Hitachino Brewing Lab.

I understand why Hitachino costs so much to get in United States now, because craft beer in Japan is so damn expensive. Nevertheless, it’s great to visit the actual location in Japan because they have some rare beers here you can’t get anywhere else. It’s also cheaper here than anywhere else. All their beers are quite balanced in flavor, which is why I love this brewery when you’re not craving for anything over the top and just want some tasty session-​able beers. Anyway, their belgian was good and their expresso stout is tops. If you’re in the Akihabara district, don’t forget this place. It’s sure as hell a lot better than the gimmicky maid cafes haha
4 stars.

I cry. Why? Because I will never be able to get Hitachino on tap here in LA. (Unless you know of somewhere, then please let me know!)
This place is located on the end of a small shopping arcade/​tunnel with super cute small stores so I definitely recommend browsing around those stores after you get your drink!
The craziest part of this place is how reasonably priced their beers are. I was able to get a flight of 3 different beers including their special seasonal Sakura beer for less money and more beer than their normal glass pour! (FYI they only offer certain beers to be chosen for the flight, not the whole menu).I’m so used to paying an absurd amount for a bottle of hitachino at my local bar so coming here made me happy as a clam.
They also sell hitachino merchandise here including coasters and various beer glasses! All reasonably priced too.
Definitely recommend a visit here for all my beer (especially Hitachino) lovers for a nice drink after exploring the electronics area of Akihabara!

Japanese craft beer pub within minutes from Akihabara station. My first attempt here was a bust. It was closed. New Year’s Day so many bars/​pubs/​microbrews and restaurants were closed for the weekend. This visit… SUCCESS! Invited Speedy G. meet me here for a few beers.
The location: About 6 mins away from the station. When you cross the bridge it’s the first shop you see in the mAAch ecute brick area building. The views are nice. Drink outside and see the water and busy Akihabara. It snowed in the morning and was Samui/​cold so we opted to drink indoors.
The beer: 8 beers on tap. One size only (half pint) for ¥680. Not a bad thing. More opportunity to enjoy the different brews. Had the White Ale and Nipponia. I enjoyed both but favor the Nipponia. Hoppy but not heavily bitter.
Food: Not a restaurant. Sandwiches and snacks to hold you over until your next meal. We split the pork schnitzerl and BBQ pork sandwiches. Both really good for ¥600.
Not a stay here all day/​evening kind of place. If you’re craft beer crawling this place is a great stop. #9/​100 2016

Beautiful small space with many great beers on tap year round while only 16 seats inside, plus standing room, a year-​round covered patio is welcome. The bar snacks (otsumami) are excellent. Didn’t get to try the sandwiches, maybe on the next visit.

If you love and support micro breweries or the culture of hand crafted beer, look no further if you’re in the Tokyo area. These guys have fantastic beers on tap ready to drink.
I discovered this place on Unilocal and told my wife that we had to check it out. They’ve got a great lounge set up and view of the little river and city. We went in late November and the temperature was perfect to sit outside and enjoy the beers.
I want to say my wife and I had 5 of their beers, total. Anymore and we would’ve been knocked out.
When it started to get chilly out, the bartender turned on the outside heater for us. We stayed there for at least an hour and enjoyed beers outside. Seriously though, I can’t stress enough how great the beers were and how much attention to detail the bartender took in preparing our drink. Try this place out!

This is definitelt a great place to grab a beer and relax. There are some people that come from afyer work to hang out but when we went it was relatively un-​crowded. I had the white ale and the Weizen. They were both fantastic. They also have some high top tables right near the canal with atrung lights. It’s a unique spot and once your finished you can walk inside and outside and see some of the shops.

We had come to the area to see the flashing lights and the famed electronics buildings. We wandered around and the grew weary and needed a rest and a drink. Initially we walked into a maid café as we thought it might be an interesting experience, but then walked right out when we realised it was a shit rip off…
Then we found this place. Hipster rating was very high from the moment we spotted it. A small bar down by a river, next to a load of design shops and a library! The bar does Nest craft beer. It has all the usual array of styles but all are made by the Japanese brewery called Nest. As predictable as ever I chose the Ipa and we settled in to watch the boats go by.
If you are looking for a decent beer bar then this is a good place to go. Cool stonework décor and brewery style finishing. Really nice place for a pint and to pass some time after a long afternoon exploring the local sites.

A craft beer pub serving Hitachino Nest Beer near Akihabara.
BEST PART:
Location, location, location!
I love their terrace seats that over look the canal next to Akihabara. You could really soak in «Japan» as you sip on Japanese craft beer here. Additionally, you should checkout this mAAch building, which is filled with really cool shops, coffee takeout store, sweet shop, etc.
BEER:
I do not know of a Japanese microbrewery that is more famous than Hitachino Next Beer outside of Japan. Within Japan, they are very little known. There are dozens of more famous craft beer brands here. So few Japanese people has heard of Hitachino. They must have a strong marketing team globally. Taste? Not my favorite. For me, taste of their beer is marginal at best. Not bad, but I know so many better Japanese beers. On the night I went, they had 7 types of beer on tap.
FOOD:
Not too good. To be fair, they are not trying to serve gourmet food. This is not a restaurant. It is a brew house with beer on the main stage. They mainly carry «tsumami» (appetizers) that does not require too much work from the chef. Don’t go here hungry. Stay with simple food like nuts, pickles, etc.
PRICE:
680 Yen a glass. One size only. Pay at the counter.

A solid 3.5 stars rounded up to 4. Liked having some of their less available stuff on tap, though wish they’d have a few more. Some of the most flavorful beer in Japan though. The sweet stout was the standout on the day we visited.
Decent food too. The brisket sandwich was surprisingly flavorful and tender. Really chill open air spot, though a bit hard to find (it’s right on the river, on the backside of the building).
Probably the easiest way to get this many Hitachino beers in one place to try without heading out of town to the brewery.

I tasted their Nest Beer some years ago and really wanted to try some of the other styles they make so on my last visit to Tokyo I went in search of their base of operations. Any body who has visited Tokyo knows that it is nearly impossible to locate an address unless you already know where it is. We walked around the area for about ½ hour asking in hotels and stores, pointing to the map that I had printed out before leaving The States. Finally we got close enough that somebody could point us in the right direction. Tucked into a artsy mall along the river was a tiny brewpub, crowded with hip young people, delicious beer and fun bottled snacks and heartier fare. We sat outside in a slight drizzle and sampled four of their amazing brews and munched on some light snacks while gazing at the neon streets of Akihabara. A great way to kick back after a day wearing out a pair of shoes sightseeing.

Very nicely designed brewpub at the end of the lovely renovated mAAch Ecute shopping area under the train station. I recommend the Nipponia and the candied nuts.