Housed in the atmospheric red-brick buildings of the original Sapporo brewery, this is one of the city's most enjoyable visits. The free self-guided tour walks through the history of beer in Japan, from the Meiji-era founding through to the present day. The real draw is the tasting hall at the end, where you can sample the museum-exclusive Kaitakushi Beer alongside the regular Sapporo range. The adjacent Sapporo Beer Garden serves Genghis Khan (jingisukan) lamb barbecue, a Hokkaido speciality, in a grand brick hall.
Sapporo Beer Museum
Historic brewery with tastings and Hokkaido lamb barbecue
A story
Sapporo Beer was founded in 1876 by Seibei Nakagawa, who had been sent to Germany by the Meiji government specifically to learn the art of brewing. The star on the Sapporo logo represents the North Star, a symbol of Hokkaido's pioneering spirit.