fbpx
    • Spring
      • video

        Finding the Flow from Kansai to Kochi

        Shikoku’s many mountains, valleys and proximity to the ocean has made it a hidden gem for rafting, kayaking and canyoning enthusiasts willing to take a step or two further from the Golden Route of Kyoto and Osaka.

        Solace and Giant Salamanders in Akiota

        Just beyond Hiroshima City is a tranquil outdoor destination home to some of Japan's last remaining oosanshouo, the elusive giant salamander.
        Kyoto Oni Trail Outdoor Japanvideo

        The Oni Trail: Hiking Coastal Kyoto

        The mystical oni is prevalent in Japanese children’s stories, usually as a way to scare kids straight. Adventure Travel Kyoto is shedding a new light on this folklore and developing a new hiking route in the countryside of Kyoto.
    • Summer
      • the nomad pasche family

        The World is Our Playground

        The Pasche family has been cycling and living out of a tent in remote corners of the planet for the past 13 years on four continents spanning 50 countries.
        adventure travel world summit in hokkaido

        Adventure Travel World Summit in Hokkaido

        The ATTA will host their first Adventure Travel World Summit in Asia in Hokkaido, Japan. We caught up with ATTA Director Shannon Stowell to find out more about the adventure travel industry and how it continues to grow and evolve.
        mead brewing in japan

        The Sweet Secrets of Brewing Mead

        Wander into the world of mead brewing and find yourself immersed in a fascinating journey spanning centuries and continents.
        the knights in white lycra

        The Knights in White Lycra

        Each year a group of cyclists head to the deep north towards Tohoku’s vast rice fields and coastal trails to help transform the lives of neglected children.
        sea to table yamagata

        Sea to Table in Yamagata

        An unforgettable way to intimately explore the Shonai Region in Yamagata is a culinary experience bringing bounty of the sea straight to your table.
    • Autumn
    • Winter
    • Near Tokyo
      • getting dirty in japan

        Getting Dirty in Japan

        “Getting Dirty in Japan” is about getting out of your comfort zone and into some exciting outdoor adventures and destinations in Japan.
    • Near Kyoto
    • All Regions
    • Article Map
    • Ocean and Beach
      • getting dirty in japan

        Getting Dirty in Japan

        “Getting Dirty in Japan” is about getting out of your comfort zone and into some exciting outdoor adventures and destinations in Japan.
    • River and Lake
      • getting dirty in japan

        Getting Dirty in Japan

        “Getting Dirty in Japan” is about getting out of your comfort zone and into some exciting outdoor adventures and destinations in Japan.
    • Mountain and Land
    • Sky
      • getting dirty in japan

        Getting Dirty in Japan

        “Getting Dirty in Japan” is about getting out of your comfort zone and into some exciting outdoor adventures and destinations in Japan.
    • Snow and Ice
      • climbing mt. fuji off season

        Mt. Fuji: The Path Less Traveled

        Fuji-san is the most climbed mountain in the world. If you are in good shape, there is a way to avoid the traffic for a more peaceful Mt. Fuji experience during the off-season.
    • Travel
      • the nomad pasche family

        The World is Our Playground

        The Pasche family has been cycling and living out of a tent in remote corners of the planet for the past 13 years on four continents spanning 50 countries.
    • Food and Drinks
      • the nomad pasche family

        The World is Our Playground

        The Pasche family has been cycling and living out of a tent in remote corners of the planet for the past 13 years on four continents spanning 50 countries.
    • Races and Events
      • dd4d brewing

        DD4D Brewing

        In nearly e...
        fuji rock japan

        2023 Summer Music Festivals

        Get into the groove this green season while enjoying the great outdoors with family and friends.
        Summer Events Fireworks Festivals in Japan

        2023 Fireworks Festivals in Japan

        Enjoy these fireworks festivals held throughout Japan this summer and autumn.

Ushitora Brewing

Ushitora is a great craft beer bar in one of Tokyo’s great drinking neighborhoods, Shimokitazawa. The area is equally accessible from Shinjuku and Shibuya.

Ushitora was one of the pioneers who turned the typical sales channel model upside down by first making a popular beer bar with excellent food, which built up a strong clientele by serving the best beers available in Japan and North America. They then started their own brewery to make beers to suit the taste and vibe of their customers.

Last year marked the slow rollout of beers from Ushitora’s new brewery in Shimotsuke, Tochigi, shipped mainly to their Tokyo pub. Ushitora beers have, however, been made available to other tap houses in Japan, so it is likely you will run into them sooner or later when out on the town.

Ushitora’s two brewmasters, Hiromi Uetake and Takumi Murase, both brew sporadically, so the brewery is not open for tours or visits. Both have extensive brewing knowledge and seem to do something different in every beer they brew. This is usually attributed to how the hops are handled and the richness extracted from the malt.

In their #057 Trip Yeast Belgo IPA, a full array of Belgian Tripel flavors is present, but the malt is lighter than expected in a Belgian Tripel, making a fairly full-flavored brew with large swathes of the bottom cut out, making it less filling.

In the #060 Dear Sterling, the crispness and “glassy texture” of the Sterling hops are present, but very little of the vegetal character, giving the impression that only parts of the hop were used, those providing the distinct character.

Finally, the #054 Mozairu Pale Ale seemed to have sections of the hop flavor cut and pasted into its sold malt structure, as if the hops were “painted on the walls of the malt room” to provide the beer’s main flavor.

With every new Ushitora beer, it is as though they took a modular approach to brewing, and I was the unwitting victim of a very clever trick. At ¥650 for a half-pint glass, I certainly had no complaints.

The Ushitora website is essentially a large blog listing what’s on tap that evening. It is all in Japanese, yet rewards handsomely those who are able to read it.

[novo-map id=2 individual=”yes”]

Outdoor Japan logo tree

Related

Latest posts

Categories