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The four major beer producers in Japan are ''Asahi'', ''Kirin'', ''Sapporo'', and ''Suntory'' producing mainly pale-colored light lagers with an alcohol strength of around 5.0% ABV. Pilsner style lagers are the most commonly produced beer style in Japan, but beer-like beverages, made with lower levels of malts called ''happoshu'' (literally, "bubbly alcohol") or non-malt have captured a large part of the market, as tax is substantially lower on these products. Microbreweries have also gained increasing popularity since deregulation in 1994, supplying distinct tasting beers in a variety of styles that seek to match the emphasis on craftsmanship, quality, and ingredient provenance often associated with Japanese food. Craft beer bars and pubs have also increased in popularity in Japan's major cities, with cities such as Tokyo and Osaka have very vibrant craft beer bar scenes, generally with a focus on local and US craft beers.〔(Discovering Tokyo's Craft Beer Bars - The City Lane )〕 In late 2014, Kirin announced its entry into the craft beer segment with the launch of a wholly owned subsidiary, Spring Valley Brewing, with two brewpubs in Daikanyama, Tokyo, and Namamugi, Yokohama. These both officially opened in 2015. Industrial brewery Sapporo also announced its release of a craft line in early 2015. ==History== Beer in Japan had its start in the 17th century during the Edo Period when Dutch traders stationed at Dejima in Nagasaki opened a beer hall for sailors working the trade route between Japan and the Dutch Empire. As Japan reopened to foreign trade during the Meiji period, imported beers such as Bass Pale Ale and Bass Stout were available in limited quantities in the foreign settlements, but trained brewers from Europe and elsewhere also arrived to contribute to the growth of the local industry. The brewery that would become Kirin Brewery Company began in Yokohama in late 1869 as the Spring Valley Brewery, a private business established by Norwegian-American, William Copeland. The Sapporo Brewery was founded in 1876 as a part of a government-directed development plan for Hokkaido. Asahi Breweries traces its founding heritage to the start of the Osaka Beer Brewing Company in 1889, and the launch of the Asahi Beer brand in 1892. 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Beer in Japan」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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