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The number of microbreweries in Japan amounted to *** businesses at the end of 2024, representing an increase of over *** within a decade. As the Japanese beer market is dominated by the leading enterprises Asahi, Suntory, Sapporo, and Kirin, microbreweries entering the market are typically producing beer-like beverages as a side business. 

Small-scale production

After relaxations of requirements to acquire a liquor license in Japan, small-scale breweries started the production of microbrews. Despite the overwhelming popularity of low-cost alternatives on the market, such as low-malt beer ("happoshu") and ‘new genre beer’, the domestic production of craft beer showed a steady increase recently. As only a few microbreweries can afford the export of small quantities of beer-like beverages, the target groups are mainly domestic consumers, who were slowly discovering the variety in flavor profiles of microbrews.

Craft beer in the beer market

Compared to the annual beer production volume of major breweries, which exceeds several million kiloliters, the beer-like beverages of microbreweries barely make up one percent of the domestic beer market. While beer and beer-like beverages remain the preferred alcoholic drink of consumers, the higher retail prices of craft beverages discourage frequent consumption.