Japan has a long history of brewing. Before miso became the modern paste, it was brewed as a sauce from fermented grain and fish during the Neolithic era (14,000-300 BCE). Rice wine, which is commonly referred to as sake outside Japan, was first brewed around 500 CE. Tea was brought to the country from China during the Nara period (710-794 CE), and Japanese soy sauce brewers have been in business since around 1580 CE.
But the brew that tops them all in Japan is beer.
Read all about the ji-biru, or craft beer, scene in Kyoto in Angela’s latest piece for Lonely Planet. Kanpai!