Craft Beer Tourism in Japan - Odawara Garage Brewing, Odawara, Kanagawa Prefecture

Just before entering Odawara Station from the Tokyo direction on the Tokaido Shinkansen, I looked left side as I and the word "CRAFTBEER" caught my eye. Upon investigation, I found out that it was Odawara Garage Brewing, a brewery that opened relatively recently in March 2023.

From Odawara Station, exit the east exit and walk along the tracks back towards Tokyo for about 7 minutes. Right behind you, you will see a blue building with a garage along the tracks where the JR Tokaido Line and the Izu Hakone Railway Daiyuzan Line run, and this is Odawara Garage Brewing.

Odawara Garage Brewing
Address: 3-5-19 Sakaemachi, Odawara City, Kanagawa Prefecture

On the day I visited, I was driving, but there was a paid parking lot next door, so I was able to park there (200 yen for 40 minutes as of November 2024). By the way, on the east side of this paid parking lot was Midorimachi Station on the Izu Hakone Railway Daiyuzan Line (I didn't notice it until I looked at the map later). It was about a 30-second walk from Midorimachi Station, but considering that the Daiyuzan Line only comes about once every 10 minutes and that you can stroll around the Showa-era streets from Odawara Station to here, it doesn't seem like it would be a problem to walk there.

On the first floor of the brewery, there was a garage and brewing facilities, and next to them was a staircase leading up to the taproom (the structure is similar to that of Fat Barley Brewing in Fussa, which I visited a while ago ). The interior of the taproom has an industrial feel, using beautiful emerald green galvanized alloy and brown wood. The main furnishings were a counter and high tables in the same tone of brown, and there were no low tables in the store. I personally felt an American atmosphere in the taproom as a whole, with the mirror with the menu written on it, and the retro air circulator and motorcycle helmet placed as objects.

As mentioned above, I was driving that day, so I decided to take out bottles from the refrigerator in the corner of the taproom instead of drinking here. I bought Juro Ume Saison, which uses the brand plum "Juro" from Soga Plum Grove in Odawara, and Amber IPA (each 800 yen).

In the same refrigerator, there was a bottle of Numazu Craft beer from Kakitagawa Brewing in Numazu City, Shizuoka Prefecture, so I asked the staff about it, and they told me that they stocked it because Kakitagawa Brewing helped them with the recipe. I think this kind of horizontal connection between breweries is very good.

On this day, I think I was there for only about 15 minutes, from 1:30 pm, but during that time, two other groups of customers came in. What struck me was that both customers were from a relatively young generation, and although it is said that people are no longer drinking beer, I thought that craft beer is still recognized as a luxury item.

ODAWARA GARAGE BREWING Craft beer tourism starting from Odawara City, Kanagawa Prefecture

On the edge of Odawara City, Kanagawa Prefecture, in the area around Kazamatsuri Station, two train stops before Hakone-Yumoto Station, is "Kamaboko no Sato", operated by Suzuhiro Kamaboko. This is where you 'll find Hakone Beer , a brewery also operated by Suzuhiro . The brewery is not open to the public, but you can drink Hakone Beer at the Suzuhiro-affiliated restaurant Elennagosso and cafe CAFE107, both located in a corner of Kamaboko no Sato.

Also, although I haven't been there yet, you can drink craft beer imported directly from the US at Rodeo Dog Beer Stand, which is just a stone's throw from Odawara Garage Brewery and a 4-minute walk from the east exit of Odawara Station. This beer stand is directly managed by Cowboy Craft, an importer of craft beer brewing equipment for craft breweries and breweries, also headquartered in Odawara. I would love to visit and write a blog about it sometime soon.

Humans Beer is also located in Yugawara, about 30 minutes by car from the center of Odawara, at the westernmost tip of Kanagawa .