Craft Beer Tourism in Japan- MacKendy, Chigasaki City, Kanagawa Prefecture

The term Shonan doesn’t have a strict definition—it’s somewhat ambiguous even for locals. Sometimes it refers broadly to the entire coastline along Sagami Bay; other times it’s defined by the area covered by the “Shonan” vehicle registration zone. However, the Shonan license plate area sparked controversy when it was introduced, since it covers a large region stretching from Fujisawa all the way to Yugawara near the Shizuoka border—yet surprisingly excludes Kamakura, one of the most iconic Shonan cities.

As someone familiar with the area, I tend to think of Shonan as the stretch from Kamakura to Oiso. Within that range, Tsujido sits right in the middle—both geographically and atmospherically. The walk from Tsujido Station to the coast is lined with a laid-back, beach-town vibe that feels quintessentially “Shonan.”

On the north side of Tsujido Station, you’ll find Terrace Mall Shonan, a busy shopping complex that draws a steady stream of people. In contrast, the south exit offers a quieter, more relaxed atmosphere despite having relatively large buildings. Take a right after exiting the south gate, and as the area transitions into a residential neighborhood, you’ll come across a local gem: MacKendy, a craft brewery and pizzeria.

MacKendy
Address: 2-1-9 Hamatake, Chigasaki-shi, Kanagawa, Japan

As listed on sites like Tabelog, MacKendy is known for its craft beer and wood-fired pizzas. True to that reputation, the shop houses its own brewing equipment and a pizza oven.

Inside, there are 11 counter seats and a few high tables seating groups of 2, 4, and 8. Even though I arrived before 6 PM, all the tables (including those reserved) were already full. Luckily, since I was alone, I got a seat at the counter near the pizza oven.

I ordered a tasting flight, which lets you choose any three beers from the menu. I picked:

• No. 2: Tsujido Urquell (a pale ale)
• No. 6: Session IPA
• @aru ver.4 (a dark beer)

Since they had a wood-fired oven, I couldn’t resist ordering something hot from it. I went with the oven-baked omelet, which turned out to be fluffy and perfectly cooked, with a warm, rich tomato sauce—absolutely delicious.

The crowd seemed to be mostly locals—some with kids, others chatting with the staff over a casual solo drink. But the place has a welcoming vibe that makes it easy for walk-ins like me to feel right at home.

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MacKendy and Craft Beer Tourism in Fujisawa, Kanagawa

As mentioned earlier, the Shonan area is quite broad, and there are plenty of breweries scattered throughout. But if you’re near MacKendy in Tsujido, there are two other spots nearby worth checking out.

The first is Tsuji Brewing, which you can reach by continuing down Hamatake Street past MacKendy. At the Hamatake 2-chome intersection, turn right onto Sakura-dori. The brewery is located on the left side of the road. It takes about 20 minutes on foot, but there's also a bus that goes there from Tsujido Station.

The second is Matsunami BASE Midoriga-hama Brewery, located about 20 minutes in the opposite direction—heading south toward the beach along the same Hamatake Street. A local bus also runs along this route, making it an easy trip. Once you’re at Matsunami BASE, you’re just steps away from the ocean. There’s no better time than now to enjoy a refreshing beer with the breeze of Shonan blowing through.