Sapporo Beer Museum

If you are visiting Sapporo, the Sapporo Beer Museum is definitely worth a stop. It is not only a place to drink beer, but also a spot where you can experience the history, culture, and spirit of Hokkaidō. 🏛 Atmosphere & History The museum is inside a red-brick building from 1890, originally part of a sugar factory. The design is very nostalgic, industrial, and full of Meiji-era character. Just standing outside for photos feels like stepping back in time. Inside, the displays guide you through the story of how Sapporo Beer started in 1876 with German brewing techniques, and how it became one of the most iconic Japanese beer brands. 🖼 Exhibitions The exhibition area is well organized: • Old brewing machines, posters, and bottles give you a sense of history. • Models and videos explain the brewing process in a simple way. • You can learn about the famous “Star” logo, symbolizing the pioneers of Hokkaidō. Most panels are in Japanese, but many parts also have English explanations, which makes it friendly for international visitors. 🍺 Beer Tasting The highlight is of course the Beer Tasting Hall. Here you can order a 3-glass tasting set for around ¥800, which includes: • Sapporo Black Label – smooth and classic. • Sapporo Classic – only available in Hokkaidō. • Kaitakushi Beer – a revival of the original 19th-century recipe. The atmosphere is casual, and even if you are not a big drinker, just trying a small glass gives you the authentic Sapporo experience. 🍴 Food & Beer Garden Right next to the museum is the Sapporo Beer Garden, famous for Genghis Khan (ジンギスカン), the Hokkaidō-style grilled lamb. The pairing of juicy lamb and fresh draft beer is something you really shouldn’t miss. 📍 Access & Practical Info • About 15–20 minutes walk from Sapporo Station, or 10 minutes by bus. • The museum entrance is free, tasting is paid. • Best to visit in the afternoon or evening, then stay for dinner at the beer garden. ⸻ ✅ Overall impression: The Sapporo Beer Museum is more than a tourist spot – it is a mix of history, culture, architecture, and great beer. Whether you are a beer lover or just curious, it offers a very “only in Hokkaidō” experience.

Overall a pretty good facility, would recommend. Free tour available but if you want the premium tour it’s 1,000¥ or so. Make sure you buy premium tour tickets in advance as they get sold out quickly. Facility is large and modern with a good collection of historical pieces. Tour is well laid out, and flows from start to finish. There is a beer tasting hall at the end with an exclusive Sapporo Beer Museum brew only available at this location and not sold anywhere else. Shop is also available for souvenirs. Overall, if you have some time I recommend checking out the Beer Museum. The atmosphere and surrounding area is nice and it’s a nice activity to eat up a couple hours.

Beer Museum is alright. The bar was quite crowded and the queue moved rather slowly with only 1 machine to place orders. Thoroughly enjoyed the draft beer and compare set. Would recommend if you enjoy beer and want to know more about Sapporo beer.

I’m writing this review based on the free tour, as I didn’t book the premium one. The free tour you can just walk in and make your way to level 3. No need to queue for ticket . Honestly, the free tour is pretty short — it’s mainly about the history of how Sapporo Beer was founded, along with a small exhibit showing what the brewery looked like in the past. You can finish the tour in about 10–15 minutes, depending on how much time you spend reading the panels. The highlight was definitely the beer tasting afterward. Theres a queue to purchase the ticket but it's quite fast like 5-10mins. We tried three different beers for around 1200 yen because we were curious about the different flavors. Our favorite was the “Black Label” — super smooth and easy to drink. The “Classic” had a slightly bitter aftertaste, which wasn’t really to our liking. As for the “Kaitakushi,” we’d rank it last — it was quite bitter, especially at the end, so it might appeal more to those who like stronger, more bitter beers. There are seating areas for tasting, but they can get crowded, so we ended up standing at a table in the back, which was perfectly fine. Right next to the museum, there’s a large shopping mall with stores like Uniqlo, GU, and more — definitely worth stopping by for a quick browse!

Honestly, the museum itself didn’t have much to see, and most of the explanations were only in Japanese, so it wasn’t very foreigner-friendly. However, the beer tasting on the first floor is a must—super fresh, cold, and delicious. If you come here, definitely give the beer set a try. Low score as a museum, high score for the beer!