All over Japan now, craft beer is on the rise. All kinds of craft beers are being born nationwide, and many stands exist to provide varied tasting experiences. In Yanaka, Tokyo where a traditional old-town vibe still holds deep roots, "Yanaka Beer Hall" serves a craft beer bearing the name of the same town. What makes Yanaka Beer special, and in the first place, what is a craft beer? We have visited Yanaka Beer Hall, to find out!Enjoy craft beer in Yanaka Signboard of Yanaka Beer Hall

Yanaka Beer Hall, born in Yanaka amongst the friendly old-town atmosphere. “Yanaka” is a popular sightseeing area where people can enjoy the atmosphere of Tokyo's working/merchant-class old-town. In this town where the many wooden buildings and narrow alleyways evoke the early to mid-1900s, a new multipurpose facility was born. This venue, "Ueno Sakuragi Atari" was completed in 2015, and renovated from what was previously an old traditional Japanese home built in 1938. While keeping the old look of the architecture, the building's tenants are geared towards enriching the lives of its modern neighbors. One such tenant is "Yanaka Beer Hall", the focus of this article. Appearance of Ueno Sakuragi Atari

About a 10-minute walk from JR Nippori Station. “Ueno Sakuragi Atari” is a multipurpose commercial facility with 3 renovated old houses standing side by side.

Yanaka Beer Hall is in the frontmost house. “Yanaka Beer Hall” serves Yanaka’s craft beer named “Yanaka Beer”.The shop is located in a renovated Kominka to show off the retro vibes by using materials, such as timbers aging into deep amber color, screw-type keys on window frames and old newspapers on the wall, reminding us of the Showa period. The Retro Interior of Yanaka Beer Hall retains the look of the Showa Era Exterior appearance of Yanaka Beer Hall

An attractive exterior full of nostalgia Yanaka Beer Hall not only serves Yanaka's craft beer, but also the unique concept of its design. Beyond the fancy doors and their contoured glass, both of which are original components from the building, is an eclectic interior that mixes old and new. A bar counter, table seats, and a second floor with Japanese-style tatami rooms accommodates the guest. Counter made of a single board

The counter is still new, but has a great presence. The wood is sure to patina with age.

Tatami room in the 2nd floor. The "Tokonoma" (alcove) remains as it was. On the second floor of Yanaka Beer Hall is a Japanese-style tatami room, equipped with retro-looking floor fans and aged wooden cupboards. The cupboards have been modified long ago by the craftsman at the time, to release pleasing music box-like sounds when being opened and closed. The soft resonance is a hard one to describe in words, and is supposedly a crafty modification made to double as an anti-theft measure. The goal in every decision of designing this building, was to maintain the original aesthetic while adding retro-themed items to increase its appeal. These design choices were made with the cooperation of "NPO Taito Cultural and Historical Society", whose hope it is to maintain the heritage of Showa-era Japan. Today, they continue to seek ways to preserve and improve old traditional homes in the area.

An old screw-type key, no longer in production. One example of this preservation effort is the newspaper on the walls, whose current primary purpose is to hide the damage behind them. These newspapers were found in the old home pre-renovation, and many are preserved well enough that their content can still be read. Due to this, they were decided to be used as interior pieces on the walls. Visiting the Yanaka Beer Hall can be said to be a kind of treasure hunt, for little hints of a gone Showa Era in the store's nooks and crannies. Newspapers covering the walls

Newspapers in the Showa period cover the walls. The person introducing Yanaka Beer to us today is Ms. Hitomi Yoshida, CEO of Innova Japan Ltd. She tells us that when she is there to manage the store, she comes in kimono to blend into the store aesthetic. Her vibrant red kimono was beautiful, and indeed fit right into the old-fashioned scenery that was Beer Hall Yanaka's interior. Ms. Yoshida tells us that in the process of creating Yanaka Beer, she also deepened her knowledge on beer. Let us get right into it, and have her show us what makes Yanaka Beer special. Ms. Yoshida standing at the counter

Ms. Hitomi Yoshida with her brilliant smile