The Best Japanese Beers You Need To Try

Japan’s beer culture has evolved into one of the most sophisticated in the world—precise, balanced, and distinctly its own.

And for decades, beer was synonymous with the crisp rice lagers that ruled izakayas and konbini shelves—light, dry, endlessly drinkable. But the country’s brewing scene has matured. Today, there’s an entire spectrum of styles: complex porters from Nagano, German-style pilsners from Hokkaido, citrus-kissed ales brewed with yuzu. What makes Japanese beer stand apart isn’t just the craftsmanship, but the philosophy—clean flavours, balance over bitterness, and an almost obsessive attention to detail (the Japanese trademark, of course).

Best Japanese Beers

Here are seven of the best Japanese beers that capture that craft.

Asahi Super Dry

You can’t talk about Japanese beer without starting here. Asahi Super Dry, launched in 1987, revolutionised Japan’s drinking culture with a single word: karakuchi—dry. It’s a crisp, rice-based lager with a clean finish that vanishes before you even put the glass down, which is precisely the point. Its delicate flavour doesn’t fight the food; it complements it. Whether you’re eating sashimi, curry rice, or fried chicken, Asahi acts like a palate reset button—refreshing, restrained, endlessly drinkable. It’s Japan’s most ubiquitous beer for a reason.

Kirin Ichiban Shibori

Kirin’s flagship beer is as classic as it gets. Brewed using only the first press of the wort—a method called Ichiban Shibori—this lager delivers a malt sweetness that balances beautifully against its dry, crisp body. The result is fuller than Asahi, but still unmistakably Japanese. It pours golden, foamy, and slightly floral, with a subtle hop aroma that never overwhelms.

Sapporo Premium & Yebisu Beer

Sapporo, Japan’s oldest brewery, has two faces worth knowing. The first is Sapporo Premium—an easy, slightly sweet American-style lager that’s practically synonymous with Japanese restaurants abroad. It’s smooth, refreshing, and arguably the gateway beer for anyone dipping into Japan’s brewing world. But then there’s Yebisu, Sapporo’s upmarket sibling: richer, maltier, and far more layered. Yebisu has a velvety mouthfeel and a faint caramel undertone that makes it a natural pairing with grilled meats or miso-glazed dishes.

Suntory The Premium Malts

Suntory—better known internationally for its whisky—also crafts one of Japan’s finest premium lagers. The Premium Malts is a golden, aromatic beer brewed with European hops and natural spring water, resulting in a rounded sweetness and silky mouthfeel. It’s a lager with ambition—creamy head, honeyed aroma, and just enough bitterness.

Orion Premium Draft

Brewed in Okinawa, Orion is a beer that tastes like island life—light, bright, and slightly salty from the coastal air. It’s less dry than Asahi and more flavour-forward than Kirin, with a natural carbonation that gives it a spritzy lift. There’s a touch of malt and a hint of citrus. It’s the beer you want at a beachside yakitori stall as the sun dips and the air gets sticky. Orion may not dominate Japan’s mainland market, but it’s the country’s cult-favourite summer beer for good reason.

Shiga Kogen Porter

For those who think Japanese beers are all light lagers, this one is a revelation. Brewed by Tamamura Honten in Nagano—a family-owned sake house that’s been fermenting since 1805—Shiga Kogen’s Porter is dark and complex. Notes of roasted malt, coffee, and bitter chocolate unfold with each sip. It’s bold but never heavy.

Hitachino Nest Dai Dai Ale

Crafted by Kiuchi Brewery, this is the beer that bridges Japan’s precision with its love for playful flavour. Brewed with daidai, a Japanese bitter orange, the Dai Dai Ale is fragrant, balanced, and beautifully layered—zesty citrus upfront, mild hops in the middle, clean finish at the end. The bright label featuring an owl might lure you in, but you’ll keep going back.