{"id":23002,"date":"2025-12-12T16:01:03","date_gmt":"2025-12-12T07:01:03","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/maido-bob.osaka\/?p=23002"},"modified":"2026-03-19T11:37:22","modified_gmt":"2026-03-19T02:37:22","slug":"kirin-beer-kobe-factory-tour","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/maido-bob.osaka\/en\/2025\/12\/12\/kirin-beer-kobe-factory-tour\/","title":{"rendered":"Fresh Ichiban Shibori Beer and a Factory Tour for Only 500 Yen!?!"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Kirin exclusively uses wort from the first extraction to make its signature <strong>Ichiban Shibori beer<\/strong>. There\u2019s nothing like popping open a can and tasting the luxurious flavors of Ichiban Shibori at the end of a long day. Of course that is delicious, but I wanted to taste the beer as fresh as possible, so I visited the Kirin Factory in Kobe. \u2028<\/p>\n<div style=\"padding: 10px; border-radius: 0px; background: #f7f7f7;\">\n<h2 style=\"color: #252525; margin: 10px 0 0;\">(Contents)<\/h2>\n<ul style=\"margin-bottom: 20px;\">\n<li><a href=\"#anchor1\">Take a Bus Straight from Sanda Station to the Kirin Beer Kobe Factory!<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#anchor2\">Discovering the Joy of Beer Through Your Five Senses<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#anchor3\">The Best Time is Taste-testing Time<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#anchor4\">Paired Perfectly with Beer at Beer Restaurant on the Hill<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<h2 id=\"anchor1\" style=\"color: #252525;\">Take a Bus Straight from Sanda Station to the Kirin Beer Kobe Factory!<\/h2>\n<p>The best way to experience Kirin beer is by tasting it! Book a \u201cKIRIN ICHIBAN Shibori Taste Experience Tour\u201d on the Kirin website and head over to the Kirin Beer Factory in Kobe. \u2028From Osaka, it\u2019s easy to get here if you use the JR. Take a Rapid on the Takarazuka line from Osaka Station headed for Sasayamaguchi and you\u2019ll arrive at Sanda Station in about 40 minutes. It\u2019s easy!\u2028Normally you can get a free ride on the \u201cLager Bus\u201d a novelty shuttle bus with free service to the factory. Unfortunately during my visit the Lager Bus was under maintenance so my ride was not as flashy.<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/maido-storage.oss-cn-hongkong.aliyuncs.com\/maido\/uploads\/2025\/12\/img01-kirin-beer-kobe-factory-tour.jpg\" alt=\"Shuttle bus from Sanda Station to the Kirin Beer Factory in Kobe\" width=\"800\" height=\"560\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-23019\" srcset=\"https:\/\/maido-storage.oss-cn-hongkong.aliyuncs.com\/maido\/uploads\/2025\/12\/img01-kirin-beer-kobe-factory-tour.jpg 800w, https:\/\/maido-storage.oss-cn-hongkong.aliyuncs.com\/maido\/uploads\/2025\/12\/img01-kirin-beer-kobe-factory-tour-768x538.jpg 768w, https:\/\/maido-storage.oss-cn-hongkong.aliyuncs.com\/maido\/uploads\/2025\/12\/img01-kirin-beer-kobe-factory-tour-400x280.jpg 400w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>The bus stop is right in front of the station so it was very easy to find. From there it was about a 20 minute ride to the Kobe Factory. <\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/maido-storage.oss-cn-hongkong.aliyuncs.com\/maido\/uploads\/2025\/12\/img02-kirin-beer-kobe-factory-tour.jpg\" alt=\"Shuttle bus stop in front of Sanda Station to the Kirin Beer Factory in Kobe\" width=\"560\" height=\"700\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-23020\" \/><\/p>\n<h2 id=\"anchor2\" style=\"color: #252525;\">Discovering the Joy of Beer Through Your Five Senses\u2028<\/h2>\n<p>After stopping at the reception, I was ready for the tour to start!<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/maido-storage.oss-cn-hongkong.aliyuncs.com\/maido\/uploads\/2025\/12\/img03-kirin-beer-kobe-factory-tour.jpg\" alt=\"KIRIN ICHIBAN Shibori Taste Experience Tour\" width=\"560\" height=\"700\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-23003\" \/><\/p>\n<p>I was so excited to see what was behind that door. First we were treated to a video message from the Master Brewer, the person with the highest level of responsibility in the factory.<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/maido-storage.oss-cn-hongkong.aliyuncs.com\/maido\/uploads\/2025\/12\/img04-kirin-beer-kobe-factory-tour.jpg\" alt=\"Kirin Beer video from factory tour\" width=\"560\" height=\"700\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-23004\" \/><\/p>\n<p>Next, we moved into the following room, where you actually feel like you\u2019ve stepped into a barley field created by a very immersive atmosphere. Here, you can experience the key ingredients that go into beer\u2014barley and hops\u2014up close. In fact, beer is made from just three simple ingredients: barley malt, hops, and water.<\/p>\n<p>First, we were invited to taste a small bit of malt. At first glance it looked a bit like brown rice, but when I tasted it, it was wonderfully fragrant and pleasantly crunchy. There\u2019s a gentle sweetness to it too\u2014honestly, you could easily snack on these like nuts!<\/p>\n<p>Next, we tried smelling hops piled in a basket. The aroma is fresh and almost herbal. It\u2019s this very ingredient that gives beer its distinctive bitterness, aroma, and even helps create that perfect foamy head.<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/maido-storage.oss-cn-hongkong.aliyuncs.com\/maido\/uploads\/2025\/12\/img05-kirin-beer-kobe-factory-tour.jpg\" alt=\"Kirin Beer ingredients like hops\" width=\"560\" height=\"700\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-23005\" \/><\/p>\n<p>Plus there&#8217;s a tasting experience of wort\u2014the liquid squeezed from malt!<br \/>\nThis is a chance to compare the first squeeze (Ichiban-shibori) and the second squeeze (which has additional malt components that dissolved after the first squeeze). Neither  contains any alcohol.<\/p>\n<p>You&#8217;ll note the first squeeze has a deeper color and a richer flavor (as Kirin Beer uses only this first malt wort for their Ichiban-shibori). However, the second squeeze is also delicious and features a distinct sweetness.<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/maido-storage.oss-cn-hongkong.aliyuncs.com\/maido\/uploads\/2025\/12\/img06-kirin-beer-kobe-factory-tour.jpg\" alt=\"KIRIN ICHIBAN Shibori first batch and second batch wort tasting\" width=\"560\" height=\"560\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-23006\" srcset=\"https:\/\/maido-storage.oss-cn-hongkong.aliyuncs.com\/maido\/uploads\/2025\/12\/img06-kirin-beer-kobe-factory-tour.jpg 560w, https:\/\/maido-storage.oss-cn-hongkong.aliyuncs.com\/maido\/uploads\/2025\/12\/img06-kirin-beer-kobe-factory-tour-150x150.jpg 150w, https:\/\/maido-storage.oss-cn-hongkong.aliyuncs.com\/maido\/uploads\/2025\/12\/img06-kirin-beer-kobe-factory-tour-140x140.jpg 140w, https:\/\/maido-storage.oss-cn-hongkong.aliyuncs.com\/maido\/uploads\/2025\/12\/img06-kirin-beer-kobe-factory-tour-45x45.jpg 45w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 560px) 100vw, 560px\" \/><\/p>\n<h2 id=\"anchor3\" style=\"color: #252525;\">The Best Time is Taste-testing Time<\/h2>\n<p>Since this is a factory tour, you also get to see the production process!<\/p>\n<p>You\u2019ll learn about how fermentation works and how the beer is stored, and you can even watch the packaging process through glass. Amazingly, the facility can fill up to 2,000 350ml cans per minute.<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/maido-storage.oss-cn-hongkong.aliyuncs.com\/maido\/uploads\/2025\/12\/img07-kirin-beer-kobe-factory-tour.jpg\" alt=\"2,000 cans of Kirin's Ichiban Shibori are amazing\" width=\"800\" height=\"560\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-23007\" srcset=\"https:\/\/maido-storage.oss-cn-hongkong.aliyuncs.com\/maido\/uploads\/2025\/12\/img07-kirin-beer-kobe-factory-tour.jpg 800w, https:\/\/maido-storage.oss-cn-hongkong.aliyuncs.com\/maido\/uploads\/2025\/12\/img07-kirin-beer-kobe-factory-tour-768x538.jpg 768w, https:\/\/maido-storage.oss-cn-hongkong.aliyuncs.com\/maido\/uploads\/2025\/12\/img07-kirin-beer-kobe-factory-tour-400x280.jpg 400w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><br \/>\n<img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/maido-storage.oss-cn-hongkong.aliyuncs.com\/maido\/uploads\/2025\/12\/img08-kirin-beer-kobe-factory-tour.jpg\" alt=\"factory tour beer production line\" width=\"560\" height=\"700\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-23008\" \/><\/p>\n<p>After finishing the tour, it\u2019s finally time for the part everyone\u2019s been waiting for\u2014the tasting!<\/p>\n<p>It my not be exaggerating to say this is what we all came for: getting to enjoy the glass of Ichiban Shibori we\u2019d been looking forward to all along.<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/maido-storage.oss-cn-hongkong.aliyuncs.com\/maido\/uploads\/2025\/12\/img09-kirin-beer-kobe-factory-tour.jpg\" alt=\"Kirin Beer Ichiban Shibori\" width=\"560\" height=\"700\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-23009\" \/><\/p>\n<p>Each glass is carefully poured from the server, just like this.<\/p>\n<p>You also get a special snack to go with your beer! These <em>kaki no tane<\/em> (Japanese rice crackers) are specially made with Kirin Beer yeast and are exclusive to the Kirin factory! The golden glow of Ichiban Shibori looks even more delicious than usual!<\/p>\n<p>Just as I expected, Ichiban Shibori delivered on that consistent, delicious flavor.<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/maido-storage.oss-cn-hongkong.aliyuncs.com\/maido\/uploads\/2025\/12\/img10-kirin-beer-kobe-factory-tour.jpg\" alt=\"Kirin Beer Ichiban Shibori\" width=\"560\" height=\"700\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-23010\" \/><\/p>\n<p>We also got the chance to taste Ichiban Shibori <PREMIUM>, so I decided to do a taste comparison.<\/p>\n<p>This premium version is a gift-exclusive product and is made with only the finest first-class hops from the Tohoku region! It had a deeper, more complex flavor compared to regular Ichiban Shibori, with a richer, fuller taste that really stood out.<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/maido-storage.oss-cn-hongkong.aliyuncs.com\/maido\/uploads\/2025\/12\/img11-kirin-beer-kobe-factory-tour.jpg\" alt=\"Kirin Beer Ichiban Shibori PREMIUM\" width=\"560\" height=\"700\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-23011\" \/><\/p>\n<p>You can try up to three cups during your visit. And there was one more thing I was really looking forward to at this factory, so let me show you the next spot!<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"anchor4\" style=\"color: #252525;\">Paired Perfectly with Beer at Beer Restaurant on the Hill<\/h2>\n<p>This is the &#8220;Beer Restaurant on the Hill,&#8221; located inside the factory.<br \/>\nHere, you can enjoy dishes made with local ingredients and fresh draft beer straight from the tap.<\/p>\n<p>You choose a main dish, and then you can choose whatever else you like from the buffet, with a selection of salad, breads, and rice. And beer is available for an additional charge. Plus there are also plenty of other alcoholic beverages to choose from too!<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/maido-storage.oss-cn-hongkong.aliyuncs.com\/maido\/uploads\/2025\/12\/img12-kirin-beer-kobe-factory-tour.jpg\" alt=\"Kirin Beer Factory and Beer Restaurant on the Hill\" width=\"800\" height=\"560\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-23012\" srcset=\"https:\/\/maido-storage.oss-cn-hongkong.aliyuncs.com\/maido\/uploads\/2025\/12\/img12-kirin-beer-kobe-factory-tour.jpg 800w, https:\/\/maido-storage.oss-cn-hongkong.aliyuncs.com\/maido\/uploads\/2025\/12\/img12-kirin-beer-kobe-factory-tour-768x538.jpg 768w, https:\/\/maido-storage.oss-cn-hongkong.aliyuncs.com\/maido\/uploads\/2025\/12\/img12-kirin-beer-kobe-factory-tour-400x280.jpg 400w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>For my main dish, I chose the &#8220;Beef Stewed in Ichiban Shibori Beer.&#8221;<br \/>\nAnd there are other options like fish, chicken, and roast beef too. The selections are what you would expect from a multi-course meal. <\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/maido-storage.oss-cn-hongkong.aliyuncs.com\/maido\/uploads\/2025\/12\/img13-kirin-beer-kobe-factory-tour.jpg\" alt=\"Kirin Beer Restaurant on the Hill beef and beer\" width=\"560\" height=\"700\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-23013\" \/><\/p>\n<p>The buffet featured fresh, locally sourced vegetables. And there were a few that I wasn&#8217;t used to eating. So it was a fun opportunity to try something new.<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/maido-storage.oss-cn-hongkong.aliyuncs.com\/maido\/uploads\/2025\/12\/img14-kirin-beer-kobe-factory-tour.jpg\" alt=\"Kirin Beer Restaurant on the Hill salad buffet\" width=\"560\" height=\"700\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-23014\" \/><\/p>\n<p>In addition to the tour, there are other attractions to enjoy at the factory, like photo spots, a history exhibit, and a souvenir shop.<\/p>\n<p>The tour costs 500 yen and requires a prior reservation, but if you&#8217;re a beer lover, be sure to book through the website and experience the true taste of Ichiban Shibori!<\/p>\n<p>(For those who don\u2019t drink alcohol, there are also tastings of non-alcoholic beer and refreshing beverages available.)<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/maido-storage.oss-cn-hongkong.aliyuncs.com\/maido\/uploads\/2025\/12\/img15-kirin-beer-kobe-factory-tour.jpg\" alt=\"Kirin photo spot\" width=\"560\" height=\"700\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-23015\" \/><br \/>\n<img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/maido-storage.oss-cn-hongkong.aliyuncs.com\/maido\/uploads\/2025\/12\/img16-kirin-beer-kobe-factory-tour.jpg\" alt=\"Kirin Beer factory and gift shop\" width=\"560\" height=\"700\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-23016\" \/><\/p>\n<div style=\"background: #f7f7f7; padding: 3% 5%; box-sizing: border-box; margin-bottom: 5%;\">\n<h3>\u25cfKirin Beer Kobe Factory<\/h3>\n<p>Address: 2-1-1 Akamatsudai, Kita-ku, Kobe City<br \/>\nWebsite: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.kirin.co.jp\/experience\/factory\/kobe\/\" rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\">https:\/\/www.kirin.co.jp\/experience\/factory\/kobe\/<\/a><br \/>\n\u2192<a href=\"https:\/\/kirinfactory.my.salesforce-sites.com\/WebCalender?p=K#_ga=2.74030933.677901371.1691381997-1234359949.1669091814\" rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Apply for factory tours here<\/a><\/p>\n<h3>\u25cfBeer Restaurant on the Hill<\/h3>\n<p>Address: 2-1-1 Akamatsudai, Kita-ku, Kobe City (inside the Kirin Beer Kobe Factory)<br \/>\nHours: 11:00 am\u20134:00 pm (Last order 3:00 pm)<br \/>\n5:00\u20139:00 pm (Last entry 7:45 pm, last order 8:30 pm)<br \/>\n*Lunch reservations are available for groups only.<br \/>\nWebsite: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.kirin.co.jp\/experience\/factory\/kobe\/restaurant\/\" rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\">https:\/\/www.kirin.co.jp\/experience\/factory\/kobe\/restaurant\/<\/a>\n<\/div>\n<p><\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Kirin exclusively uses wort from the first extraction to make its signature Ichiban Shibori beer. There\u2019s nothing like popping open a can and tasting the luxurious flavors of Ichiban Shibori at the end of a long day. Of course that is delicious, but I wanted to taste the beer as fresh as possible, so I [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":97,"featured_media":23017,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[133,209,131],"tags":[],"acf":[],"aioseo_notices":[],"author_id":"","author_name":"","author_image":"","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/maido-bob.osaka\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/23002"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/maido-bob.osaka\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/maido-bob.osaka\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/maido-bob.osaka\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/97"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/maido-bob.osaka\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=23002"}],"version-history":[{"count":12,"href":"https:\/\/maido-bob.osaka\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/23002\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":23264,"href":"https:\/\/maido-bob.osaka\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/23002\/revisions\/23264"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/maido-bob.osaka\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/23017"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/maido-bob.osaka\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=23002"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/maido-bob.osaka\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=23002"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/maido-bob.osaka\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=23002"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}