Akatsuki Growlers : The Bottom Line
While Akatsuki Brewery might not win any major awards for their beers, their Akatsuki Growlers location is a nice relaxing little spot, away from the hustle and bustle of Shibuya that is good for a quick stop off. With it being located in a small backstreet area away from Yoyogi Koen station, it’s worth going to if you’re in the area but I wouldn’t recommend travelling just to get there.
Akatsuki Growlers : The Full Review
I first came across Akatsuki Brewery on a trip down to Odawara in the summer of 2021 when I randomly found some of their beers at a NewDays in the JR side of the station. While I wasn’t impressed by them, I certainly wasn’t put off by them. Akatsuki Brewery opened in October 2020 with this branch opening in June 2021.
Akatsuki Growlers is located in the Tomigaya area of Shibuya, and is about a 5 minute walk from Yoyogi-koen and Yoyogi-Hachiman stations, with the former being on the Tokyo Metro, and the latter being on the Odakyu Main Line.
Akatsuki Growlers : Atmosphere & Interior
Akatsuki Growlers is located in what appears to be one of the main residentials parts of the area, though it stands out from the rest with its small patio area out the front and a singular large maple tree to one side. The sign also helps but its not that obvious from a distance what the bar is. Inside, there is space for about 14 people, all seated, though there is a small bench out the front with space for two people – well worth it if you can get it as it’s a nice location to enjoy a couple of cold beers. Akatsuki Growlers is also non-smoking and has no table charge either, and as a nice little bonus, there is also some free WiFi with the password at the front door.
In terms of atmosphere, the design of the furniture and layout is conducive to some relaxed drinking, and perhaps even a session if you can find some beers you like on the menu. The large wooden table placed in the centre is made from a single piece of wood, and apparently all that happened to it was the metal part was cast and set in the table, along with the staff painting a layer of varnish on it.
Akatsuki Growlers : Beer & Tap Information
There are 9 taps of beer on at Akatsuki Growlers, and unsurprisingly, all of the beers are from Akatsuki Brewery; however, not all are from the same place. The main four are brewed up in Iwate and are all classified as organic, while the other beers are brewed in Tokyo, and encompass a variety of styles. The beers come in two sizes: small (284 ml) for ¥700 and large (568 ml) for ¥1200. With 9 beers on the menu, there was unfortunately no beer flight on the menu, nor a happy hour but the prices are reasonable considering of where the bar is in Tokyo. All of the prices include tax.
There is the option of growler fills, hence the name of the shop, and prices vary across the board, depending on what beer you get. If you don’t have a growler, and are worried about buying one, Akatsuki Growlers also rent them out for people to try with prices listed in store. There is also the option of cans to takeaway, but this includes only the four main organic beers, rather than the specials.
Akatsuki Growlers : Food Information
In spite of there being a small kitchen at Akatsuki Growlers, the food menu was pretty sparse, with just a few bar snacks on with some confit chicken, some nuts, and then some pickles also available. The menu was in Japanese only but with such little on the menu, I’d recommend getting some food before hand.
Akatsuki Growlers : Details
- Open : Monday, Tuesday, Friday: 15:00-20:00 (L.O 19:30) Sat/Sun: 14:00-20:00 (L.O 19:30)
- Closed : Wednesdays + Thursdays
- Happy Hour : N/A
- Phone : 03-5452-1337
- Homepage (in Japanese) : N/A
- Social Media : Instagram
