Mokichi Kamakura : The Bottom Line
Mokichi Kamakura is out of the way really for most drinkers, but if you like Shonan Beer or you’re in the Kamakura area of Hase and the Daibutsu, then I’d suggest that Mokichi Kamakura is worth a visit. The beers are solid with a decent variation on top, the food is delicious and local, but it’s the architecture of the building – inside and out – that I really enjoyed the most. The whole place is non-smoking and has no table charge for those wondering.
Mokichi Kamakura : Background
Mokichi Kamakura is the fourth bar to be opened by Kumazawa Shuzo, the sake brewery behind Shonan Beer, with the Fuijsawa branch, Chigasaki branch, and of course the original in Samukawa coming before it. The building itself used to be an old water pump station and is also a listed building.
Mokichi Kamakura opened in December 2022, right at the tail end of Covid in Japan, though at that time, there were no restrictions in that Kamakura area so they were open at full capacity. It’s located about a 10 minute walk from Hase station on the Enoden line that runs from Kamakura to Fujisawa.
Mokichi Kamakura : Atmosphere & Interior
As mentioned, Mokichi Kamakura is located inside an old water pump station. The former Kanagawa Prefecture Kamakura Pressure Pump Station was built in 1936 as a facility to stably supply tap water to Kamakura, Zushi, Hayama, and other areas. After the pumping station was abolished in 1961, it was used as a gymnasium, but it was closed in 2002 and lay abandoned ever since. Afterwards, a study group was established to preserve and revitalize this historic building, and it was sold to Kumazawa Sake Brewery in 2016 with the condition that the exterior be preserved. After six years of preparation and renovation, Mokichi Kamakura opened in December 2022.
As you step inside, it’s clear that the building’s former lives are still present in one form or another – a huge crane remains above your head, and stretches from wall to wall; the old offices used by the staff are a raised seating area for customers, and some of the pump parts also dot the bar – both inside and out. In terms of seating, there is space for around 80 people at various combinations of table arrangements around the bar, and also 10 seats at various counters for those wanting to drink. There is also a small drinking area outside along one side of the bar, though it’s only open when the weather is nice. The whole place is non-smoking and has no table charge.
Mokichi Kamakura : Beer & Tap Information
The beers are Mokichi Kamakura are all from the Shonan Beer range and there’s quite a variety of styles on tap, with 11 taps of craft beer on. The beers come in three sizes: tasting glass (120 ml) from ¥500, short glass (270 ml) from ¥690, and pint (470 ml) from ¥990, though the special and rarer beers do cost more. There isn’t a happy hour, nor are there any beer flights though there are some beers to takeaway at the front of the store. The beer serving was pretty poor to be honest and needed topping up – not going to pay for a pint and get almost 1/6th of the beer as head but the staff were nice about it and did understand.
Mokichi Kamakura : Food & Menu Information
The concept of the cuisine served at Mokichi Kamakura isinnovative fusion cuisine that makes full use of herbs and fermented ingredients from the brewery.’ Using herbs harvested from the on-site herb garden and fermented ingredients unique to the sake brewery, the restaurant creates creative dishes based on Italian and French cuisine, with elements of Japanese cuisine.
There was plenty to choose from on the menu, with both vegetarian and meat-based options available, though the pizza was phenomenal, it was the herb garden salad – with all of the ingredients sourced on-site from the garden outside – that really stole the show. The menus were mostly in Japanese though we were offered some English menus and the waitress on the day we went spoke perfect English.
Mokichi Kamakura : Bar Details
- Open : Lunch 11:30 – 16:00 (L.O 15:30) Dinner 17:30 – 21:00 (L.O 20:30)
- Closed : Tuesdays
- Happy Hour : –
- Phone : 0467-33-4614
- Homepage (in Japanese) : https://kumazawa.jp/mokichi/kamakura/
- Social Media : Instagram
