Beer is an important staple in Japan. At least when compared to wine, beer is preferred over wine in Japan. That doesn’t mean that Japanese people don’t drink wine, they do, but not like they do with beer. The beer companies listed below are some of the most commonly seen beer in Japan. They are seen in bars, vending machines, convenience stores, etc.

Asahi Breweries (アサヒビール株式会社) is one of the major beer companies in Japan. This is the company that started the “dry beer” craze in Japan. “Dry Beer” refers to a type of Japanese lager. In fact, beer such as “Asahi Super Dry” is one of its more popular brands.

Suntory (サントリー) was originally a small shop selling imported wines. The shop was doing so well that it became a company. The company began experiments in malt whiskey, and sold its first successful malt whiskey in Japan.

Sapporo Breweries (サッポロビール株式会社) is a Japanese company that started in Sapporo, Japan. It now has company branches in Canada and the U.S. This company is known for its light and dark lagers. It also has a non alcoholic malt drink on the market as well.

Orion Breweries (オリオンビール株式会社) is a company that is big in Okinawa, Japan. At first Orion produced their beers after German brands, but changed their products to taste more like American beers. Soon Orion’s beers became a fast selling staple in Okinawa.

The name for Kirin Brewery (麒麟麦酒株式会社) was named after a mythological Chinese creature. The logo on Kirin is also of this creature. Kirin is a huge company, with holdings in Asia, U.S. and New Zealand. It’s especially popular for its low malt beer.