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[markus]

Hello everyone! I'm considering teaching in Japan. While I understand that will require some financial sacrifices I love beer. How much will a six-pack of cheap beer cost in Japan in a supermarket? Or if perhaps travel to a supermarket would be costly, how much would six cheap cans of beer be in a convenience store? I've seen a photo of beer in a Tokyo convenience store here taken in 2005. The cheapest, at 131 yen, is Yebisu which I've heard is a mid-range beer. Also I think I'd rather be in a cheaper city like Fukuoka or Sendai, would that make any difference? Thanks in advance and cheers!

[Big John Stud]

[quote="markus"]Hello everyone! I'm considering teaching in Japan. While I understand that will require some financial sacrifices I love beer. How much will a six-pack of cheap beer cost in Japan in a supermarket? Or if perhaps travel to a supermarket would be costly, how much would six cheap cans of beer be in a convenience store? I've seen a photo of beer in a Tokyo convenience store here taken in 2005. The cheapest, at 131 yen, is Yebisu which I've heard is a mid-range beer. Also I think I'd rather be in a cheaper city like Fukuoka or Sendai, would that make any difference? Thanks in advance and cheers![/quote]

Beer is sold individually. If you buy six beers the cashier would cost you six times the cost of one beer. Also beer is the same cost all over Japan. Some stores at times offers specials. Japan learned how to brew from the Germans and so the beer here is a lot better than in the states! The alcohol content is the same as in Europe.
You might want to just buy a big bottle of let's say Kirin beer. It was cost about $3 or 4!

[shuize]

Most average restaurants sell a large bottle of beer or mug of domestic draft for around 500 yen.

Vending machines vary but I think the average price for a standard can of beer is around 200 yen. Absent some kind of sale, that's pretty much what you're going to pay in stores as well. Differents sort of "happo-shu" -- what I think of as "beer substitutes" -- will run a little less.

I don't think I've ever seen Yebisu at the price you quoted. It must have been some sort of sale.

[JimDunlop2]

Yebisu? 131 yen? In yer dreams!

Beer prices across Japan are just about standard (at least the kind you buy from the stores -- I'm not talking about bars and pubs)...

Your average price for a standard 355mL can of beer (Sapporo, Asahi Super Dry, Malts, Kirin, etc) is about 230 yen. An import of Heineken will run you between 200 and 208 yen. A 500mL tall boy of domestic will run you just over 300 yen. You can buy premium beers as well for a slightly higher price -- Yebisu is classified as a premium.

The Japanese have NOT caught on to the concept of bulk sales/discounts. In other words, if you want the price for a 6-pack, 12-pack, 24-pack, etc, just multiply the price that I gave you by the appropriate number of cans.

In pubs/bars? 500-650 yen for a 355mL sized domestic draft (or a bottle) is a good general guideline to follow. Some imports (like Guinness, Killkenny, or domestic micro-brews) will run you 800-900 per pint.

If you're paying any more than these prices, I hope your drink is coming with at least a lap dance or two.

[JimDunlop2]

P.S. I looked at the photo...

1) The 131 yen price is NOT for the Yebisu. It has to be for a Happoshu (which is about the correct price for that) next to the Yebisu but just outside the frame of the photo.

2) Bud no longer costs 185 but has gone up since 2005. About 200 is standard now. (The same goes for the Coors).

3) The Bass is also a little cheap...

4) The Singha, Becks and Tsing Tao are about the right price

5) The green label Asahi tall boys on the top rack are Happoshu. 173 for a 500mL can of Happushu is about right.

6) On second thought, I've changed my mind about the Yebisu. The 131 yen is INDEED for the Yebisu -- but it's Yebisu-brand Happoshu -- not regular beer.

7) The liquor store shelves in this photo are NOT representative of a normal liquor store in Japan. It contains a LOT of premium, rare and otherwise unheard of beers that you don't usually find. Coors is a good example -- and so is that Scottish microbrew in the bottom shelf. For the most part, you will have only a selection of COMMON domestics (Sapporo, Kirin, Asahi, and a few others) and MAYBE one or two imports -- most likely Budweiser and Heineken. A bit more common nowadays in stores are: Guinness, Chimay, Bass -- but don't count on seeing those. A well-supplied liquor store should also carry Corona (great for summer drinking) but you won't find these in most supermarkets or convenience stores.

[markus]

Thanks a bunch everyone, especially Jim, you've been very informative. I didn't have any idea that that Yebisu was a type of happoshu. I just thought Yebisu was Yebisu. Are happoshu and the "third" beers anywhere near decent? Do they give one a terrible hangover?

[JimDunlop2]

[markus]

Well I guess its either South Korea for me or else I'll have to learn to like whiskey. As for the crapposhu, I wouldn't wish that on anyone, lol!

[furiousmilksheikali]

[fluffyhamster]

[furiousmilksheikali]

[fluffyhamster]

I know exactly what you mean, furious. Once I too was about to take this huge juicy quivering bite out of my hotdog, believing it to be just harmless minced-up old braindead farm animals (mmm, sheep! I mean lamb), when I saw 'Kangaroo sphincter' and 'Monkey earlobes' on the list of ingredients. Of course, I retched and went straight back to eating my delicious chilled jellied namako instead.

[johnyuehan]

to get GOOD beer in Japan, go to http://www.bento.com/rev/beeronline.html & track down the good stuff. A great option when your local stores don't have anything good. The link mentions Yahoo auctions as a place to possibly score low prices. Anyone try it?

[User N. Ame]