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JimDunlop2
Joined: 31 Jan 2003
Posts: 2286
Location: Japan
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 Posted: Thu Jul 05, 2007 8:57 am Post subject: Importing beer into Japan. Advice? |
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All this recent talk of beer has got me THIRSTY! But not just for the local stuff -- I'd kill to get some of the TASTY beverages of home.
Does anyone have any experience or information about shipping beer into Japan? Is it possible for a private individual? If so, is there paperwork I need to worry about? Customs? Duty? Yeah, I know -- it'd be expensive, but I can think of worse ways to blow my cash. If I can convince someone to send over 24 bottles of Sleemans for example, I'd be elated! Either that or some good Czech beer direct from the Czech Republic..... Mmmm... Beer!
Cheers! |
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elliewelliesj
Joined: 06 Jan 2006
Posts: 65
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elliewelliesj
Joined: 06 Jan 2006
Posts: 65
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| Posted: Thu Jul 05, 2007 9:16 am Post subject: |
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Ah it appears I may have been helpful too quickly!!! having looked more closely at the website, there is really only Corona!!! unless you want root beer....
Sorry! good luck though..... |
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johnyuehan
Joined: 02 Nov 2006
Posts: 22
Location: rural Japan
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| Posted: Thu Jul 05, 2007 12:17 pm Post subject: |
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...just posted this link on another thread - order beer online! Follow links @ http://www.bento.com/rev/beeronline.html
Yes, you can bring beer from home -
I've brought beer into Japan no problem. Brought 24 bottles of microbrew from the States in a hardside suitcase in spring '06, no broken bottles (did 24 bottles in a carryon back in the '90s when you weren't limited on amt. of liquids in carryons). Only problem was with takkyubin @ Narita airport when I mentioned that yes, it was alcohol I was sending. At that they wouldn't send it for me. Only a minor inconvenience; I just went to a takkyubin counter further away, didn't mention the alcohol & my host father received all 24 bottles no problem (yup, it was all a gift). |
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Gordon
Joined: 28 Jan 2003
Posts: 5309
Location: Japan
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| Posted: Thu Jul 05, 2007 1:53 pm Post subject: |
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| Why don't you brew your own? I have met a number of people here who do that, not cheap but then they think it is worth it. |
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AndyH
Joined: 30 Sep 2004
Posts: 417
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| Posted: Thu Jul 05, 2007 4:10 pm Post subject: |
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| The funny thing about my beer tastes...when I was living in Japan I craved British & Belgian ales and the good Pacific Northwest microbrews I used to drink at home. But now that I'm back in the US, all I want to drink is Asahi Superdry! |
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Brooks
Joined: 16 Jan 2003
Posts: 1369
Location: Sagamihara
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| Posted: Fri Jul 06, 2007 2:00 am Post subject: |
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you can buy Staropramen in Tokyo.
I asked my wife to buy me a six pack for my birthday, and she ordered it on the Net. But it came to at least 600 yen per bottle.
Other Czech beer can be found like Gambrius, Pilsner Urquell, etc.
The Czech embassy does a fair every year in Tokyo and you can buy beer there.
Sleemans was bought by Sapporo so maybe in the future it will be easy to find here.
Last edited by Brooks on Fri Jul 06, 2007 6:25 am; edited 1 time in total |
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David W
Joined: 17 Jan 2003
Posts: 457
Location: Japan
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| Posted: Fri Jul 06, 2007 2:59 am Post subject: |
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| Gordon wrote: |
| Why don't you brew your own? I have met a number of people here who do that, not cheap but then they think it is worth it. |
I've heard that homebrewing is illegal but it seems like a real gray area. For example one of the local wallop shops sells a home brew kit so the message obviously hasn't reached them. Wish I could find out for certain. It's probably one of those Japanese things that are illegal but not worried about by the law. |
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JimDunlop2
Joined: 31 Jan 2003
Posts: 2286
Location: Japan
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| Posted: Fri Jul 06, 2007 9:00 am Post subject: |
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| David W wrote: |
| I've heard that homebrewing is illegal but it seems like a real gray area. For example one of the local wallop shops sells a home brew kit so the message obviously hasn't reached them. Wish I could find out for certain. It's probably one of those Japanese things that are illegal but not worried about by the law. |
No, no. There is no grey area -- it's well defined in the law, but the problem is, not many people know what that law is.  And it doesn't help matters that the law has been changed relatively recently (circa. 1994).
The law says you have the right to have your own microbrewery and to produce beer that doesn't exceed 1% alcohol  ... Yeah, yeah, I know. But because of this, you can INDEED buy homebrew kits in Japan -- it's just that it's a VERY niche market yet and you really need to do a lot of digging to find ANY information, even in Japanese. But I did provide a link to some Japanese homebrew supply shops in another thread (a few weeks ago).
My main desire is to get some GOOD, quality beers imported. I will definitely call the Czech embassy and talk to them... I'll also look more into the Sleemans thing. But that all falls under the category of GOOD NEWS! |
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User N. Ame
Joined: 11 Dec 2006
Posts: 222
Location: Kanto
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| Posted: Sat Jul 07, 2007 1:41 am Post subject: |
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Jim, there are plenty of excellent, micro-brews in Japan, why don't you zero in on your some of your favourites, then contact the micro-breweries directly to see if they could cut you a wholesale deal?
As expensive as the local real beer is in Japan, it's still gonna be cheaper and provide less hassle than having import shipped in, although I certainly understand and sympathize with your plight.
Thankfully, this is an issue I no longer have to struggle with. I just got back from sampling some of Vancouver's finest micros...  |
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JimDunlop2
Joined: 31 Jan 2003
Posts: 2286
Location: Japan
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David W
Joined: 17 Jan 2003
Posts: 457
Location: Japan
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| Posted: Sun Jul 08, 2007 6:13 am Post subject: |
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| User N. Ame wrote: |
Jim, there are plenty of excellent, micro-brews in Japan, why don't you zero in on your some of your favourites, then contact the micro-breweries directly to see if they could cut you a wholesale deal?
As expensive as the local real beer is in Japan, it's still gonna be cheaper and provide less hassle than having import shipped in, although I certainly understand and sympathize with your plight.
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Can never understand why most of the micro-brewers here charge an arm and a leg. My local wallop shop had some Yona Yona Ale last year which was a nice drop. Apparently the head brewer learnt his trade at the Stone Brewery in California. More importantly it was reasonably cheap (250 yen a can). Definitely the exception rather than the rule. 
The big breweries are doing some interesting things though. Quite like Kirin's Grand Ale (in a bottle with a red label). A decent drop and not too expensive. |
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gaijinalways
Joined: 29 Nov 2005
Posts: 2279
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| Posted: Sun Jul 08, 2007 11:43 am Post subject: |
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| There are some decent discount liquor stores here that carry some imported beer. Yamaya does a much bigger business in wine, but they do also carry Belgium stout, German Lagers, British Ales, and a few American lagers and ales (as well as Italian, French, etc). I'm sure if you check around you might be able to hunt up some places. The prices have gotten better, and I would imagine they would be better than importing unless you're desperate to drink some of the more local regional American beers. |
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User N. Ame
Joined: 11 Dec 2006
Posts: 222
Location: Kanto
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| Posted: Sun Jul 08, 2007 5:30 pm Post subject: |
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| gaijinalways wrote: |
| There are some decent discount liquor stores here that carry some imported beer. Yamaya does a much bigger business in wine, but they do also carry Belgium stout, German Lagers, British Ales, and a few American lagers and ales (as well as Italian, French, etc). I'm sure if you check around you might be able to hunt up some places. The prices have gotten better, and I would imagine they would be better than importing unless you're desperate to drink some of the more local regional American beers. |
Yep, most cities have an import store and most import stores carry at least a couple foreign brews, however, be warned that these stores sometimes do not store their beer/wine properly. This may sound a bit snobish, but in Japan's blistering, long summer, wine not properly cellared or beer left close to the heat spoil pretty quickly. I had more than a couple bottles of costly French red that had damn near reached vinegar, and Belgium beers that has gone skunky. Remember, while these stores may indeed have air-con, they turn that off when they close the shop down at night. |
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