Back in the early days of April 2015, Kirin Beer, one of the major brewers in Japan, entered into an experiment in the backstreets of Daikanyama, a small and quiet neighbourhood of Tokyo. Established as a minor house of creation, The Spring Valley Brewery takes advantage of the changes in brewing laws of a decade ago that allow for low volume, on-site creation of some quite remarkable tastes. And as you sit outside, under cover from the rain and with a heater to keep you warm, you have to wonder as to the origins of the name. At least I did.
And the name goes back to the origins of Kirin Beer itself. Today Japan has three major beer companies; the Osaka based market leader Asahi, with its signature tipple "Asahi Super Dry", remains slightly ahead of Kirin following the shocks of the 1990's when it overturned their market dominance which is then followed, a little far behind, by Suntory, another Osaka based brewer dating from the days of the Meiji restoration. But Kirin's roots date to chaotic days of the opening of Japan, in the the twilight of the Tokugawa Shogunate.
Founded in 1869 by William Copeland, an American-Norwegian entrepreneur who had arrived in Japan half a decade earlier, 'The Spring Valley Brewery' provided German style beers to both the local Yokohama foreign community as well as the Japanese market itself through Meidi-ya, at the time an importer and distributor of foreign goods and produce. Selling out to local investors in 1885, the brand would eventually evolve into Kirin, the name of a lucky, mythical Japanese beast. And so if you'd like to see the origins of The Spring Valley Brewery take the short walk from the Gaijin Botchi in Yokohama, past the international school and over to Kitagata Elementary School, for that's where it all began. Kampai!
Kirin is the Japanese word for a giraffe, although when Japan first saw a real life giraffe is a question somewhat open to debate but probably dating back to the early 15th century and the Chinese explorative voyages to the coasts of Somalia. The name however, predates the African savannah lands and referred originally to a mythical beast, the qilin; horned, hooved, part dragon and sometimes the harbinger of good news.
It's also the name of Japan's second most popular tipple, Kirin Lager Beer, overtaken in the 1990's to the surprise of the nation by the upstart Asahi Super Dry. Promoted by the likes of Harrison Ford, Yokohama based Kirin beer had seen dominance over its Osaka counterpart for as long as most could remember but eventually the hoover, horned, scaley deer like dragon beast was to be seen off its top spot and remains to this day a default rather than first choice.
Indeed, to generate new interest, Kirin went as far as creating an App that not only provided the reader with the location of the nearest fine establishment stocking its products, when you scan the bar code on the bottle, you get your own avatar to keep you company. A little sad and lonely it has to be said. Still, probably better than being a yatagaras, the three legged crow that kills itself if it breaks a promise. Mythical creatures are interesting in Japan.
