The mention of a "beer garden" in America typically calls to mind the European drinking establishment at which alcohol is served in an open air area. Usually attached to an enclosed bar or pub, the outdoor segment allows large numbers of customers to drink in a park or garden-like setting.

Outdoor beer gardens attached to drinking establishments can be found around the world, and a particularly unique variety is seeing increasing popularity throughout Japan. During summer months, beer gardens on the rooftops of department store buildings provide a refuge high above the teeming, sweltering maze of Tokyo and other large cities. While some may be decorated with Japanese lanterns and carp ponds, they tend not to have the botanical charm of their European cousins and instead provide a refreshing sanctuary from the discomforts of city life in the summer. Cool breezes and an expansive skyline view combine with cold beer and cocktails to make the Japanese beer garden an ideal venue for blowing off steam after work with friends and co-workers. Drinks are usually served in typical nomi-houdai fashion(all-you-can drink) for up to two hours, with the same option often offered for food (tabe-houdai).

Beer gardens in more spacious cities and smaller towns may bear a greater resemblance to their European counterparts. From the end of July, parts of downtown Sapporo are transformed into very large-scale beer gardens (in 2006, 523,000 people drank 574,842 liters of beer in about 20 days!) Odori Park, a 12-block stretch of pleasant green space in the middle of the city, is the primary location of these festivities. Five blocks are lined with tables and chairs, with each block offering unique attractions. Some are dedicated to entertaining the children, while others offer beer tastings and even a recreation of the German beer garden, complete with German beer and sausages.

Beer gardens are starting to pop up in New York, Boston, and California, and we’re hoping Philadelphia will see them rise in popularity as well. For now, enjoy a refreshing night out after work at our Summer Enkai Party on July 9th at Philly’s first Japanese style izakaya, Yakitori Boy.