Kichijoji World Beer Fest (吉祥寺ワールドビアフェス2026) turns the bars around Kichijoji Station into one big beer festival. There is no single venue. You pick up a map, walk between participating bars and try beers from around the world alongside craft beers brewed by local shops. This is the 10th edition, and 30 bars are taking part this year.
If you like drinking your way through a neighbourhood, this is an easy excuse to walk into places you have never tried. Below is what has been announced so far, and what you still need to check yourself.
Key facts at a glance
| Dates | Friday 9 October to Sunday 18 October 2026 (10 days) |
|---|---|
| Where | Participating bars around Kichijoji Station, centred on Harmonica Yokocho (ハモニカ横丁) |
| Format | Walk-around bar crawl using the festival map |
| Bars | 30 |
| Prize desk and information | Poyo, Kichijoji Honcho 1-1-1, 1F Weekdays 17:00–20:00 Weekends and holidays 14:00–20:00 |
| Organiser | Video Information Center Co., Ltd., together with Flat Design General Incorporated Association |
| Sponsors | Musashino City Development Public Corporation, Sapporo Breweries, AB InBev Japan, Kirin Brewery, Asahi Breweries, Coppice Kichijoji |
| Enquiries | MUSASHINO MIDTOWN MARKET office (Flat Design) 0422-38-8344 |
How the bar crawl works
The festival runs on a printed map that lists the beers from around the world on offer. You can get it at any participating bar or at the information desk.
- Get the map at a participating bar or at the desk inside Poyo.
- Pick a bar and order a beer. Each bar serves its beers with food chosen to pair with them.
- Collect a stamp on your map for the beer you ordered.
- Move on to the next bar and keep going. The more stamps you have, the better the prize.
- Swap your stamps for prizes at the Poyo desk during its opening hours.
Stamp rally prizes
Prizes go to whoever claims them first, so popular items may run out before the last day. Here is the line-up by number of stamps.
| Stamps | Prize |
|---|---|
| Any beer order | Original coaster designed by Terry Johnson |
| 5 | Festival-only T-shirt designed by Terry Johnson |
| 6 | Kirin Good Ale (キリングットエール) |
| 7 | Hoegaarden White |
| 8 | Super Dry Nama Jokki (スーパードライ生ジョッキ) |
| 9 | Guaranteed-prize lottery. Prizes: Sapporo Nama tumbler Corona waterproof pouch Akaboshi T-shirt Beer & Walk ticket |
The 30 participating bars
The line-up mixes well-known Kichijoji spots, mostly in and around Harmonica Yokocho. Names are listed in Japanese as they appear on the official material, which is what you will see on the signs. The numbers follow the order in the announcement.
| 1. 横丁カンパイ酒BAR | 2. あんちゃん | 3. ハモニカ酒場 |
| 4. よなよなビアワークス | 5. 肉バル横丁 | 6. PONZO |
| 7. 雲バナレ | 8. カヤシマ | 9. すし酒場 くらや 吉祥寺店 |
| 10. ディグボウル吉祥寺 | 11. Out Side | 12. 剛家 |
| 13. 川上つくね店 | 14. ミュンヘン | 15. エイヒレ |
| 16. ニワトリ | 17. 奄美 | 18. やきとんなるせ |
| 19. BEER MARROW | 20. 片口 | 21. 吉祥寺RETRO |
| 22. ハモニカキッチン | 23. コパンダ | 24. てっちゃん |
| 25. クレイジーBAR | 26. Dada | 27. ポヨ |
| 28. アヒルビアホール | 29. エプロン | 30. モスクワ |
The organisers published a menu sheet for every bar, showing which beer and which pairing food each one serves. Look through them before you go and you can plan a route around the beers you actually want to try.
Limited VIC craft beer
One of the festival’s recurring favourites is back. VIC beer is made to a recipe supervised by Akira Hashida, who used to work in PR at Sapporo Breweries, served as director of the Museum of Yebisu Beer and and has spent many years advising on the Japan Beer Kentei (beer knowledge test). It’s sold in limited quantities, so if you want to try it, do not leave it until the last weekend.
The announcement does not say which bars sell VIC beer. Ask at the Poyo desk or check the festival’s social accounts.
What has not been announced
A few things you would normally want to know are missing from the official announcement:
- Whether there is an entry fee or ticket
- Beer and food prices at each bar
- Each bar’s opening hours during the festival
- Which bars sell VIC beer
For updates, follow the festival on Instagram (@kichijoji_fes) or X (@kichijoji_event). The full announcement is on PR TIMES (Japanese).
Planning more outings this autumn? The Shibaura Canal Festival with its free canal cruises is another good day out in Tokyo. After a long night of bar-hopping, you could also soak it off at a public bathhouse with the Tokyo sento half-price coupon (¥300 at 383 bathhouses). And if you are already making weekend plans, the Ghibli Park exhibition guide covers the Osaka, Yokosuka and Kyoto dates.
FAQ
- When and where is Kichijoji World Beer Fest held?
- From Friday 9 October to Sunday 18 October 2026, at 30 participating bars around Kichijoji Station, centred on Harmonica Yokocho.
- Is there an entry fee?
- The official announcement does not mention an entry fee or ticket. Check the festival’s Instagram or X account for the latest details.
- How do I collect stamps?
- Order a beer at a participating bar and collect a stamp on the festival map. Prizes depend on how many stamps you have and are given out first come, first served.
- Where do I exchange stamps for prizes?
- At the prize and information desk inside Poyo (Kichijoji Honcho 1-1-1, 1F). It opens 17:00–20:00 on weekdays and 14:00–20:00 on weekends and public holidays.
- Where can I buy VIC beer?
- VIC beer is sold in limited quantities, but the announcement does not name the bars. Ask at the Poyo desk or check the festival’s social accounts.
Information is based on the organiser’s press release published on 27 September 2026. Details may change, so please check the official accounts before you go.