JBC beers

2026

Hopozuna

Based in the Sumo fight that decided the ruler of Japan

When the heavenly gods (the Amatsukami) sought to extend their rule over the earth (the Ashihara no Nakatsukuni, “Central Land of Reed Plains”), they sent envoys down to secure the land. One of these envoys was Takemikazuchi-no-Kami (建御雷神) — a thunder and sword deity, fierce and unyielding. On earth, he was met by Takeminakata-no-Kami (建御名方神), a powerful local god of water, hunting, and agriculture (later strongly tied to rice and the countryside). To decide who would control the land, the two deities engaged in a test of strength — essentially the first sumo match in mythic history.

Takeminakata seized Takemikazuchi’s hand, but the thunder god’s arm transformed — first into a sword of ice, then into a sword of stone. Takeminakata could not hold it. When Takemikazuchi grasped Takeminakata’s hand in turn, he crushed it easily “like a reed,” showing overwhelming strength. Defeated and terrified, Takeminakata fled north to Shinano Province (modern Nagano).

In Shinano, Takeminakata begged for his life and submitted, swearing never to challenge the heavenly order again. Takemikazuchi’s victory secured the rule of the land for the heavenly line, leading to the foundation of the Japanese imperial dynasty. From then on, Takemikazuchi was enshrined at Kashima Shrine (Ibaraki) as a god of martial arts, thunder, and victory. Takeminakata was enshrined at Suwa Taisha (Nagano) as a powerful local deity of agriculture, water, and the hunt.

Takemi Nigami (タケミ苦味) – West Coast IPA

Bitter, bold, thunderous — this spirit of hops entered the contest with unmatched strength. Like the storm-god who once seized the land, Takemi Nigami carries the sharp edge of West Coast bitterness, a power that reshaped the world of IPAs.

Takemi Shizuku (タケミ雫) – NZIPA with Sake Yeast & Rice

Defeated in the great match, this spirit was sent into the countryside. There, among rice and yeast, Takemi Shizuku discovered balance and nuance. Subtle and refined, he returned not as a conqueror, but as a new presence — proof that beauty can be born even in loss.

鳳梨のカイ (Hōri no Kai) – Pineapple & Sanshō Ale

Once a year, a rare spirit returns from beyond. Known as a no Kai, it takes form through fruit — this time as pineapple, bright and golden, touched with the spark of sanshō. Each return is a new face of the same eternal being, a fleeting chapter in the tale of the Horyokai.

Oboroyokai (朧妖怪) – Hazy IPA

The Moon God came in disguise, asking for offerings. The monkey brought yuzu, the fox brought grain, but the Horyokai had nothing to give. With only itself to offer, it leapt into the stew. Moved by this sacrifice, the Moon God carried it into the sky, where it became Oboroyokai — the spirit of hazy nights, glowing faintly whenever the Hop Moon veils the world in mist.