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Always on the search for unique places, we got a tip on an incredible bar in downtown Tokyo through our blog. A random blog comment from the fine folks at Rogue Ales http://www.rogue.com/ in Oregon informed us about a bar with at least 40 beers on tap in the Ryogoku area of Tokyo. 
We looked up the place and realized we were near it while visiting Akihabara on a rainy day with our visiting friend Jonathan (another beer enthusiast). The cozy little bar was exactly what was needed on the wet day, and it was better than we could have imagined. We were pleasantly surprised to find that they had expanded to 70 beers on tap, ranging from craft American and European brews to the best locals could offer. Also, unlike the vast majority of bars in Japan, this one was light on the wallet. Their happy hour specials included free appetizers with the purchase of a beer… we were sold! 
It was fall when we visited and enjoyed some delicious Pumking Ale that was well kegged and had an awesome pumpkin aroma. The rest of the beers were quality, but what impressed us the most were the friendly staff. The bar, while larger by Japanese standards, was still rather crowded and 70 taps in the US would take at least a wall. Here they were stacked behind a half bar, which the staff gladly jumped in several pictures with us. By the time we left I had joined their gold club membership and had convinced a waiter to call and get us tickets to a sold out craft brew fest. All in all a very pleasurable experience that the average traveler would never find while visiting Tokyo without some help!
My Senior Year of College I enrolled in a Brewing Science class and have ever since been hooked on good, quality beer. When our friend Jonathan came to visit last fall (he had taken the class with me) we spent a day at one of Japan’s largest beer festivals. 
Japan has a large beer industry of great, rice based beers including famous brands such as Yebisu, Sapporo, and Asahi. This beer fest was fashioned as a “homebrew” craft style where there were few, if any, rice beers available. The three of us rode the train to northern Tokyo and found ourselves at the Asahi Beer headquarters building, interesting considering they had nothing to do with the event. With a small admission price we all got a free half pint glass and tickets to try ten beers. The conference hall was packed, with a center aisle full of tapped kegs and a stage at the other end. We decided to dive right in, though we could only read a few of the styles (nearly everything was in Japanese). My overall impression on Japanese craft beer is they get an “A” for effort… but are missing something. 
While they are the best at rice beers, when they try to emulate European or American style barley and wheat ales or stouts, they get close but miss the mark. Though the beer was just ok, the cultural experience was awesome. When you taste test at an American winery, you get just enough wine to smell and taste it. We were given nearly a full glass of beer with every test, so the beer was better towards the end as alcohol inhibited our ability to discern the flavors. Every once in a while someone on the stage would obviously be raffling off prizes, but everything was in Japanese, so even if we won we wouldn’t know. We quickly made so
me friends by giving away our tickets. Another great find was running into an American living in Yokohama who publishes a local English magazine called “Japan Beer Times” and promotes local brews to be sold in bars. He sold some great shirts stating in both English and Japanese that “Bad Beer is the Enemy.” After buying a few he told us some local bars with good beer on tap. We had been to one, Popeyes, and plan on visiting the others. In the end I think the Japanese should stick with rice beers, but there was definitely much interest in quality craft beer, which can only make the world a better place!
James received the best birthday present ever this year….a visit from a great friend! We celebrated James’ birthday
by driving to Narita airport to pick up Jonathan, a friend of ours from college, who would be visiting for two weeks. Driving to the airport was very exciting, and we thankfully didn’t hit any traffic. We did lose our toll ticket (first time ever in our lives), and I tried to explain in English and gestures that it was gone. (Which is actually much more difficult than it sounds…) We backed up the toll gate a little bit, but no worries, as there is a big Y on our license plate, alerting everyone that we are American and don’t know what we are doing. Eventually, the toll booth person understood, took down our information, and charged us the regular toll amount. (Thankfully!) It’s moments like those when I am mad at myself for knowing as little Japanese as I do. (We found the ticket when we got to the airport. We are AWESOME!) On our way home, we stopped at Yoshinoya, a Japanese fast food restaurant that is amazing, for Jonathan’s first meal in Japan. Meat and rice bowls = fabulous! It was the perfect start to a great two weeks.
Growing up as a Navy Brat, I have experienced many family day cruises, and have pretty much gotten sea sick on all of them, with or without Dramamine. But, when I was in college, my dad was on the USS Kearsarge, another amphibious assault ship, a
nd I had the opportunity to go on a tiger cruise with him. A tiger cruise is an overnight cruise, whereas a family cruise is just for the day. It seemed as though everyone but me was getting sick on the Kearsarge’s tiger cruise, so I felt pretty confident that I would be okay this year on the Makin Island’s family day cruise. (The Makin Island and the Kearsarge are the same type of ship, so I thought I would be fine.) I took some Dramamine and was excited to embark on a day cruise with James and my Dad to enjoy the beautiful San Diego skyline and Pacific Ocean. The day began with an amazing sunrise over Cowles Mountain to the East, and an intriguing sail under the Coronado Bridge. It really did seem like we weren’t going to make it under the bridge, but of course it is just an optical illusion. We were outside enjoying the warm San Diego sun, the salty air, the seals, and the downtown sky line, and I was feeling fabulous. 
We had barely passed the cliffs of Point Loma when I started to feel horrible. Even on those big decks, you really feel the waves and the movement, and I wanted nothing more but to lay down and for the rocking to stop. Thankfully James has a state room with just one roommate, so I was able to spend a lot of time in his ra
ck asleep. Even though I was sick, it was still a lot of fun, and I enjoyed not having to go to work for a day. My dad had been on the ship all week, since he went on the tiger cruise with James, and I think he enjoyed being on a ship without actually having to do any work. And he was given his own stateroom, so I’m sure he enjoyed the entire cruise! The activities for the day included fly bys of helicopters, navy security patrols, and LCACs. There were other demonstrations, but I missed them due to my lack of sea legs. It was interesting being in James’ workspace though, because it seems like a movie with the blue lights. It seems so secretive and mysterious, especially when everyone in his division was playing video games on the computers. In their defense, they couldn’t do any real work when the workspace wasn’t secure, but it was entertaining nonetheless. To see more pictures of my Dad and my epic sea cruise on the Makin Island, check out our flickr site by clicking on the photos to the left.
