James Nagano Beer Market, Nagano, Japan

Central Nagano is relatively small and easily walkable as I was to find out.

I’d searched the internet and found a couple of small craft beer places in Nagano, and I headed out just after 5pm thinking I’d be up for a 15 minute walk or so, but after heading out from my hotel, crossing the road and walking about a minute I was standing just across the road from James Nagano Beer Market!

I headed up the stairs to find a couple of people already enjoying a beer and sat at the bar.

James Nagano Beer Market, Nagano, Japan

Looking at the menu there was an impressive list of local beers which I decided I should try out.

Over the next couple of hours I managed to try a number of very good local beers including

while also trying a couple of the small, almost tapas-ish food items including a small jar of Japanese pickles and a reasonably good fried chicken with sweet chili sauce.

The bar staff knew their beers well and were happy to help me find beers that I had not tried before.

Highly recommended.