Beers from breweries you rarely get to drink in Kansai are coming to the Kobe waterfront, with a view of the Akashi Kaikyo Bridge. Mitsui Outlet Park Marine Pia Kobe will hold its first-ever beer festival, “A-ROUND B-SIDE CRAFT BEER MATCH”, over two days on Saturday, October 31 and Sunday, November 1, 2026. Admission is free.
“Bakuen HYOGO” launches a new festival
The organizer is “Bakuen HYOGO”, which since spring 2024 has run events in front of JR Hyogo Station bringing together Hyogo craft beer and local food. This new-concept festival brings together 15 breweries — five Hyogo breweries that were especially popular at those events, plus ten from ten other prefectures from Hokkaido to Kagoshima — pouring more than 60 beers in total.
From Kansai, Minoh Beer from Osaka is taking part. The line-up also includes breweries you rarely come across in Kansai: Brasserie Knot in Hokkaido, founded by a brewer who has trained many other brewers; Shiroyama Brewery, brewed inside a hotel in Kagoshima and said to be almost impossible to drink outside the prefecture; CAVE D'OCCI from Niigata, run by a winery and appearing in Kansai for the first time; and Nobody Brewing by TEENAGE from Saitama, started by a music label. Beer to take home is also on sale.
Beer is bought with dedicated tickets, and you also need to buy the official glass or a plastic cup. Until October 30, advance tickets are available that come with a ¥500 shopping and dining voucher you can use from the day of the event.
Curry, tacos, a campfire and DJs
Food booths include a joint stall by Aaberu Curry, a spice curry shop in Kujo, Osaka, and Asian Kitchen Café 百福; Kitade Shokudo, a taco diner from Kanda, Tokyo; and BREADMAN, opened by the son who took over a bakery that had been in business in Tarumi for 40 years.
The festival spreads beyond the main Big Roof Plaza (Ooyane Hiroba) to the LAGOON COMMUNITY PARK, which looks out on the Akashi Kaikyo Bridge. In the Big Roof Plaza, DJs who spin records in Kyoto and Kobe will play, and on Sunday, November 1 there is also a stage by kids’ dancers. A prize draw with prizes such as a hotel stay for two will be held as well. Since October 31 is Halloween, there is also a face-painting booth run by professionals, from ¥500 (tax included) per design, free for the first five people on each day. In the LAGOON COMMUNITY PARK you will find a campfire outdoor space supported by LOGOS SHOP, acoustic live performances, mölkky (a Finnish throwing game) to try, the “Bakuen Booth” featuring Hyogo beers from breweries not exhibiting at the festival, and a dagashi-ya (old-fashioned Japanese candy shop) for kids.
On the same two days, the neighboring Kobe Municipal Fisheries Experience Learning Center “Sakana no Gakko” (School of Fish) plans a fisheries event where you can try releasing young fish and hear about fish farming. It is nice that families can pop in for a seaside experience between beers.
Event details
- Name: A-ROUND B-SIDE CRAFT BEER MATCH
- Dates: Saturday, October 31 and Sunday, November 1, 2026, 12:00–20:00 each day (last orders 19:30)
- Venue: Mitsui Outlet Park Marine Pia Kobe (Big Roof Plaza, LAGOON COMMUNITY PARK and other areas)
- Admission: free (beer requires dedicated tickets plus the official glass or a plastic cup)
- Beer tickets on the day: set of 5 for ¥3,500, set of 2 for ¥1,500 (cash only, limited quantity)
- Advance beer tickets: set of 5 for ¥3,200 (with a ¥500 shopping and dining voucher, until October 30): https://ticketdive.com/event/A-round-B-side-presale
- Official glass: Original Double Wall Glass 2026 ¥1,500; logo plastic cup ¥100
- Event website (Japanese): https://mitsui-shopping-park.com/mop/kobe/event/3556739.html
