Fukuchiyama, Kyoto brewery wins gold and silver at international beer competition

When people think of Japanese alcoholic drinks, many picture sake or shochu. But small craft breweries are also growing up all over Japan. According to the Ryotan Nichinichi Shimbun, a local newspaper in Kyoto Prefecture (21 October 2026), two beers from Primary Barrels, a brewery run by Inoue Co., Ltd. in Fukuchiyama, won a gold and a silver medal at the international beer competition International Beer Cup 2026.

Two beers chosen from 1,459 entries

The local paper describes the competition as “one of the world’s five major beer competitions”. In 2026 it received 1,459 beers. Of these, Primary Barrels won gold for one and silver for the other. Winning medals with two beers at once suggests that this was not simply one lucky beer, and points to the reliability of the brewery’s craft. In competitions of this kind, beers are usually judged style by style (by type). A gold medal therefore means a beer was judged to be outstanding within its own style.

From a town in northern Kyoto to the world stage

Fukuchiyama is an inland town in the north of Kyoto Prefecture, some distance from the central area of Kyoto city, which is famous with tourists. This award shows that Japanese drinks-making is not confined to big cities or famous producing regions. A brewery run by a regional company has been judged alongside beers from around the world and placed among the best. Japanese craft beer may still be seen largely as a domestic product, but winning at an international competition can also help drinkers and importers abroad discover new producers.

For readers in Europe, we hope this news is read less for the award itself than as a clue to how far Japanese craft beer has come. If you see Japanese craft beer in a specialist beer shop or online shop in Europe, check the brewery name and any awards on the label. Tasting it alongside Belgian, German or Dutch beers of the same style will reveal where Japanese brewers put their ingenuity. As for Primary Barrels, the brewery’s official announcements are the most reliable place to find details of the award-winning beers and how to buy them.