Craft Beer and Used Books: Creating Opportunities for People, Shops, and Towns to "Loosely Connect"

BEER&BOOK Nekomori supports April Dream, an initiative to make April 1st a day for announcing dreams. This press release is a dream of "BEER&BOOK Nekomori."

BEER&BOOK Nekomori interior

BEER&BOOK Nekomori (Takarazuka City, Hyogo Prefecture, https://beerbook-necomori.com/) is a craft beer and used book store located a 1-minute walk from Hibarigaoka-Hanayashiki Station on the Hankyu Takarazuka Line.

It has been a little over a year since the owner opened the store with the desire to drink various styles of beer from different breweries. While listening to customers at the counter, we sometimes hear the opinion that "craft beer is difficult." To help people discover craft beer through a simple trigger like, "Craft beer seems fun," our small shop has planned and held over 20 events just last year.

BEER&BOOK Nekomori has three dreams.

Dream 1: Loosely Connecting People, Shops, and Towns through Craft Beer Events

In 2025, we will co-host 'Minoh Beer BINGO RALLY,' 'Hankyu Takarazuka Line Stamp Rally,' and 'Baird Brewing Fair' with stores along the Hankyu Takarazuka Line. Through these events, we received comments from customers like, "This is my first time getting off at Hibarigaoka-Hanayashiki Station, which I always saw on the Hankyu train destination display!" "I got off at Okamachi Station for the first time in 10 years," and "I didn't know there was such a shop in Shonai!" We truly felt people, shops, and towns loosely connecting.

Furthermore, at 'Hibike! Toyonaka BEER BEAT,' first held at Harada Shrine (Hankyu Takarazuka Line, Okamachi Station) in 2025, we gained experience in operational support through previous events. Over 10 breweries gathered over two days, and despite occasional rain, many people attended. To keep that enthusiasm alive, we will participate as an executive committee member from 2026, further promoting the craft beer culture along the railway line.

Hibike! Toyonaka BEER BEAT 2026 flyer

Dream 2: Producing a Guidebook for Shops Where Craft Beer Can Be Drunk and Purchased

We want to create a print guidebook that compiles craft beer retailers. While research can be done digitally via map apps and social media, compiling that information is time-consuming. The advantage of print media is that you can check it anytime, anywhere, without worrying about power or signal. Customers can look at the guide, visit shops in various towns, buy and taste different craft beers, expanding their enjoyment. The shops listed in the guidebook are also somehow, loosely connected through the guidebook as a medium. We dream of creating such a state in the end.

Dream 3: Producing a Used Bookstore Guidebook to Help People Discover Books

Used bookstores are more difficult to find and research than craft beer retailers, which is a drawback. Our dream is to create a print guidebook for used bookstores, organizing information so that book lovers can visit them without hesitation. Above all, I want it the most. Those who pick up a used bookstore guidebook are surely book lovers, so we hope to have contributions from people with connections to books, making it an enjoyable read as well.

BEER&BOOK Nekomori's Dreams

I have never produced a guidebook before, but the desire to try outweighs the anxiety. Shops maintain their individuality while loosely connecting, increasing the joy of walking through town, and people, shops, and towns become loosely connected. BEER&BOOK Nekomori aims to be a shop that creates and disseminates such opportunities.

### 《BEER&BOOK Nekomori》

- **Address**: Youth Square Plus 110, 1-2-11 Hibarigaoka, Takarazuka City, Hyogo - **Nearest Station**: 1-minute walk from the West Exit of Hibarigaoka-Hanayashiki Station on the Hankyu Takarazuka Line - **Closed**: Mondays - **Business Hours**: 14:00-21:00 (Last order 20:30) - **Website**: https://beerbook-necomori.com - **Instagram**: https://www.instagram.com/beerbook_necomori

Keywords: April Dream