Karuizawa Hoshino Area to Host One-Day Summer Talk Event 'Forest CRAFT BAR | Creators Talk' on August 2, Featuring Craft Beverage Makers from Shinshu

At the open space beside Minzoku Shokudō in the Karuizawa Hoshino Area, savor the craft of Shinshu under the twilight forest.

The Karuizawa Hoshino Area, a destination for nature and culture lovers, will host a one-day summer talk event titled 'Forest CRAFT BAR | Creators Talk' on Sunday, August 2, 2026. Drawing from Karuizawa’s historical legacy as a gathering place for cultural figures, this event creates a modern forum for dialogue on craft culture. Through conversations among makers, attendees will experience the stories behind the flavors, the dedication to craftsmanship, and the essence of Shinshu’s natural environment.

Background

Karuizawa, long known as a summer retreat where artists and intellectuals gathered, has nurtured a rich cultural community. Inspired by this heritage, the event aims to create a new space for exchange centered on a contemporary 'craft culture' that expresses the bounty of Shinshu’s nature. Makers of beer, gin, spirits, and syrups—based in the eastern Shinshu region—will come together across company lines to share their philosophies and passions for craftsmanship. More than just tasting drinks, this event positions itself as a craft culture experience, offering a new form of value by allowing visitors to taste Shinshu’s terroir and culture through dialogue with its creators.

Feature 1: A Talk Event Where Makers Across Categories Share Their Connection to Shinshu’s Terroir

Featured beverages at the talk event. From left: Kamosika Syrup (TŌGE), Karuizawa Highland Beer 2026 Limited Edition (Yoho Brewing), Karuizawa Aquavit Torinosu (Totsuka Sake Brewery), YOHAKU (Fuyo Sake Brewery)

In the eastern Shinshu region, there are creators who strive to express the land, forests, and history through their beverages and syrups. 'Forest CRAFT BAR | Creators Talk' is a one-day event where these makers come together to share the stories embedded in their creations. Attendees will receive a 'tasting kit' featuring small samples of four beverages crafted by the speakers, enabling a deep, sensory understanding of both flavor and the philosophy behind each product. The event will be facilitated by Shiori Yui, Shinshu Sake PR Ambassador, who will guide discussions among the panelists about the emotions behind their drinks and the terroir of eastern Shinshu.

~Featured Speakers~

Yoho Brewing (Beer / Miyota, Nagano Prefecture)

A leading Japanese craft beer brewery. This time, Suneo Arai (nickname: Serubee), the brewer behind the 'Karuizawa Highland Beer 2026 Limited Edition'—developed in harmony with Karuizawa’s food culture and villa lifestyle—will take the stage. He will discuss the philosophy behind crafting a herbal golden ale designed to pair with food and the inspiration drawn from the scent of Nagano’s forests.

'Herbal Golden Ale' 2026 Limited Edition, evoking the aroma of Nagano’s forests (Yoho Brewing) Suneo Arai, Brewer, Yoho Brewing

TŌGE (Syrup / Karuizawa, Nagano Prefecture)

A creative team led by architect Yurisa Ueno and contemporary artist Norihiro Tateishi. They produce a non-alcoholic beverage called 'Kamosika Syrup,' extracting aromas from five tree species in the Karuizawa-Rissho forest: Larch, Red Pine, Fir, Abies, and Hinoki. They will speak about their innovative, sustainable approach to creation—such as mirroring the forest’s natural vegetation in their formulation—and how their 'drink the forest' concept connects people with nature.

Non-alcoholic 'Kamosika Syrup' made by extracting scents from five tree species in Karuizawa’s forests, including Larch and Fir (TŌGE) Yurisa Ueno, Architect, TŌGE

Fuyo Sake Brewery (Gin 'YOHAKU' / Saku, Nagano Prefecture)

A sake brewery with over 130 years of history in Saku, Nagano. The 6th-generation brewery president, Takayuki Yoda, will speak. He developed the craft gin 'YOHAKU,' using kasutori shochu (a byproduct of sake production) as a base and infusing 11 local natural ingredients from Nagano, including Kuromoji, bear bamboo, and apples. He will discuss how they capture Nagano’s landscape in scent and their innovative distillation techniques rooted in tradition.

Craft gin 'YOHAKU,' distilled by adding 11 ingredients like Kuromoji and apples to kasutori shochu made from sake lees (Fuyo Sake Brewery) Takayuki Yoda, 6th-Generation Brewery President, Fuyo Sake Brewery

Totsuka Sake Brewery (Spirits / Saku, Nagano Prefecture)

Represented by Noriaki Ide, known for the premium sake 'Kanchiku.' He will speak about the development of 'Karuizawa Aquavit Torinosu,' Japan’s first aquavit made entirely from domestically grown ingredients—specifically potatoes cultivated on revitalized abandoned farmland in Karuizawa. He will discuss how they blend traditional techniques with innovative thinking to create products that leverage local resources.

'Karuizawa Aquavit Torinosu,' made primarily from potatoes grown on regenerated abandoned farmland in Karuizawa (Totsuka Sake Brewery) Noriaki Ide, Totsuka Sake Brewery

Feature 2: Limited Collaboration Cocktails and Post-Event Drink Sales of Featured Products

Concept image of the Forest Beer Cocktail

To commemorate the event, limited-edition drinks will be sold that reflect the makers’ stories. The 'Forest Beer Cocktail,' combining Yoho Brewing’s 2026 limited Karuizawa Highland Beer with TŌGE’s Kamosika Syrup, is an exclusive collaboration available only at this location and during this summer.

After the talk event, attendees can enjoy the featured products firsthand at the café. Totsuka Sake Brewery’s 'Karuizawa Aquavit Torinosu' and Fuyo Sake Brewery’s craft gin 'YOHAKU' will be available by the glass.

Period: August 2–31, 2026 *Until stock lasts

Price: Forest Beer Cocktail 1,200 JPY (tax included)

Location: Café Hungry Spot

'Forest CRAFT BAR | Creators Talk' Overview

Date: Sunday, August 2, 2026, 16:00–17:00 (Doors open at 15:30)

Location: Mominoki Plaza, Karuizawa Hoshino Area (next to Minzoku Shokudō and Café Hungry Spot)

Fee: Free admission to the talk event (includes tasting kit); drinks and food available for purchase

Capacity: 50 people

Registration: Advance registration required via the Karuizawa Hoshino Area official website (https://www.hoshino-area.jp/)

Sponsors: Yoho Brewing Co., Ltd., Totsuka Sake Brewery Co., Ltd., Fuyo Sake Brewery Cooperative, TŌGE (in no particular order)

Note: The event will be canceled in case of severe weather. Notification will be posted on the event page two days prior if canceled.

Karuizawa Hoshino Area

Happiness Terrace streetscape

A nature-rich area with a history of attracting literary and artistic figures like Hakushu Kitahara and Fujio Shima during the Taisho era. Today, it features 'Happiness Terrace' and day-trip hot spring 'Hoshino Onsen Tonbo no Yu,' promoting Karuizawa’s rich lifestyle.

Address: 389-0194 Karuizawa-machi, Kitasaku-gun, Nagano Prefecture

Access: 15-minute taxi ride from Karuizawa Station on the Hokuriku Shinkansen; 20-minute bus ride from the north exit of Karuizawa Station, alight at 'Hoshino Onsen Tonbo no Yu'

URL: https://www.hoshino-area.jp/

Official SN