Hokkaido is the birthplace of beer in Japan. Sapporo Beer, one of the oldest and most popular beer brands in the country, has been brewed in Sapporo since 1877 and is now produced and sold around the world. The Sapporo Breweries opened the Sapporo Beer Museum in 1987 in a former brewery from the Meiji Period. The museum introduces the history of beer in Japan and the process of beer making, but has few explanations in English. After the exhibitions, beer tastings are available at a small fee.
Next to the museum is the Sapporo Beer Garden, which consists of two restaurants. A relaxing meal can be enjoyed at the Garden Grill restaurant, while the Genghis Khan Hall is an atmospheric beer hall that offers all you can drink beer and all you can eat mutton BBQ, a popular local dish named after the great Mongolian ruler (Jingisukan in Japanese). For guests with more moderate appetites, items at the Genghis Khan Hall can also be ordered from the menu individually.