The Abashiri Brewery in Hokkaido which, judging by its website, really is some kind of beer-themed Willy Wonka side project, boasts what may be the world’s first naturally blue beer.
Always ready to get drunk for the sake of our readers, RocketNews24 took it upon ourselves to investigate this mystifying beer anomaly, appropriately named the Ryuhyou Draft (“Ice Floe Draft”), at a beachside pub.
We half expected the whole thing to be some kind of hoax; a regular beer served in a blue novelty glass or what have you. But upon pouring the bottled brew into a clear glass (and again into a clear party cup), we were surprised to find that it is, in fact, completely blue.
And not just any blue. We’re talking intense, almost neon blue. Walter White’s meth blue.
So blue you’d be forgiven for thinking it was some kind of toxic substance, but in fact it’s okay to drink and also tastes great! True to the beer’s name, it’s crisp and refreshing with a good bite.
Ryuhyou Draft is made with the standard beer fare, plus naturally occurring substances that give the drink its distinctive color, and somewhat disturbingly, Chinese Yam (best known for its slimy consistency when grated and resemblance to a certain bodily fluid).
You can search for a location that sells Ryuhyou Draft, or order online at the Abashiri Brewery’s website.
Photos: RocketNews24
[ Read in Japanese ]








We try blue beer made with drift ice from Hokkaido
How to pull a beer from the can so it tastes like it’s from a keg
McDonald’s and Gundam team up for customized anime mecha and fried chicken sandwiches[Video]
Mt. Fuji decorated with a 500,000-flower pink carpet is Japan’s ultimate spring view
New Travelling Bento pouches turn your luggage into a Japanese lunch box
New Japanese KitKats come in sakura flavour, with poetic symbolism for success
Foreign man arrested for walking on Shinkansen tracks, claims he was on the run from yakuza
Häagen-Dazs releases new Green Tea sandwich in Japan for a limited time
Expensive Japanese nail clippers: Are they worth it?
Foreign tourists in Japan will get free Shinkansen tickets to promote regional tourism
Warm, sweet gingery bubbles in a can: Our review of “Hot Ginger Ale”
One Piece creator has hidden secret of anime treasure’s identity in chest at bottom of real-world ocean
Japan reportedly adding Japanese language skill requirement to most common foreigner work visa
Pokémon and Ikea Japan cross over into each other’s worlds with collaboration events
Starbucks Japan closing only Shinkansen platform branch for popularity-triggered renovations
Two food hacks take Japan’s convenience store fried chicken to amazing new sandwich heights
You can assemble a well-balanced team of Pokémon, them eat them, thanks to Japanese cake chain
Tokyo turns its phone booths into free Wi-Fi hotspots, and here’s how to use them
Fading Tokyo – Searching for signs of the Showa era as local neighborhoods evolve[Photos]
Tokyo teahouse serves up a sakura matcha dessert you won’t find anywhere else
7-Eleven Japan’s new baked-in-store sweet treat is only available in three parts of the country
Man bites woman at cherry blossom park in Japan, dies shortly after
Japan now has a special desk for people who work at home with a pet cat[Photos]
Famous Tokyo cherry blossom spot installs view-blocking screens to fight overcrowding[Video]
Uniqlo announces new T-shirts for One Piece, Naruto and more for manga publisher’s 100th birthday
Train station platform ramen store closes its doors on half a century of history in Tokyo
Starbucks Japan releases new My Fruit³ Frappuccino at only 34 stores around the country
Studio Ghibli releases Catbus pullback keychain that runs like the anime character
Krispy Kreme releases Super Mario doughnuts in Japan for a limited time
Japanese onsen egg maker from 100-yen store Daiso needs to be on your shopping list
Survey asks foreign tourists what bothered them in Japan, more than half gave same answer
Japan’s human washing machines will go on sale to general public, demos to be held in Tokyo
Starbucks Japan releases new drinkware and goods for Valentine’s Day
We deeply regret going into this tunnel on our walk in the mountains of Japan
Starbucks Japan releases new sakura goods and drinkware for cherry blossom season 2026
Studio Ghibli releases Kodama forest spirits from Princess Mononoke to light up your home
Japan’s newest Shinkansen has no seats…or passengers [Video]
Major Japanese hotel chain says reservations via overseas booking sites may not be valid
Put sesame oil in your coffee? Japanese maker says it’s the best way to start your day【Taste test】
No more using real katana for tourism activities, Japan’s National Police Agency says