Blue Brew: Kenneth & Masako Mukai’s Brewery Dream Comes True in Kochi

Up in a little mountain valley in Kochi Prefecture, on Japan’s smallest main island, Shikoku, is the Mukai Craft Brewing / Blue Brew Taproom, a cozy little wooden craft brewery run by Ken and Masako Mukai. In 2019, the pair decided to leave their longtime home of Los Angeles and their jobs as high school teachers and move to the lush and remote town of Niyodogawa, which has a population of five thousand.

Around one and a half hours by car from the capital, Kochi City, the town sits along one of the sources of the Niyodo River, the clearest waterway in Japan, and attracts visitors looking to take the waterfall hike along the Nakatsu Gorge or adventurers in search of canyoning and rafting thrills.

Niyodogawa is pretty far off the beaten tourist path, so how did the two Angelenos come to live in the forested mountainsides? And to brew beer in such a remote place?

From the City of Angels to the Island of Shikoku

Photography courtesy of Blue Brew

The seeds were sown about thirty years ago when Ken first came to Japan to teach English through the JET program. Even after returning to the U.S. and starting his career as a chemistry teacher, he returned to Japan regularly to visit friends and Masako’s family.

During a visit in 2016, the idea of starting a brewery cropped up purely as a joke. “We were walking through a town in the Oki Islands and kept noticing all these empty buildings, and my friend who lived there said they were available. As a passionate home brewer, I jokingly said that if I could have one of them, I would start a brewery,” Ken reminisces.

Toward the end of the trip, the couple visited Kochi Prefecture, a region Ken had first fallen in love with twenty-eight years earlier, and had the same discussion with another local friend, who was enthusiastic about the idea of a new brewery in his home prefecture.

“I totally forgot about it until a month later when my friend called me up and said he had found a site for the brewery,” says Ken. Although still in disbelief, the Mukais agreed to visit the site. While the first spot didn’t work out, the Niyodogawacho government was so enthralled with the idea of such a new, interesting business that Ken quickly had local support to find a new location. The government even offered grants to help get things started.

Already frustrated with the ever-increasing workload for educators in the U.S., the couple felt this enthusiastic welcome was the final push they needed to leave their home and teaching positions in California. In February 2019, they made the big move to become full-time brewers.

Starting a Brewery on Japan’s Smallest Main Island

Photography courtesy of Blue Brew

Wading through the bureaucracy and hurdles of starting a new business in a rural area was challenging. But, through patience, teamwork, and Masako’s native Japanese language skills, the Blue Brew Taproom opened its doors to beer lovers in October 2020.

However, for the Mukais, just making beer wasn’t the goal; they found a deeper purpose in this lifestyle change. “There had to be more meaning to it, which comes in the form of helping revitalize the community,” says Ken. “We thought it would be great to use our beer to attract new people to the town, not only visitors but also potential new residents. Our brewery could become a hub that helps bring people together.”

One way they involve the long-standing residents of Niyodogawa is by using ingredients grown by local farmers, including hops, green tea, sweet potato, ginger, and even tomatoes. This helps the older generation, unused to craft beer, become more invested in this new arrival. The pure water, so clean it doesn’t even leave residue on a glass, is another secret to the flavor of Ken’s brews.

The brewery has proven to be a success, with visitors coming from all around Kochi, including marathon runners who make it their destination for long-distance training runs. Increases in overnight guests, revenue from shipping their beers countrywide, and involvement in community activities have all benefited Niyodigawacho.

Of course, life in a small Japanese village is very different from life in Los Angeles. “It is hard work, so physically I am in far better shape,” Ken laughs. “We also definitely eat more healthily, mainly local ingredients since you can’t order delivery out here!”

The Mukais are part of a small influx of newcomers to this naturally stunning area. They have quickly made friends with like-minded people starting new ventures, such as outdoor activity providers, and even convinced another American friend and his family to move to the region.

“We are in it for the long haul,” says Ken, looking perfectly at home in the brewery’s BBQ area, surrounded by autumn foliage. “Right at the moment, we have boosted the local economy, helped the town become more welcoming to non-Japanese folks, and directly inspired a family to move to the town. This may not seem like much, but with the diverse base of supporters we’ve developed, I’m confident we’ll be helping Niyodogawa rise as a travel destination for outdoorsy folks and beer lovers and see more individuals move in.”

He adds, “Just give us a few years!”