Meet the Man Behind the Iwami Method
What if starting a small craft brewery didn’t require a huge investment or a large, sophisticated facility?
That question led Itsuo Yamaguchi to rethink the conventional way of brewing beer.
In rural Shimane, he developed the Iwami Method, a new approach to small-scale brewing using simple, affordable equipment—including chest freezers and plastic bags—in ways few people in the industry had imagined.
Today, people interested in craft beer and brewery development come to visit Yamaguchi from across Japan and overseas.
This two-day experience gives you the opportunity to meet him at his brewery, see the Iwami Method in action, take part in real brewing work, and talk directly with him about how and why he developed it.
And if you are thinking about starting your own craft beer business, the experience can go deeper.
Bring your ideas, questions, and plans. Sit down with Yamaguchi over a beer and talk about brewing, equipment, product development, and what it takes to turn an idea into a working brewery.
This is not simply a brewery tour.
It is two days with the person who challenged the conventional wisdom of small-scale craft brewing in Japan.
Thinking About Starting Your Own Brewery?
This experience is also designed for people who are considering starting a craft beer business in their own country or region.
You don’t need to be an experienced brewer.
Perhaps you already have a business plan. Perhaps you are exploring equipment and production methods. Or perhaps you simply have an idea and want to understand what it really takes to start small.
Tell us about your interests before you visit.
Yamaguchi can tailor parts of the experience around what you want to learn, giving you the chance to ask questions and discuss your ideas directly with the creator of the Iwami Method.
Come with questions. Leave with ideas.
What Is the Iwami Method?
The Iwami Method (also known as the Iwami-style brewing method) is a small-scale craft beer brewing system developed by Itsuo Yamaguchi in Shimane, Japan.
Instead of simply accepting the idea that a brewery requires expensive equipment and a large production facility, Yamaguchi began asking a different question:
How simply and efficiently could beer be brewed on a small scale?
His answer was unconventional.
He adapted readily available equipment, including chest freezers, and developed his own brewing tools and processes to create a system suited to small-batch production.
The result is a brewing approach that makes it possible to start smaller, experiment more freely, and produce a wider variety of beers without relying on a large conventional brewery setup.
During your visit, you won’t just hear about the Iwami Method.
You’ll see the actual equipment, learn why Yamaguchi designed it this way, and experience parts of the brewing process yourself.
For anyone thinking about starting a small brewery, this is a rare opportunity to understand the thinking behind the system directly from the person who created it.
A brewery unlike most others.
Chest freezers are one of the distinctive elements of the Iwami Method.
Meet Your Host
Itsuo Yamaguchi
Founder & Brewer, Iwami Bakushu
Itsuo Yamaguchi is not someone who simply accepts that things have to be done the way they have always been done.
When he became interested in brewing beer, he began questioning everything—from the equipment and production process to how a small brewery could operate.
“If it doesn’t exist, create it. If it can’t be done yet, find a way to make it possible.”
That way of thinking led him to develop the Iwami Method and eventually open Iwami Bakushu in 2016.
Walk around his brewery and you’ll find equipment he has adapted, modified, or developed himself. Talk with him about a problem, and he is likely to start thinking about how it could be solved.
That restless curiosity and constant experimentation have earned him the nickname “Shimane’s Edison.”
Today, Itsuo shares what he has learned with people interested in brewing and brewery development, including visitors from overseas.
But his ideas now extend beyond beer.
Itsuo opened a brewery and taproom inside JR Hashi Station, bringing new activity to a small local station. More recently, he has renovated a traditional Japanese house into accommodation for visitors.
Together with local restaurant owners and other partners, he is also working on projects to bring more people and energy to the area around the station.
For Itsuo, brewing beer and building a community are increasingly connected.
But what makes this experience special is not simply what he has created.
It is the chance to spend time with Itsuo himself—to brew together, ask questions, share meals and beer, and discover how he turns ideas into something real.
Spend One Night and Two Days with the Creator of the Iwami Method
This is not a standard brewery tour with a fixed route and a short tasting at the end.
Over two days, you’ll spend time with Itsuo Yamaguchi at Iwami Bakushu—seeing how the brewery works, taking part in real brewing, asking questions, and learning directly from the person who developed the Iwami Method.
Whether you simply love craft beer or are seriously considering starting a brewery of your own, the experience can be shaped around what you want to know.
See the Iwami Method in Action
Start by exploring the brewery with Itsuo.
See the chest freezers, brewing equipment, and tools that make the Iwami Method different from a conventional brewery setup.
Rather than simply showing you the equipment, Itsuo will explain why he chose this approach, what problems he was trying to solve, and how the system developed through experimentation.
Ask questions as you go. This is your chance to understand not only how the system works, but the thinking behind it.
Brew Beer Together
Then, take part in actual brewing work alongside Itsuo and his team.
Depending on the brewing schedule, you may help with parts of the process such as preparing ingredients, brewing, transferring beer, or other work taking place at the brewery that day.
This is not a demonstration prepared only for visitors.
You’ll step into the everyday work of a small craft brewery and experience the process from the inside.
No previous brewing experience is required.
Fill Your Own Craft Beer Can
Itsuo also developed his own can-filling machine.
During the experience, you may have the chance to use it yourself, filling cans one at a time by hand.
If you send us your label design in advance, you can also create beer with your own original label—a unique souvenir from your time at Iwami Bakushu.
It’s another small example of Itsuo’s approach: if the tool he needs doesn’t exist, he finds a way to make it himself.
And you’ll take your own labeled beer home with you.
Label specifications: Maximum size 75 mm × 75 mm . If no design is submitted, the brewery’s standard label will be used.
Talk About Your Own Brewery Ideas
If you are thinking about starting a brewery, this can become much more than a hands-on brewing experience.
Tell Itsuo what you are considering.
What kind of beer do you want to make? How large—or small—do you want to start? What equipment do you really need? What challenges should you think about before getting started?
Bring your questions and use the time to discuss your ideas directly with someone who has built his own approach to small-scale brewing.
There is no classroom and no formal lecture.
The learning happens naturally—while looking at equipment, brewing together, eating, and talking over a beer.
Taste, Talk, and Keep the Conversation Going
Of course, there will be beer.
Taste different beers from Iwami Bakushu and talk with Itsuo about ingredients, recipes, experimentation, and product development.
Some of the most interesting conversations may happen after the day’s work is finished, with a glass in hand.
Because this is a two-day experience, there is time to go beyond quick questions and get to know the person behind the ideas.
That time together is at the heart of this experience.
Sample Overnight Itinerary
The exact brewing work varies depending on what is happening at the brewery during your visit. If you have specific interests—especially if you are considering starting your own brewery—let us know in advance so Itsuo can tailor parts of the experience around what you want to learn.
Day 1 | Meet Itsuo and Discover the Iwami Method
16:00 — Meet at Hashi Station
Meet Itsuo and begin your two days at Iwami Bakushu.
Explore the Brewery and the Iwami Method
Walk through the brewery with Itsuo and see the equipment and systems he has developed and adapted.
Learn how the Iwami Method works, why he developed it, and how his approach differs from a conventional small brewery.
This is also your chance to start asking questions—about brewing, equipment, or your own ideas for a brewery.
Brew Alongside Itsuo
Join the actual work taking place at the brewery that day.
Depending on the brewing schedule, you may take part in preparing ingredients, brewing, transferring beer, or other parts of the production process.
Rather than following a demonstration created for visitors, you’ll step into the real working environment of Iwami Bakushu.
Evening — Dinner and Craft Beer with Itsuo
After the day’s work, sit down for dinner with Itsuo.
Share food and craft beer while continuing the conversations that began at the brewery.
Ask about brewing, the Iwami Method, his experiments and failures, or your own ideas for starting a brewery. With no formal lecture or fixed agenda, the conversation can go wherever your curiosity takes it.
For many guests, this time around the table becomes one of the most memorable parts of the experience.
Overnight in the local area
Day 2 | Go Deeper
Morning — Return to the Brewery
Continue working alongside Itsuo and see another side of the brewing process.
Depending on the production schedule, the work may be different from the previous day.
Fill and Label Your Own Craft Beer
Try Itsuo’s self-developed can-filling machine and prepare beer to take home.
If you have submitted an original label design in advance, your cans can be finished with your own label.
Talk About Your Next Step
If you are considering starting a brewery, use this time to go deeper into your questions and ideas with Itsuo.
Discuss what you have seen over the two days and ask about the areas most relevant to your plans.
Lunch with Itsuo
After the morning’s brewing work, sit down for lunch with Itsuo.
Use this final meal to continue the conversation, ask any remaining questions, and reflect on what you have seen and learned over the two days.
Around 13:00 — Finish at Hashi Station
Say goodbye to Itsuo and finish your two-day experience at Hashi Station.
Leave with your beer—and perhaps a few new ideas about what you could create yourself.
Travel Details (Terms & Conditions)
| Availability | Tuesdays and Wednesdays (2 days / 1 night) Program begins at 16:00 on Day 1 |
|---|---|
| Price (per person) | ¥85,000 per person |
| Included | – Two-day experience with Itsuo Yamaguchi – Iwami Method brewery tour and brewing experience – Craft beer tasting – Dinner with Itsuo on Day 1 – Lunch with Itsuo on Day 2 – One-night accommodation at Bakukoya Guesthouse – Six cans (350 ml) of Iwami Bakushu craft beer with your original label, packed in a box to take with you |
| Location | Iwami Bakushu — Hashi Station Brewery 844-6, Hashicho-i, Gotsu City, Shimane 699-3161, Japan (Google Maps) If using the JR San’in Main Line, the start time can be adjusted to match your train arrival. |
| Access | From JR Matsue Station → JR Hashi Station: 2 hr 23 min From JR Masuda Station → JR Hashi Station: 1 hr 24 min |
| Minimum Participants | 1 person (Other participants may join the experience) |
| Accommodation | Bakkaya Guesthouse Stay overnight at Bakkaya, a renovated traditional Japanese house recently opened by Itsuo. The guesthouse is another part of his work in the local community—creating a place where visitors can stay, spend time in the area, and connect with the people around Hashi Station. Bathrooms and toilets are shared. * Bathrooms and toilets are shared. Please bring your own towel, pajamas, and toiletries (toothbrush, etc.). |
| Clothing | The brewing facility can become hot, so please wear comfortable clothing that allows you to adjust to changing temperatures. Rubber boots are recommended for brewing work and can be provided at the brewery. |
| What to Bring | No special items are required. |
| Cancellation Policy | ・20 days before the experience: 20% of the total fee ・10 days before the experience: 50% of the total fee ・Same-day cancellation or no-show: 100% of the total fee |
| Booking Deadline | Applications must be submitted at least 10 days before your desired participation date. |
| Payment Method | Credit card payment (VISA / MasterCard) is accepted. Payment details will be provided by email after your reservation is confirmed. |
| Additional Notes | Dinner on Day 1 and lunch on Day 2 are included. Breakfast is not included. Please purchase breakfast in advance or at a convenience store. Taking Your Beer Home Your six cans of craft beer will be packed in a box for you to take with you at the end of the experience. International shipping is not available. If you plan to take the beer home by air, please check your airline’s rules for alcoholic beverages in checked baggage. |
| Language Support | Itsuo Yamaguchi can communicate with guests in English and welcomes direct conversation throughout the experience. While he is not a fluent English speaker, he is comfortable discussing the Iwami Method, brewing, equipment, and his own experiences in English. Translation tools may also be used for more detailed or technical discussions. |
Want to Know More About Itsuo?
Discover more about Itsuo Yamaguchi—his ideas, his experiments, and the story behind the Iwami Method.
