A Japanese craft brewery in Yamaguchi Prefecture has launched a unique pumpkin beer made primarily with Kurimasaru kabocha, a variety of Japanese pumpkin grown in the Ajisu area of Yamaguchi City. Named “Harvest Gold,” the craft beer is produced by Isokane Jyozo, a brewery focused on incorporating locally sourced ingredients from Yamaguchi Prefecture into its beverages. The company believes the product could stand out in Japan’s growing craft beer market, as pumpkin-based beers remain relatively uncommon in the country.
Isokane Jyozo President Hiroki Isokane said pumpkin beers are available in some European markets, but he had rarely encountered a similar product in Japan. The brewery originally launched its own craft beer brand in 2022, with production initially handled on a contract basis by a brewer in neighboring Shimane Prefecture. In June 2026, Isokane Jyozo established its own brewery and shifted to in-house production, allowing the company to develop new beers using distinctive local ingredients.
Since beginning its own brewing operations, the company has developed five craft beer products featuring ingredients such as Aio mandarin oranges and Tokusa apples, both associated with Yamaguchi City. The new Harvest Gold beer adds another locally inspired product to its portfolio by incorporating Kurimasaru kabocha, a specialty pumpkin cultivated in the Ajisu region.
For Harvest Gold, brewers carefully added Kurimasaru kabocha paste during the fermentation process, closely monitoring the beer to achieve a balance between the pumpkin’s distinctive character and the bitterness and aroma of the beer. According to the brewery, the finished product delivers a gentle and rounded flavor, offering a different experience from the sweetness and soft texture typically associated with simmered pumpkin dishes.
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The new beer also provides an opportunity to promote the Kurimasaru kabocha variety and support local agricultural producers. Shigeaki Matsusaki, head of the Ajisu kabocha producers’ association, welcomed the development, noting that the number of pumpkin growers has been declining but expressing hope that innovative products such as the new craft beer will help introduce Ajisu-grown Kurimasaru pumpkins to a wider audience.
Harvest Gold pumpkin beer is currently available at Michi no Eki Kirara Ajisu, a roadside rest stop in Yamaguchi City, as well as through the Isokane Jyozo online shop. The craft beer is sold in 350-milliliter cans priced at 800 yen, including tax, giving consumers an opportunity to try a distinctive Japanese beer made with a locally grown pumpkin variety
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