Hamilton Shields
(Mikkeller’s partner in Japan)

Mikkeller is an internationally renowned phantom brewery, recognized as a pioneer in craft beer. Since its founding in 2006 in Copenhagen, the company has spearheaded the movement with a unique approach that does not involve owning a specific brewery. In Japan, the first store opened in Udagawacho, Shibuya-ku in 2015 and has gained wide popularity, moving to the Hyakkendana and expanding to the first floor of the “all day place” hotel. We asked Mikkeller Japan boss Hamilton Shields to take us through his top boozy spots in Shibuya Ward. Hamilton, a Shibuya connoisseur for 10 years, was our local guide for a bit of beer trekking. 

A hearty sandwich paired with a pint of Mikkeler

“How many times have I had this? I come every month so it must be dozens of times. I’ve brought loads of friends too – it’s the perfect place on a pub crawl from Hatagaya to Shibuya”.

 Hamilton Shields managed to explain this as he tackled a sandwich from “Freeman Shokudo” in Hatagaya. Washed down nonetheless with a refreshing glass of “Après Kölsch,” a Mikkeler tie-up beer that pairs perfectly with meat dishes. 

“Different settings require different beers. With pastrami you want something like this, but something else for sushi and you need an ice cold Kirin watching the Tokyo Yakult Swallows  at Jingu Stadium. That’s what I love about beer culture.” 

then don’t – there’s no going back once you’ve experienced that smoked deliciousness. 

A walk around Yoyogi Hachimanwith bread, coffee and beer on tap 

Hamilton doesn’t mince his words when it comes to Freeman Shokudo’s sandwiches: “best pastrami in Japan”. He has similar praise for “Jensen” in Yoyogi Hachiman which is even tastier than the real thing. “Jensen is a profoundly Danish pastry. The classic taste has been passed down and I particularly love the Tebirkes here. It’s a breakfast bread with butter paste and poppy seeds on top. It’s like a taste of the Showa period in Japan, and it’s so good you can’t even eat it in Denmark!”

When on a beer crawl, if you’ve had a bite to eat at Jensen there’s always “Switch Coffee Tokyo” nearby for a quick pick-me-up. 

 “More and more there are places serving both beer and coffee, and as a coffee fan I love specialist shops like SWITCH. If you come to Yoyogi Hachiman, it’s also worth checking out “Sakeria Sakebozu”, They have Japanese sake wine, craft beer and know a thing or two about culinary spice.”

The tight relationship between Hyakkendana and Mikkeller.

Hatagaya and Yoyogi Hachiman are home to a growing number of ace restaurants. However in 2018 Mikkeler Tokyo opened a brand-new store on Hyakkendana in Dogenzaka. An unexpected foray into an area known for its red lights. 

”Although people have this unwholesome image of Hyakkendana, it’s a fun area. Nothing beats a pub crawl on Hyakkendana with Mikkeler as the hub. It’s a mix of old and new bars and restaurants and it will get more popular from now. I’m also on the board of directors of the shopping district because I want to make the area more exciting.

Hamilton will apparently be joining a clean-up by the board of directors after our interview. At the Chiyoda Inari Shrine, he drew an excellent omikuji and triumphantly raised his fist. 

Anyone can enjoy barhopping till dawn in Shibuya 

“Rare to have a shrine right in the middle of the night district, right? Many years ago, I brought my girlfriend at the time here and she was not happy! She was like “why did you bring me to such a dodgy place?!” And now more than a decade later I run a bar just over the road, isn’t life funny.”

Hamilton chuckles as he recounts the time he first came to Shibuya back in 2009. He is a true Shibuya connoisseur, using the Hachiko buses that connect Shibuya to Yoyogi Uehara and Sasazuka, and sensing the fleeting beauty of the area under the train tracks, which was spared from development. What is more, his experience bar hopping in Shibuya is paying dividends these days. 

“Mikkeller Kiosk Bar is a place that can be used how you like. Whether you are a craft beer aficionado or just getting into it, you have over 20 varieties of Japanese and foreign beers to choose from. Some people read a book over a lazy pint during the day and then you have raucous party groups once the sun goes down. All I want is for people to drink tasty beer and have a good time, to the point that they don’t want to go home! Luckily there is a great hotel “all day place” on the second floor.”

Hamilton Shields
From Spokane, Washington State, U.S.A. he is Mikkeller’s partner in Japan. After finishing a fellowship in international security  at Waseda University in 2012, he turned his hand to skiing and cocktails in Hokkaido. He has been involved with Mikkeller since its  arrival in Japan in 2015 and oversees Mikkeller Tokyo in Shibuya. He provides new experiences through delicious craft beer selected on the single criteria of “what the staff are drinking.” A long-term resident of Sangenjaya, he recently moved into a new place nearby and is part of the woodwork in Shibuya-ku.