The KIRIN: a mitological beast
that portends happiness.
The kirin – the symbol of Kirin Beer – is a potent creature from ancient Chinese mythology, revered as a harbinger of good luck.
According to legend, a kirin appeared before the eyes of his mother in a dream before he was born.
Following the practice of European brewers who pictured animals on their product labels, Kirin Beer chose to put this mythological creature bearing the company name on its label to make the product more familiar to Japanese consumers.
KIRIN - a history streching back
more than a century
The Japan Brewery Company, the forerunner of Kirin, was founded over a hundred years ago in 1885. Just three years later, in 1888, the brewing of Kirin beer began.
The market warmly welcomed Kirin, recognizing the authenticity of a beer made by German brewer using German ingredients.
In 1907, the Japan Brewery Company changed its name to the Kirin Beer Company, and ever since then the company has actively invested in facilities and made strenuous efforts to secure supplies of high-quality malt and hops. Thanks to this, Kirin beer, with its emphasis on quality, has been a favorite of beer-lovers in Japan, attaining a 60% domestic market share in 1972.
1990 saw the launch of Kirin Ichiban Shibori, a unique brew made exclusively from the first press of the wort.
In its very first year, Kirin Ichiban generated a record sales volume, and became one of Kirin‘s most successful products.
And today, Kirin Ichiban occupies a special place in the hearts of millions of beer-lovers in Japan, and around the world.