In Onna, on the island of Okinawa, I explored a former brewery called Okinawa Beer Garden. It is in a quiet area near the city, with red bricks and large spaces designed to serve beer and food. From the photos I took, you can still see the large sign on the façade and the interior with the production tanks.
What was the Okinawa Beer Garden?
The Okinawa Beer Garden was a local beer garden and brewery, probably opened in the 1990s or early 2000s to attract locals and tourists. It was part of a small circuit of similar venues on the island, with fresh beer tapped directly from the tanks and spaces for events.
It is not a nationally famous place, but it represented the kind of casual entertainment that was found almost everywhere in Okinawa before tastes changed.
Why is it abandoned
There are no exact dates online, but like many similar places in Japan (and especially in Okinawa), it may have closed due to a decline in customers, high costs or economic problems. Local beer gardens often close when competition from large chains increases or when owners retire without heirs.
In Okinawa, areas like this have suffered from the decline of small businesses after the tourism boom, with crises such as the post-pandemic one accelerating closures. The building is still solid, with no signs of imminent demolition.
Two nights in a tent
I arrive under a grey sky, with strong winds bending the trees around me. The car park is empty, covered with tall grass. The “Okinawa Beer Garden” sign is still there, faded but clear on the brick façade.
I spent two nights here in my tent. I pitched it under the main porch and in a sheltered area with stone walls: a perfect spot, protected from heavy rain and gusts of wind.
In the dead of night, only the rustling of leaves and a few drops from the roof could be heard. No noise from cars, no interruptions. It was comfortable and safe, like a bear’s den.
The interior
Inside, the central hall is enormous. Wooden floor, high ceiling with a red star hanging in the centre. On the lower floor, the circular counter surrounds the large copper tank where they used to tap the beer.
Stairs lead up to a walkway that circles the room. On the walls are panels explaining how beer was made: ingredients, stages, everything illustrated. The windows overlook dense trees. Further back are empty rooms with shiny floors and glass doors. The external public toilets are still there, with wires holding the doors closed. Everything is intact, with no major vandalism.
At the centre of the action is the heart of the brewery: tanks, pipes and a large copper boiler. It looks ready for use, with stairs and balconies around it. Outside, vegetation invades everything. Trees against the walls, branches on the windows. The car park is a grass field, with the structure resisting Okinawa’s tropical weather.
Urbex location:
