When the first Biergarten (beer gardens) started popping up in Germany's Bavarian region in the late 19th century, who would've thought that they would one day come to represent summer in Japan. Well, I guess it's not that unbelievable.
These days, with so many beer gardens to choose from across the country and consumers continuously demanding something new and exciting, beer garden operators have to be creative in order to come up with a fresh way to grab attention. Many people will find themselves at a beer garden at least once this summer, since they're a big part of the after-work drinking scene in Japan during the warmer months. More often than not, they're located on the roofs of department stores or the middle of a park, but the real question is which one to settle on with the variety available.
Keep in mind, payment methods differ at beer gardens. Some require customers to pay ¥3, 000 to ¥5,000 for an all-you-can eat and all-you-can-drink experience, but some will allow people to pay less and settle with one or two drinks and a snack.