SAPPORO, Japan -- Nestled along a picturesque canal in Otaru, a historic port town in Hokkaido, Japan's northernmost main island, is a building with weathered brick walls and green-framed windows that transports visitors straight to a "Little Germany."
Inside is a microbrewery and pub called Otaru Soko No. 1 that has served authentic German-style beer brewed with locally sourced soft water and imported German malt since its opening in 1995. Soko, or "warehouse," is an appropriate name. The brewery and pub are located in one of the many picturesque, old-fashioned warehouses found along Otaru Canal, a well-known tourist spot in the city.
