The 14th annual Yokohama Oktoberfest 2015, a Yokohama autumn tradition, will be held from October 2nd to 18th at the Yokohama Red Brick Warehouse Event Plaza.

The world's largest beer festival, Oktoberfest, has been held in Munich, Germany since 1810. Yokohama's Oktoberfest, modeled after the original, began in 2003 at the Yokohama Red Brick Warehouse, which incorporates German architectural elements to create an atmosphere as close to the real thing as possible. In recent years, the number of female visitors has increased, and last year's attendance reached a record 139,000.

This year's event will be the largest ever, with 3,150 seats available. Over 100 types of beer will be on offer, the largest number ever, including beers from five of the "Six Major Munich Breweries" officially authorized by the German government to brew for Oktoberfest. One of the highlights is the German beer "Augustiner Lagerbier Hell" (460ml, 2,800 yen), which is being offered on tap for the first time in Japan. Characterized by its rich foam and aromatic aroma, this beer is limited to the first 100 customers each day due to its rarity. Other beers on offer include "Weihenstephan Tradition" (500ml, 1,900 yen), a dark lager that carries on a 1,000-year-old tradition, and "Hacker-Pschorr Hefeweissbier" (500ml, 1,600 yen), with aromas of banana and clove. The event will also feature a variety of unique beer glasses, including the familiar one-liter "masu mug," the "yard glass," a yard glass invented in 17th-century England that is approximately one yard (90 cm) tall, and the boot-shaped "boot glass." The food menu will include sausages and sauerkraut, popular at the authentic Oktoberfest, as well as "Spätzle in Mushroom Cream Sauce" (1,500 yen), a fresh German pasta dish with a rich, truffle-flavored sauce. The main tent will be decorated with classic German pastries, pretzels and lebkuchen, modeled after those at Munich's Oktoberfest, to create an authentic atmosphere. A German orchestra will also perform music and dance on stage, recreating the authentic atmosphere. Also, as a first for this event, a temporary baggage storage service will be available for 500 yen per day on weekends and holidays only, so that customers can easily drop in after shopping. On October 2nd, 7th, and 14th, women-only seating will be set up to allow women to feel at ease.
[Event Information]
"Yokohama Oktoberfest 2015"
Venue: Yokohama Red Brick Warehouse Event Square
Address: 1-1-2 Shinko, Naka-ku, Yokohama, Kanagawa Prefecture
Dates: October 2nd - 18th
Hours: Weekdays 12:00 - 21:30, Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays 11:00 - 21:30
(October 2nd only: 17:00 - 21:30, food and drink sales end at 21:00)
Admission Fee: 300 yen