Orion Beer
オリオンビールDrinkYear-round
Orion Beer has been brewed in Nago since 1959 by a company founded there in 1957, and it holds about half of the Okinawan beer market. You can tour the Nago brewery at Orion Happy Park by reservation, except on Sundays and Mondays.
Photo Banzai Hiroaki · Wikimedia Commons · CC BY 2.0 and others, credited in the gallery
Gushiken Sosei founded the company in Nago on 18 May 1957 as Okinawa Beer, and the brand name came from a public contest announced in the newspapers that November. Brewing began in 1959, and the brewers switched from a German style to a lighter American-style lager to suit the climate. The company took the Orion name in June 1959, and Nago is still its only brewery.
Orion has tied up with Asahi since 2002, brewing some Super Dry for Okinawa while Asahi sells Orion on the mainland. Nomura Holdings and the US fund Carlyle bought the company in 2019, and on 25 September 2025 Orion listed on the Tokyo Stock Exchange Prime market and became the first listed manufacturer headquartered in Okinawa. The beers to know are Orion Draft and The Draft, and 75 Beer is a craft line whose name plays on Nago (7-5, na-go).
Orion Happy Park runs the brewery tour in Japanese, with English guidebooks from the staff, and finishes with a tasting; drivers get soft drinks. Book online up to a month ahead and by 16:00 the day before. The beer restaurant Yanbaru no Mori pours Orion Draft and, when it is available, craft beer.
Worth knowing
- Ride or take the bus to Orion Happy Park if you want the tasting; drivers are served soft drinks only.
16 places
Where to eat Orion Beer店
FAQ
Quick answers about Orion Beerよくある質問
Can you tour the Orion Beer brewery?
Yes. Orion Happy Park in Nago runs guided brewery tours with a tasting, in Japanese with English guidebooks. Tours need a reservation, online bookings open a month ahead and close at 16:00 the day before, and the park closes on Sundays and Mondays.
Is Orion Beer only sold in Okinawa?
No. Orion is brewed only in Nago, and Asahi sells some Orion products on the mainland under the partnership the two companies formed in 2002. Inside Okinawa it holds about half of the beer market.
How do you order Orion Beer?
Ask for 'Orion' (オリオン) anywhere in Okinawa; draught comes as nama (生) by the glass or jug, and cans fill the konbini fridges. In izakaya, a first round of nama-biiru is the usual opener.
Is there a vegetarian Orion Beer?
Yes. Orion is a lager brewed from malt and hops.
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