After finding that the Kirin brewery was only a few stops from our hotel in Yokohama, we decided to take the tour and get a full insight into this Japanese legendary beer.

As usual we got a subway train to the brewery and now better understand the coloured lines on the platforms which delineate queuing for specific trains. Seems obvious and makes sure you preserve your position if other trains come before your own.

After a short walk from the subway we arrived at the very impressive and glitzy Kirin Brewery HQ. A tad more institutional than the last one I did at Hook Norton!

Whilst the tour was in Japanese, we were kindly given a script in English with some details on the history of the company and its successes in becoming a major player in the brewery world, both in Japan and overseas.

‘Kirin’ is named after the Qilin the mythical hooved Chinese creature in East Asian culture.

To say that the tour was well organised will not come as a surprise to anyone who has spent any time in Japan, as in all things they do, nothing is left to chance and everything is explained to you in detail.

As a result our tour group of c. 20, of which over half were women, listened intently, made no noise or gestures and followed every instruction provided by our well dressed guide, who’s uniform had an airline host look about it. Very corporate.

We learned a lot about the ingredients, the brewing process, their strive for perfection and to be the number one beer. There were videos, presentations from the CEO and cartoons for the kids (we had a 6yr old on the tour…).

After about an hour and half, we got to the best bit, the tasting session. However before we entered the room, we passed one of the more amusing signs for those who would be driving home post the tour.

Drivers are advised not to smell the beer or put their faces too close to the glass. Who knew you could inhale the fumes to that degree?!

As neither of us were driving, we made ourselves comfortable and tucked into the range of beers on offer. Not bad for 500yen (£2.50) for the tour and the tasting.

After the success of the tour, we returned to the subway and with the sun shining we decided to return to Kamakura on the coast to make the most of the weather.

Our first stop was a Japanese restaurant on Komachi Street (the epicentre of modern eateries) for tuna ramen to get some energy up ready to visit the remaining temples we didn’t make the day before.

Our first stop was Tsurugaoka Hachimangu shrine, the most important Shinto shrine, dedicated to the samurai god Hachiman. The shrine grounds were extensive, with ponds, torii gates, and seasonal flowers.

After spending an hour taking in the shrine and its surrounding gardens, we headed back into the centre of Kamakura and walked down the main central boulevard lined with cherry blossom trees on either side. Sadly given the time of year they were devoid of leaves and colour, but come April the 1/2 mile stretch will look amazing.

Having walked the length of the town we found ourselves at the beach just in time to catch the sunset. It’s seems an age since the last one we saw when we were with Amelia & Meg in Canggu, Bali in late September.

With darkness descending we made our way back up to the train station and within an hour we were back at our hotel in Bashamichi, close to Yokohama Cosmoworld.

Tomorrow we plan to head up to Tokyo to cover off a few places we didn’t get to see when we were last there, including Tsukiji Outer Fish Market, Yoyogi Park and the Shimokitazawa area, famed for its vintage shops, cozy cafes and laid-back feel.