Beer has had a profound impact on western society. It is used during holidays, celebrations, and general recreation. However, what more westerners don’t know is that beer has also greatly influenced Asian countries--specifically Japan. Even though Japan has a culture known for drinking tea, beer has been a large part since it was introduced in the 1800s, and is still a large part of Japanese society today. However, it had a majority of its impact leading up to the interwar period in Japan (the time between World War One and World War Two). From the time is was introduced in the 1800's up to the interwar period in Japan, beer has been a profound symbol of Japan’s desire to be more like the west, and it has also impacted social customs and the …show more content…
Japanese consumption of goods rose during the interwar period, and the drink was no exception. Between the end of World War one and the end of the interwar period, beer consumption skyrocketed from .8 liters to 2.47 liters. While there was a small expansion of consumption during World War One, it appears beer became celebratory and more popular in the years following the war, and the years leading up to the Second World War. Beer was definitely more popular as a drink during the interwar period in the urban areas of Japan rather than the rural areas. Only the richest of the rich could afford to drink beer in urban areas daily. This didn’t stop it from expanding, again, with the railways and advertisement. The interwar period was actually a prime time for beer being advertised to the public. This remains true even though there were only two pain brewers of beer during this time-- Dai Nippon and Kirin. Beer was also able to be sold for cheaper, and as the price dropped, exports rose. During this time period, Japan was working to expand its market globally by exporting to more countries, specifically the United States. With the increase in advertising, exporting, consuming and availability of beer, there is little doubt that beer helped the Japanese economy expand and flourish. It was clearly a main domestic product during the time as the increases above