Giving back from beer to the future. Harekaze ACTION: a portion of the proceeds will be used to protect Japanese traditions.
Kirin Beer Harekaze was born in 2024 as a new brand of standard beer. The focus of this beer is not just on its taste. One of the things we focused on was the creation of a system for preserving Japanese traditional customs through beer.
Beer has long been loved along with seasonal traditions such as cherry blossom viewing in spring and fireworks displays in summer. In recent years, however, an increasing number of communities are struggling to preserve and pass on these traditions due to the financial difficulties of local governments and the declining birthrate and aging population.
Therefore, with Harekaze, under the title of Harekaze ACTION, we are promoting an initiative in which a portion of the sales proceeds will be used for activities to preserve and pass on the traditions*.
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*We will gradually work on what we can do as a long-term activity.
A new form of support that encourages people to support traditions through a product.
There are two main ways to support Harekaze ACTION.
The first is donation by or order/ purchase. By purchasing or ordering Harekaze at supermarkets, restaurants, etc., a donation will be automatically made.
The second is to donate using Harekaze Coins. When you access the official website of Harekaze ACTION, you will receive a free Harekaze Coin once a day, with which you can donate to the municipality of your choice.
The Harekaze ACTION allows customers to choose the municipality they wish to support and to send messages of support to the municipality. We want our customers to enjoy their time while engaging in conservation activities, which is why we have created a donation system that allows for active participation.
As a result, many people have participated, and the total amount of donations in 2024 was more than 100 million yen; by 2025, the number of municipalities to be supported will be increased from 94 to 188, further expanding the circle of activities to protect the "Japanese traditional custom."
Giving back from beer to the hop growers who support Kirin
Harekaze uses the rare Japanese hop IBUKI, which is known for its refreshing citrus aroma. This choice was also made to give back to IBUKI, which has supported Kirin for many years.
Since 1919, when imports of German hops ceased due to World War I, Kirin has been involved in the production of Japanese hops for more than 100 years. In recent years, however, the number of hop growers has been declining.
Therefore, we have launched an initiative to support Japanese hops and their growers through Harekaze. We hope that Harekaze will actively promote hop varieties that have been rare in year-round products and bring attention to IBUKI and its growers.
In addition, one of the objectives of Harekaze ACTION is to create connections between people and communities through beer. We hope that our donation activities, as well as making people aware of the existence of the producers, will be an important support in realizing our goal.
Giving Back Begins with a Young Challenge
Enjoying beer while contributing to Japanese traditions and production areas. This unique idea was born from a young Kirin employee.
As for Harekaze, many young employees in their 20s and 30s are involved, from planning to development and distribution. Harekaze ACTION was started from the viewpoint of young employees, who wondered, "In this age of overflowing attractive products, can we create new value that goes beyond deliciousness?"
While pursuing the deliciousness that is most important to customers, Harekaze also took on the challenge of creating new value in beer. Kirin will continue to expand this circle of giving back, which began with the thoughts of young employees.
