Thrash Zone

When I’m in Yokohama, I always stop by Thrash Zone to get my fill of extreme craft beer and speed metal. Now, I have two places to visit since Koichi opened up another location near Yokohama Stadium. He calls that place Thrash Zone Meatballs. I don’t get it. There are no meatballs but there usually is a dozen strong and tasty ales from which to choose. Oh, and they pour the way it should be poured. None of this one inch of foam that is common in Japan. I was explaining that to my beertender and he told me ‘You have a foam problem.’ I told him that they should use that slogan on their t-​shirts.

Simple review for a straight to the point bar.
Beers that will smash your pallet with great taste.
Music that will smack your ears in the best way possible.
A great craft beer bar not too far from Yokohama station.

It felt like I stepped into a real life version of the stories my father use to tell me of his youth. It felt like an Anthrax video come to life. I was waiting for Ian Scott to pop out and do a guitar riff. With that said, I thought the whole place was pretty cool. It had great craft brew and free bar snacks. I would do this any day of the week before ever going to the Hub.

By far the best and most intense local brew pub near Yokohama station. There are lots of other options in and around Kannai and Bashamichi, but as far as being central, Thrashzone is where it’s at.

«EXTREME BEER ONLY» pretty much sums this place up in three words.
If you’re not familiar with heavily-​hopped west coast ipa-​style beer or thrash metal, this place might just be a little out of your league but the owner doesn’t care, the regulars don’t care, and quite frankly, I don’t either.
But for those of you that do fall within the venn diagram of «likes hoppy beers» and «can tolerate thrash metal» I imagine this place would have been a godsend back when the Craft Beer boom had not yet hit Yokohama — Thrash Zone embodies the statement «death to yellow fizzy beer» fully and whole-​heartedly as most of their signature brews and their guest beers clock easily over 60 IBUs and 7% ABV (except for the rare occasion when there’s a sour on tap)
To clarify Koichi’s (owner) «not so pleasant, abrasive service» noted by fellow Unilocalers, I’m going to quote his mantra as prescribed on his website:
1) DO IT by YOURSELF = D.I.Y.
2) ANTI MAIN STREAM ATTITUDE
3) LOCAL PRIORITY POLICY
As you might have noticed coming in, Thrash Zone is in the middle of a residential area, has no flashy signs or indications that it’s a bar, nor shows any signs/​indications/​aspirations of ever expanding. In other words, Koichi doesn’t give two craps about what passers-​by or tourists may or may not think of his little slice of heaven, but rather savors the fact that he’s created a safe haven for like-​minded people and takes pride in the fact that he’s able to provide it for them.
If you’ve noticed the way he serves his beers, however, you’ll know that he’s not all that surly or anti-​establishment; every pint of the beer he serves is served in what his fans have dubbed «the TZ pour» where the beer is filled to the brim, often to the point of overflowing out of the glass. I’ve taken this to be his metaphorical extension of the olive branch, kind of like saying «we may not both be #thrashtilldeath, but if you enjoy good beers you can stay.»
Just some more admin notes to take care of – the food menu is very limited, as in the free pretzels on the other side of the bar counter is pretty much all the food you’re going to get; and do take time to admire and read the signed wall across the counter to the left if you’re a beer geek; you may notice that some very famous people have stopped by over the years.

Looking for a Yokohama Microbrewery spot that sells local craft beer under ¥1000 a pint, metal music rocking, no lame pop/​techno music in the background and you get to leave the bar without smelling like a pack of Marlboro reds? WIN!!!
Welcome to Thrashzone! 5 min walk from Yokohama station west exit. You’ll see tons of other bars, izakaya, or the HUB. Keep walking past them. No flashy sign. Located on the corner. Seats 15 at the bar and room for another 15 at the standing counters. Metal décor all around.
The Beer– all draft beer. No bottle beers here. Check out the board to see what’s available. My last visit (8÷8÷15) 7 local brews and 4 U.S. beers where on the list. We got the Speed Kills IPA and Morbid Red. Both awesome beers! If you’re an IPA fan go with the Speed Kills. Unlike most places this spot doesn’t give you the biggest bang for your buck. Both full pints were ¥700. It gets better. They fill your glass with beer all the way to the top without no lame 1inch head. Pay as you order.
Service– just remember that it’s a metal bar. You won’t get customary greeting or friendly welcome to hooters smile. There’s only one person working. If you want a beer just ask him.
Food– not the main attraction here but they do have some pretty good fries. Comes in four sauces. See the selections on the right side of the chalkboard.
Got to enjoy this place with my Unilocal bud Ken. Drink up and enjoy! Looking forward to the next visit.

Best hoppy craft beer in Yokohama! Very limited food menu, but who needs food when you have great beer?!

It was a huge disappointment for our group. We were so excited to have some good craft beer and it turned out not so great of an experience. The guy who worked there was not a pleasant person. He looked so grumpy and came off as silently abrasive. He did not say a word to us and while one of us were still drinking, he took all of our coasters away. It looked like he was saying us to go away. We were not rude to him and we respected other customers so we didn’t know what this guy’s problem was. We came here to enjoy their beer and quality time to relax. Also I go to quite a lot of breweries and bars with my husband and friends so we could be a tough crowd. But even so, he could have done better job.
We enjoyed their beers they offer. They make their own craft beers. They even have some beer from the Pacific North West (this time they had a guest beer from Sound Brewery, which is located in Poulsbo, Washington. We have visited there but it was a tiny brewery in middle of nowhere.
They have nice setup. You see a huge black board with bunch of beer written down so you can choose your beer from the menu and order. You pay when you get your beer. Easy peasy.
I am not sure if I want to go back to this place. It’s too bad because their beers are actually good. :(

If you’re a Metalhead and enjoy good craft beer, this bar is for you! A bar with good atmosphere, that has different varieties of craft beer ranging from Stout, IPA, and ales. Metal is heard during your entire stay at this bar, including the occasional Metal dvd.