Sakamori: Craft Beer & Katano Sake

As the autumn air cools and the wooded hills of Katano begin to glow with golden leaves, SAKAMORI comes alive with the sound of clinking glasses, crackling food stalls, and relaxed conversations beneath the trees.

This year, SAKAMORI opens on Halloween, Saturday, October 31, before continuing through Sunday afternoon.The fourth edition returns to Hoshi no Sato Iwafune, a wooded recreation area near the mountains on Osaka’s northeastern edge. The two-day festival brings together regional craft breweries, local sake producers, seasonal food vendors, and a distinctly slower autumn atmosphere that feels far removed from the center of Osaka.

SAKAMORI leans heavily into setting and mood. Visitors spend the afternoon moving between outdoor booths surrounded by forested paths, open-air seating areas, and the cooler mountain air that settles into Katano in early November. One stand may be pouring hop-forward craft beer while another serves locally produced sake alongside warm seasonal dishes designed for long afternoons outdoors.

Previous editions have given the festival a strong regional identity through a broad mix of craft beer and local sake. Beer fans have sampled established names including Minoh Beer, Kyoto Brewing Company, Ushitora Brewery, and Osaka’s Derailleur Brew Works, with styles ranging from crisp lagers and pale ales to IPAs and darker seasonal beers.

The sake side roots SAKAMORI even more deeply in Katano itself. Local producers including Nakano Shuzo and Katanojo Shuzo, both with brewing histories connected to the Edo period, have poured alongside the craft breweries, with junmai, nigori and seasonal varieties accompanying outdoor food stalls serving takoyaki, yakitori, okonomiyaki and other festival favorites.

Food, entertainment and activities traditionally round out the weekend, but the complete 2026 brewery and sake lineup, food vendors and participation details have not yet been announced. Those additions will give us another reason to revisit the page as opening weekend approaches.

SAKAMORI is increasingly becoming an autumn tradition of its own. First held in 2023, the festival returns for its fourth edition in 2026, bringing people out to Katano rather than asking the drinks to come into central Osaka. That location makes the journey part of the day: from Kisaichi Station, visitors leave the dense city behind and walk toward Hoshi no Sato Iwafune and the surrounding hills.

For Osaka residents, it’s an excuse to trade the city center for craft beer and sake in the countryside. For visitors, it’s a chance to discover a part of Osaka Prefecture that rarely appears on the standard itinerary. Either way, SAKAMORI is best enjoyed slowly: find a table, try something local, meet the people pouring it and raise a glass to autumn in Katano.

Craft Beer in the Woods — Regional breweries pour among Katano’s forested hills.

Katano Local Sake — Discover sake from breweries rooted in the city’s long brewing tradition.

Autumn Outdoors — Cooler air, changing leaves and open-air seating set the mood.

Festival Food — Pair your pours with warm dishes and Japanese festival favorites.

A Different Side of Osaka — Leave downtown behind for a slower afternoon in the mountains.

Photos: Osaka Scene staff, Sakamori Official Website, Japan Scenes