Nanaya boasts the world’s most intense matcha green tea flavour gelato. They have a selection of ice creams ranging from the most mild to the richest matcha flavour.

They have two branches in Tokyo, one in Asakusa and one in Aoyama and they are super popular with tourists looking for a genuine green tea gelato experience.

Since the flavours display a range of beautiful greens and the shop's interior even shows the company's affinity for verdant hues, it seems very fitting that with St. Patrick’s Day coming up they will do something to celebrate. Nanaya will be paying tribute to the Emerald Isle this weekend by selling matcha beer.

Although Guinness or an Irish cider may usually be the official drinks of St. Patrick's Day, the cost of these imported drinks are very high in Tokyo. Therefore the cheaper but still festive option of green beer can be drank St. Patrick’s Day weekend in various Irish and British style pubs in Japan. The greenness will come from flavourless food colouring usually. Adding matcha should give a much more unique taste to your pint and is a great way to add a bit of Japanese culture into your celebrations!

The beer will be on sale to coincide with the Irish holiday from March 17th. Their Aoyama branch which is a short walk from Shibuya station will stock the beer until March 25th and the Asakusa store will only have it until 18th.

St. Patrick’s Day isn’t well known in Japan, but there are parades that take place and naturally all Irish and British pubs will be celebrating and hoping to cash in. But hopefully items like this which fuse Japanese and Irish culture could help promote the charms of St. Patrick's Day to a wider audience.