Discover the remarkable story of Seibei Nakagawa, a young man born into a merchant family in Mishima-gun, Yoita-han, Echigo (now known as Nagaoka, Niigata Prefecture) in 1848. At just 16 years old, Nakagawa left his home in search of adventure amidst the declining shogunate, eventually finding work as a bellhop at the German Merchant Office in Yokohama. It was here that Nakagawa became captivated with the idea Europe.The following year, 1865, Nakagawa took a daring risk at the age of 17 by stowing away on a ship bound for England. At the time, such a crime was punishable by death, yet his determination and bravery led him to pursue his passion for adventure and exploration.

Nakagawa spent two years in arduous training to become a master brewer. In 1875, his hard work paid off when he received a prestigious certification recognizing his deep interest, curiosity, and diligence in the art of beer-making. The certificate commended him for his in-depth understanding of all aspects of the trade.
With his certification in hand, Nakagawa returned to Japan after 10 long years abroad, only to discover that the government was planning to open a beer business in Hokkaido. He was chosen as the Chief Technical Officer of the planned Sapporo brewery, tasked with leading the development of the brewery through trial and error.