Overview: In Japan, summertime is beer time. The Japanese like smooth, ice-cold beer that really hits the spot as you gulp it down. Beer came to Japan from the Netherlands in the 18th century. As the country modernized, beer gradually put down roots in Japanese life. It became the after-work drink of choice for the corporate warriors who supported Japan's post-war economic growth. But in recent years, beer consumption has dropped, and brewers are trying to engineer a revival in the drink's popularity.