Kirin vs Sapporo:Which is more popular?
In October 2026, Sapporo had more branded searches than Kirin among Japanese beer brands worldwide. Sapporo had about 135,000 branded searches, while Kirin had 82,600. Sapporo made up 33.5% of all Japanese beer brand searches we track, and Kirin accounted for 20.5%. When we asked ChatGPT and Google AI Overviews about Japanese beer brands, both Kirin and Sapporo appeared in all five answers. Sapporo was mentioned before Kirin in three out of five answers.
Who do people search for more?
Sapporo, about 63% more searches than Kirin
Who does AI mention more?
Both are mentioned in every answer we collected.
Who does AI recommend more?
Sapporo, named ahead of Kirin in 3 of 5 answers
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Top Japanese beer brands in ChatGPT and Google AI Overviews
In three ChatGPT questions and two Google AI Overviews, both Kirin and Sapporo showed up in all five answers. Sapporo was listed before Kirin in three of them.
Most recommended by AI
Brands get a higher ranking if they are mentioned earlier in the answers.
Mentioned by AI
Each dot is one answer, filled in when that answer mentions the brand.
Asahi5 of 5Named in 3 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 2 of 2 Google answers- Sapporo5 of 5Named in 3 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 2 of 2 Google answers
Kirin5 of 5Named in 3 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 2 of 2 Google answers
Yebisu5 of 5Named in 3 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 2 of 2 Google answers
Hitachino Nest4 of 5Named in 2 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 2 of 2 Google answers
Orion3 of 5Named in 1 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 2 of 2 Google answers
Suntory3 of 5Named in 1 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 2 of 2 Google answers
See every answer about Japanese beer brands
5 answers
Asked ChatGPT
“Which Japanese beer should I try?”
Asked ChatGPT
“What are the best Japanese beer brands?”
Asked ChatGPT
“What's a good Japanese beer to drink with sushi?”
Searched Google, AI Overview
“japanese beer”
Searched Google, AI Overview
“japanese beer brands”
Brands are shown in the order each answer named them. The survey took place in the United States on October 25, 2026.
Is Kirin or Sapporo more popular in search?
This chart shows how often people search Google for Kirin and Sapporo by name. Each line represents a brand's share of searches for all seven Japanese beer brands we track, month by month, from English-language searches worldwide.
Share of searches by month for Sapporo, Kirin. The figures are in the table below the chart.
View monthly share of searches table
| Month | Asahi | Sapporo | Kirin | Orion | Suntory | Yebisu | Hitachino Nest |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nov 2025 | 34.6% | 34.6% | 18.9% | 4.7% | 2.5% | 3.8% | 0.91% |
| Dec 2025 | 34.2% | 34.2% | 20.6% | 3.8% | 2.5% | 3.8% | 0.9% |
| Jan 2026 | 30.7% | 37.4% | 20.4% | 4.1% | 2.2% | 4.1% | 0.99% |
| Feb 2026 | 31.7% | 38.5% | 19% | 4.2% | 2.3% | 3.5% | 0.84% |
| Mar 2026 | 30.7% | 37.4% | 20.4% | 4.1% | 2.2% | 4.1% | 0.99% |
| Apr 2026 | 30.5% | 37.1% | 20.3% | 5% | 2.7% | 3.3% | 0.98% |
| May 2026 | 33.2% | 33.2% | 22.2% | 4.5% | 2.4% | 3.7% | 0.87% |
| Jun 2026 | 38.9% | 31.7% | 19.5% | 4.3% | 1.9% | 2.9% | 0.84% |
| Jul 2026 | 29.6% | 36% | 22.1% | 5.9% | 2.2% | 3.2% | 0.95% |
| Aug 2026 | 30.4% | 37.3% | 20.3% | 6.1% | 2.2% | 2.7% | 0.8% |
| Sep 2026 | 31.3% | 38.4% | 19.2% | 5.1% | 2.3% | 2.8% | 0.82% |
| Oct 2026 | 33.5% | 33.5% | 20.5% | 5.5% | 3% | 3% | 0.89% |
How has branded search for Kirin and Sapporo changed worldwide over the last 12 months?
3 findings
- Sapporo was ahead of Kirin in every measured month of the 12 months ending October 2026.
- Across the 12 months ending October 2026, Kirin’s share of searches among Japanese beer brands worldwide moved from 18.9% to 20.5%, and its estimated monthly branded searches moved from 60.2K to 82.6K.
- Across the 12 months ending October 2026, Sapporo’s share of searches among Japanese beer brands worldwide moved from 34.6% to 33.5%, and its estimated monthly branded searches moved from 110K to 135K.
How did search popularity change for Japanese beer brands worldwide in October 2026?
3 changes
In October 2026, Asahi overtook Sapporo to become the leader among Japanese beer brands worldwide, with 33.5% of the searches.
In October 2026, Kirin gained share of searches among Japanese beer brands worldwide, from 19.2% to 20.5%.
In October 2026, Sapporo lost share of searches among Japanese beer brands worldwide, from 38.4% to 33.5%.
How are Kirin’s and Sapporo’s branded searches counted?
3 search terms
Brandwave collects information about searches that people make online using Kirin’s and Sapporo’s names. When viewed over time, estimated search volumes for these branded terms can be used to understand whether interest in the brands is growing, holding steady, or fading.
Other head-to-heads among Japanese beer brands
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