By Eric Harris
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| Sapporo U.S.A. debuts its Year of the Snake Light Show—an animated projection on the historic Far East Building in Little Tokyo, Los Angeles, on March 20, 2025. Photos by Eric Harris / TTDILA. |
Feel the taiko drums echoing through Little Tokyo—an unmistakable sign that something extraordinary is underway! To celebrate the Year of the Snake, Sapporo U.S.A. has released limited-edition packaging on select products, and for the first time in its 148-year history, Sapporo’s iconic 22-ounce steel beer can features custom artwork by a collaborative creator. Experimenting with a classic brand is always tricky business, and Sapporo made a bold choice with Tokyo Hiro, a world-renowned tattoo artist who is known for his unique “east-meets-west” fusion of Japanese motifs, American culture, and modern aesthetics.
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| The limited-edition Year of the Snake 22-ounce steel beer can featuring artwork by Tokyo Hiro. |
In partnership with the Little Tokyo Community Council, Sapporo showcased its artwork at its Year of the Snake Celebration featuring a dazzling Year of the Snake-themed animated light show. The show illuminated the historic Far East Building, famed for its neon “Chop Suey” sign. Inside Far Bar, guests were immersed in Tokyo Hiro’s Year of the Snake artwork, complemented by video vignettes that celebrated Little Tokyo and the rich heritage of the Japanese American community. Hiro’s designs adorned a variety of items, including limited-edition Sapporo cans, cardboard packaging, signed prints, and even a custom-designed guitar.
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| Guests enjoy food and beverages in Far Bar’s cozy outdoor alley patio. |
Hiro has an interesting back story. He was born and raised in Japan where visible tattoos are, to-this-day, considered taboo. He traces the origins of his unique artistic style to a tattoo he received from a classmate at the age of 14 which ended Hiro’s aspirations of being a professional baseball player. Much like a Japanese version of Spider-man, with powers derived from a crude “stick and poke” tattoo rather than of a radioactive spider bite, Hiro reinvented himself and moved to Los Angeles to perfect his craft.
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| Taiko drummers energize the crowd at Sapporo’s Year of the Snake celebration. |
Tokyo Hiro's Year of the Snake artwork includes eight peony flowers and a pair of wood snakes encircling the Sapporo star. According to Hiro, the peony flowers represent good luck, while the snakes signify balance, with one snake’s mouth depicted open and the other closed symbolizing the end of one year and the beginning of a new year. The design is notable because snakes are much less common in traditional Japanese art than their dragon brethren.
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| A fine art print of Tokyo Hiro’s Year of the Snake design on display. |
The highlight of Sapporo's limited-edition Year of the Snake collection is the 22-ounce steel beer can. Sapporo’s steel can is an iconic example of industrial design. Unlike the lightweight aluminum used for most modern beer cans, Sapporo’s steel can offers a sturdier construction with a distinctive heft and tactile appeal. Its tall, tapered pint glass shape, complemented by structural ridges, creates an elegant yet robust profile. The darker, subtler finish of steel adds visual depth, contrasting with the shinier look of aluminum. Tokyo Hiro’s intricate wood snake artwork wraps fluidly around the can’s complex curves, achieving an aesthetic that would be challenging—if not impossible—on conventional tubular designs. The result is a visually striking can and an instant conversation starter.
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| Side profile of the limited-edition Year of the Snake 22-ounce steel beer can by Sapporo. |
So, if you find yourself in Little Tokyo during the Year of the Snake, or anywhere for that matter and you hear the siren call of the taiko drums in your heart, belly up to the bar and order a Sapporo beer in the 22-ounce steel beer can. Only the can. Whether you reconnect with old friends or make new ones, trust in Sapporo, remember the can, and believe in the snake.
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| Promotional vehicles parade through Los Angeles streets, showcasing Sapporo's slogan, "Fortune Favors Great Taste." |
Far Bar
347 East 1st Street
Los Angeles, CA 90012
Parking
Public parking nearby
Hours
Monday–Thursday
3 pm–12 am
Friday–Saturday
12 pm–1:30 am
Sunday
12 pm–12 am
Happy Hour
3 pm–6 pm
Contact
https://www.farbarla.com/
[email protected]
(213) 617-9990
Gallery
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| Taiko drummers captivate the crowd at Sapporo’s Year of the Snake celebration. |
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| Taiko drummers infuse Little Tokyo’s historic streets with energy and tradition at Sapporo’s celebration. |
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| Attendees line up at Sapporo’s Step and Repeat station in Far Bar’s outdoor alley patio. |
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| The limited-edition Sapporo Year of the Snake aluminum beer cup. |
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| Sapporo promotional materials adorned with Tokyo Hiro’s exclusive Year of the Snake artwork. |
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| Limited-edition six-pack and twelve-pack packaging from Sapporo’s Year of the Snake collection. |
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| Close-up detail of a wood snake on Sapporo's limited-edition 22-ounce steel beer can. |
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| The alleyway leading to Far Bar’s outdoor patio in Little Tokyo. |
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| Far East Building’s illuminated “Chop Suey” sign. |
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| Far East Building’s illuminated “Far East” sign. |
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| The historic Far East Building in Little Tokyo, Los Angeles, California. |
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| Robert Vargas’s Shohei Ohtani mural in Little Tokyo, Los Angeles, California. |
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| Promotional vehicles drive through Little Tokyo, showcasing Sapporo’s slogan, "Fortune Favors Great Taste." |
