From Tokyo to the track: Kirin Ichiban pours Japanese precision at debut Melbourne Cup Carnival marquee
The marquee reinforces Kirin Ichiban’s commitment to craftsmanship and quality.
What you need to know
- Kirin Ichiban has made its debut at the Melbourne Cup Carnival with a three-story marquee inspired by Japanese Izakaya culture.
- Guests will enjoy premium Japanese dining, beer cocktails, and live entertainment, including drumming groups and electronic funk acts.
- The marquee reinforces Kirin Ichiban’s commitment to craftsmanship and quality, hosting up to 400 guests in the Birdcage enclosure.
Leading beverage company, Lion unveils Japan’s premium beer, Kirin Ichiban’s, 3-story marquee for Melbourne Cup Carnival 2025 (MCC). The brand’s first-ever appearance at the horse racing event-of-the-year sees it host the largest marquee within the grounds of MCCs prestigious Birdcard enclosure.
The announcement follows becoming the most consumed beer on tap at Flemington in 2024. Brewed carefully using only the first press, Kirin Ichiban achieves the purest taste and highest quality of any beer in the Japanese drinks space. Driven by a deep respect for craftsmanship and uncompromising excellence, Kirin Ichiban proudly partners with MCC, which also champions all of these same values.
Introducing world-class design
Created in collaboration with MAAKE.Creative, MADE.Experience, and Spacecube, the striking new Kirin Ichiban marquee will offer uninterrupted views of the Flemington racetrack, taking pride of place in the Birdcage of Australia’s most glamorous celebration of racing, fashion, food and entertainment. From this exclusive race day vantage point, marquee guests will indulge in a Japanese-inspired premium multi-sensory experience. This includes a curated grazing menu, lavish dining space, all-day beverage service and diverse live entertainment.
Paying homage to the brand’s firm Japanese roots, the marquee – able to host up to 400 guests – will be inspired by an authentic ‘Izikaya’, which is a renowned space in Japan where drinkers socialise and unwind. From top to bottom, the building design will feature only the finest attention to detail, precision and quality – nodding to integral values Japanese culture is famous for.
“Kirin Ichiban has been proven as an Aussie crowd favourite at the races, having already been the most popular beer at Flemington last year. Becoming the exclusive beer partner at Melbourne Cup Carnival 2025 is a landmark moment for our brand, as Australia’s biggest and most glamorous race event.”
Glen Brasington, Executive General Manager – Marketing at Lion
Ankōru! Japanese entertainment and dining to lose yourself in
Offering unforgettable live musical performances, entertainment in the marquee will marry together the brand’s Japanese heritage along with western influences, to create a truly unique experience. Acts will include the percussive collective ‘Japanese Drumming Group’ and Melbourne-based electronic funk duo Cocoa Noire, alongside energetic sax and trumpet DJ performances from a carefully selected curation of local artists.
Alongside performances, there will be bold cuisine guests can indulge in each day of the MCC. Kirin Ichiban has partnered with Food & Desire in an experience shaped by the purity of ingredients, Japanese craftsmanship, and perfect flavour. Chefs will be front and centre at an eye-catching sushi-making station, offering a full menu during peak meal times:
- Opening Track Starters:
- Toasted brioche with miso-cured ocean trout, crème fraîche, and chive
- Tamago & chive milk bread toastie, pickled onion butter
- Warm matcha & white chocolate scroll
- Daytime Star Dishes:
- Cold poached chicken shokupan ribbon, sudachi mayo, chive, and toasted milk bread
- Wagyu tataki bite, black garlic tare, togarashi lavosh
- Smoked miso eggplant tartlet with crispy shallot and tofu whip
- Edamame & agedashi tofu croquette, sweet soy
- Crispy gyoza nachos with spicy tuna, avocado cream, and pickled daikon salsa
- Evening Headliner Mains:
- Kirin soy cured salmon, yuzu kosho glaze, ginger rice, radish pickle
- Wagyu beef & rice donburi, Kirin ‘First Press’ tare glaze, shaved egg yolk, furikake
- Chicken katsu sando, soy mustard mayo
- Mushroom tempura sando, black sesame, milk bread
- Encore Desserts:
- Yuzu curd tart, almond sable, burnt meringue shard, candied ginger
- Miso caramel choux puff, almond praline crackle
- Strawberries & sake jelly cake, japanese sponge, vanilla cream, strawberry crunch
- Afterparty Indulgences:
- Miso-glazed beef rib skewer, sesame & chive
- Togarashi fries, sansho pepper aioli
- Vegan Katsu burger: crispy eggplant, yuzu slaw, bulldog sauce
- Crispy popcorn chicken, yuzu kosho glaze, nori salt
- Tonkatsu bao dog – panko-crumbed pork sausage, bao bun, Kirin mustard, pickled ginger
Alongside this full menu, oriental flavours will be served up in roving bites designed to surprise and delight, including Spicy Togarashi Edamame, Crispy Lotus Root Chips and Beer Nuts. There will also be an all-day menu for those with a busy schedule, featuring delectable Chilli Souffle and Pan-Fried Gyoza.
“The VRC are excited to introduce Kirin Ichiban into the fold of our world-famous Melbourne Cup Carnival Birdcage Enclosure. We’re looking forward to seeing the brand’s elegant and exotic touch brought to life to complement the cosmopolitan appeal of the Melbourne Cup Carnival.”
Kylie Rogers, CEO at Victoria Racing Club
The Birdcage’s ‘Ichiban Izakaya’ haven
Located on the ground floor level of the marquee, Birdcage ticket holders will also have the chance to savour Japan’s finest beer. A standalone bar named Ichiban Izikaya can be accessed via a door trackside of the marquee, ready to be a true moment of escape within the carnival and a discovery of a touch of Japan.
Offering unique and sophisticated beer cocktails, it combines premium Kirin Ichiban brew, with only the finest spirits and exotic ingredients – including ‘Rumrunner, a vibrant blend of spiced rum and tropical flavours’, and ‘Yu Who’, featuring a bright yuzu and hint of mint meet crisp Kirin and limoncello.
Here, Birdcage ticket holders will be able to experience the superior taste and leading quality of Kirin Ichiban, learning first-hand what sets it apart from other Japanese beers. The bar will be the go-to spot for ticket holders to get into the groove, with Melbourne artist, DJ Ge, hitting the decks every day between 12pm and 5pm.