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An online information session regarding the "Japanese Wine Pavilion" Joint Exhibition Project at VINEXPO ASIA 2026 (Hong Kong) was held on December 1.
Introduction – Purpose of This Project: A new challenge for Japanese wine begins now. In May 2026, VINEXPO ASIA, one of the world's largest wine trade fairs, will be held in Hong Kong.
Niki Hills Winery is located in Niki Town, Hokkaido. I recently had the opportunity to experience its charm firsthand. Embraced by vast vineyards, spending time while taking in the changing seasons feels like a little journey taking you away from everyday life.
Yoichi's vineyards set the stage for celebration at "La Fête des Vignerons à YOICHI (Open Farm Festival)," held annually in Yoichi Town, Hokkaido.
When thinking of Shimane Prefecture, many people likely picture Izumo Taisha Grand Shrine. The land of Izumo is the setting for Japan's oldest history book, the "Kojiki," and various tales known as the "Izumo Myths" are still passed down to this day.
Azabu-Juban is one of Tokyo's premier gourmet districts. Located there is Aile Blanche, a French restaurant that has long been favored by gourmets.
In the midst of Obon, while Japan was experiencing intense heat and raging typhoons, Hong Kong was hosting the judging session for the "Hong Kong Washu Awards 2023," a competition for Japanese wine and sake. The 22 judges were all wine and sake professionals from Hong Kong.
Now that the pandemic has passed and travel to and from Japan has resumed freely, people in Hong Kong have begun seeking out new Japanese products. Among these, "Japanese wine" is gaining growing attention as a relatively new offering.
When you think of Shimane Prefecture, what comes to mind? Izumo Taisha Shrine, perhaps? The Izumo myths passed down in this region are also famous. The Okuizumo region, which served as the setting for the tale of Yamata no Orochi (the eight-headed serpent) from those myths, is the destination for this winery visit.
"Japanese wine" is produced all across Japan. Did you know that winemaking is taking place in Kumamoto Prefecture, located in Kyushu? On this visit, we toured two wineries operated by Kumamoto Wine Farm.
When it comes to Ajimu Wine, many people probably picture the sparkling wine shown in this photograph. Ajimu Wine Studio is a winery run by Sanwa Shurui of Oita Prefecture, famous for its shochu "Iichiko."
Not only in Japan, but all over the world, there are many exhibitions (trade shows) aimed at the commercial trading of wine. Among them are exhibitions that are particularly large in scale and internationally famous.
The film "Vin Japonais" was released in November 2022. True to the film's theme of "sharing Japanese wine with the world," our mission to promote Japanese wine abroad is finally getting into full swing! This time, our destination is Singapore.
Tetta Town in Niimi City, Okayama Prefecture. As represented by "Domaine Tetta," which we introduced in our previous column, the number of wineries in this area has been growing in recent years. This time, we are introducing "Okayama Wine Valley," located in that very same town.
Today, there are many wineries in western Japan. Did you know that Okayama Prefecture, one of those areas, is actually home to as many as 11 wineries? This time, we visited Domaine Tetta, a winery in Okayama Prefecture that is hugely popular for 'that motif'.
As February begins, winter is now in full swing, and the days have grown even colder. In snow country, as seen in the photo above, some wineries are buried under heavy snowfall. For the second installment of our Akita Winery Tour, we introduce Akitano Winery & Garden Farm in Kitaakita City.
With the arrival of 2023, half of January has already passed in the blink of an eye. Although we often see the characters for "New Spring" around the New Year, season-wise it is still freezing midwinter. There are still many areas with a heavy accumulation of snow.
Happy New Year. Thank you for your continued support of NIHON WINE.JP this year. Again this year, our site will bring you a variety of information about Japanese wine from across Japan.
This is our series touring Miyagi wineries with Ms. Azusa Segawa. This time, we head deep into the mountains, about an hour's drive from Sendai City. Our destination is Ryomi Winery, the final stop in this series.
The next destination on our tour of Miyagi wineries with Ms. Azusa Segawa is—what, an elementary school!? No, it is "Fattoria AL FIORE," a winery housed in a repurposed former school building. The winery is located on the former site of the gymnasium.
With the arrival of the summer holiday season, long-awaited events and festivals are starting up again across various regions. We are also increasingly seeing news about summer festivities in the Tohoku region, which is easily accessible from Tokyo.
August is here, and summer is finally in full swing! It is now the season when the grapes grow rapidly. This time, our reporting team headed to Koshu City, Yamanashi Prefecture, in the height of summer.
When thinking of Toyama Prefecture, many people likely recall the bounty of the sea, best represented by Toyama Bay. Among these spots, Himi Fishing Port is a treasure trove of delicious seafood. Located on a gentle hill just a short drive from the town of Himi lies the destination of this trip, SAYS FARM.
We are now in the second half of July, and Marine Day has already passed. Heading to the ocean in a hot summer like this is fantastic! When it comes to Japan's seas, the Pacific Ocean and the Sea of Japan are wonderful, of course, but the Seto Inland Sea is also lovely. In these calm waters surrounded by land, leisure activities like marine sports are very popular.
At the "Yamagata Wine Bar" wine event we recently covered, various wineries gathered from Yamagata and neighboring prefectures, making for a hugely exciting event.
Yamafuji Grape Garden is a vineyard in Toyama Prefecture with a history spanning over 90 years. Horaisan Winery crafts wines using these historic grapes. When it comes to the history of winemaking, attention often tends to focus on Yamanashi, but Toyama actually has wine that has evolved over a long history of its own...
In late June, amid unseasonably hot weather, an award ceremony was held in Kudanshita, Tokyo, for winners of Feminalise, a wine competition judged exclusively by women. The competition also includes a Japanese wine division, bringing together numerous wineries on that day.
Before you know it, it's midsummer. Speaking of summer, the sea is great, but the mountains are wonderful too, aren't they! Did you know that in Japan, there are wineries even deep in the mountains?
Yamagata Prefecture is known as a fruit kingdom. Among its regions, Kaminoyama City is an ideal location for fruit cultivation due to its basin climate and abundant sunshine. Woody Farm & Winery began as an orchard primarily focused on growing such fruits. On the way to the winery, a vast expanse of…
In recent years, the popularity of wines from Yamagata Prefecture has been rapidly skyrocketing! In response, new wineries are appearing one after another. This is likely influenced by the fact that the area is an ideal region for growing good grapes.
A New Winery in Toyama Prefecture When you think of Toyama Prefecture, I imagine the image of "delicious fish from Toyama Bay" inevitably comes to mind strongly. Recently, however, winemaking has also become increasingly active in Toyama Prefecture.
Discovering the Charm of Takeda Winery. Takeda Winery is located at the foot of Yamagata Prefecture's Zao Mountain Range, near Kaminoyama Onsen. Its history is long, said to date back to the Taisho era. The current president, Noriko Kishihira, is the 5th generation.
The wines of Iwasaki Jozo are affectionately known by the nickname 'Honjo Wine.' It is one of the long-established wineries in Yamanashi Prefecture. This time, we went behind the scenes at the historic Iwasaki Jozo.
There are many wineries in Katsunuma Town, Yamanashi Prefecture. And there are also many wineries that have continued for a long time purely as family-run operations. This time, among them, we visited "Chateau Katsunuma," the oldest family-run winery in Katsunuma.
When it comes to Yamanashi wine, many people likely think of "Koshu wine." This time, we introduce "Katsunuma Jozo," a long-established winery that is exceptionally dedicated to winemaking using the Koshu variety.
Do you know the term "urban winery" (city-based winery)? Just as the name suggests, it refers to a winery located in the city. The word "urban" often brings to mind major cities like Tokyo or Osaka, but in various areas, these urban wineries every year...
Yamanashi is home to many winery with a long history. Among them is Kai winery, with a history stretching back to its founding in Tenpo 5 (1834). True to its name, it is a winery located in what was known as "Kai" Province back in the Sengoku period.
When it comes to red Japanese wine, don't many people think of "Muscat Bailey A"? This MBA (Muscat Bailey A) is an indigenous Japanese... developed by Zenbei Kawakami, founder of Iwanohara Vineyard in Niigata Prefecture.
Hello everyone. I'm NORIZO, Chief Editor of NIHON WINE.JP. In early July, before the heat had really set in, some incredible news arrived!
The rainy season is finally over! And the season has turned all at once to summer. But it's suddenly so hot... *sweat*. In a season like this, it makes you want to head to the highlands in search of cooler air, doesn't it? When it comes to a winery that perfectly fits that highland image where a cool, refreshing breeze blows through, this is the place.