Hotel La Vigne Hakuba by Onko Chishin, located in Hakuba Village, Nagano Prefecture—one of Japan’s premier snow resorts—is a must-know destination for Japanese-wine fans.
NihonWine.jp has previously introduced the hotel in detail. (Read the article here.)
On Saturday, April 18, 2026, the hotel will host a wine event that Japanese-wine fans will not want to miss.
Three wineries will take part: Domaine Oyamada from Koshu, Yamanashi; VOTANO WINE from Shiojiri, Nagano; and Minakata Winery from Nakagawa Village, Nagano.
Here is a closer look at the event.
An Evening to Enjoy Spring Food and Wine Together with the Winemakers
The event at Hotel La Vigne Hakuba by Onko Chishin is a spring wine gathering designed to bring guests closer to the stories behind Japanese wine.
Dinner will be a French course built around spring ingredients from Shinshu. Instead of a fixed pairing chosen in advance, guests will be invited to create their own marriages between the seasonal dishes and multiple wines with different personalities—a distinctive approach.
Hotel La Vigne Hakuba by Onko Chishin has continuously organized opportunities for guests to encounter the handwork of wine “makers” through wine, and this will be the seventh event in the series.
Once again, the winemakers themselves will attend. Guests can hear them speak in their own words about the background and ideas behind each wine while enjoying fresh wines that evoke spring alongside seasonal cuisine.
Three Winemakers
The three producers appearing at the event are:
★ Yamanashi / Domaine Oyamada — Koki Oyamada
Oyamada spent 16 years playing a central role in viticulture and winemaking at Lumiere, one of Yamanashi’s long-established wineries, before becoming independent in 2014. Guided by the belief that he should “pursue the potential of the grapes without unnecessarily interfering with the wine,” he places close daily observation of the vineyard above all else and continues to make wines that carefully capture the expression of each place and vintage. His releases frequently sell out immediately and are known for being difficult to obtain.
★ Nagano / VOTANO WINE — Mitsuhiro Tsubota
After a career at an architectural design office, Tsubota turned toward winemaking in his 50s. He learned grape growing and winemaking at Coco Farm & Winery in Tochigi, then developed a stony vineyard along the Narai River in Seba, within the Kikyogahara Wine Valley, one of Japan’s pioneering wine areas. Taking advantage of the high elevation, large day-night temperature differences, and the mineral-rich environment of the stony soils, he makes wines that express the character of the land.
★ Nagano / Minakata Winery — Nobu Soga
Soga trained at Domaine Oyamada and also gained experience in France’s Jura region. He planted Chardonnay in 2013 and released his first vintage in 2018. While inheriting the teachings of his mentor Koki Oyamada, he continues to explore grape varieties suited to his local area. Since opening his own winery in 2021, his wines have attracted attention from the very first vintage.
The event provides a rare chance to enjoy fine food and wine while talking directly with these three highly regarded figures in the wine industry.
The event begins at 6:30 p.m. on Saturday, April 18, 2026.
It will be held at LA VIGNE DINING FÛDO and is limited to 30 guests.
The wine event alone is ¥36,300 per person including tax; the package with accommodation is ¥55,000 per person including tax.
With fresh wines that reflect spring and a setting made for enjoying them almost like hanami, this is an event Japanese-wine fans will want to experience.
Why not join?
Reference
Event Overview
Date & Time: Saturday, April 18, 2026, from 18:30
Venue: 3020-1116 Hokujo, Hakuba Village, Kitaazumi-gun, Nagano
Restaurant at Hotel La Vigne Hakuba
LA VIGNE DINING FÛDO
Capacity: Limited to 30 guests
Content: Special spring dinner course
Note: Guests requiring transportation should inquire through the reservation page or by telephone.
※ Transport is available only between Hakuba Station and the hotel, or Happo Bus Terminal and the hotel.
Wine Event with Accommodation
Price: From ¥55,000 per person including tax (one night with two meals)
※ Dinner is the wine event described above.
※ The price includes wines prepared specifically for the event.
※ Prices vary by room type.
Reserve the Wine Event with Accommodation
Wine Event Only
Price: ¥36,300 per person including tax
※ The price includes wines prepared specifically for the event.
Reserve the Wine Event