The Japan Wine Competition is one of the country’s premier competitions for Japanese wine.
It is normally held in Yamanashi around July, with 25 judges conducting sensory evaluation across appearance, aroma, taste and harmony and scoring wines out of 100 points.
In its 21st edition this year, 860 wines were entered from 153 wineries in 31 prefectures, with 342 receiving awards.
On August 30, a major event gave visitors the opportunity to taste those award-winning wines.
Held for the first time in six years after the pandemic, the festival attracted enormous attention from Japanese wine fans. Here is our report.
A Solemn Yet Characterful Awards Ceremony
The awards ceremony was held in Ceremonia, Venue V on the third floor of the Yamanashi Prefectural Government Annex. Medals and certificates were presented to wineries behind a total of 35 wines that received Grand Gold, top Gold in their category, or top Silver in their category at the Japan Wine Competition 2025.
At the beginning of the ceremony, a message from Yamanashi Governor Kotaro Nagasaki was shared: “Exports and awards at international competitions are increasing, and the appeal of Japanese wine is becoming more widely recognized. It is a valuable opportunity to taste award-winning wines from among those Japanese wines and share in the moment of their achievement. Please enjoy it.”
Certificates were presented by Toru Okuda, chair of the Japan Wine Competition Executive Committee.
Although the ceremony proceeded solemnly in a historic venue normally closed to the public, the award recipients showed plenty of personality during photo time and shared comments filled with joy, drawing smiles from the wine lovers attending.
The ceremony was reportedly open to the public for the first time, creating a warm moment in which drinkers who support Japanese wine could celebrate alongside the producers.
Osamichi Kondo of Komazono Vineyard, producer of Tao Caprice Blanc 2024, which won Gold and the category’s top prize in the European / Japanese-developed varieties blended white category, commented: “It was difficult to bring all of the grapes’ individual characters into balance, so I am very happy to have received this recognition.” (left in photo)
Shinsuke Takaoka, president of Iwanohara Vineyard, whose Iwanohara Vineyard Red Millennium 2024 Dry won Silver and the category’s top prize in the Japanese-developed white-variety category, said, “We want to keep making delicious wine that honors the name of Zenbei Kawakami.” (right in photo)
The prestigious Grand Gold went to Izu Symphony Red 2022 Premium from Shida Co., Ltd. In his acceptance speech, winemaker Naoto Mizuno thanked the colleagues who make wine alongside him and the consumers who support them, as well as his mentor Haruo Omura of Marufuji Winery. (left in photo)
Marufuji Winery itself won Gold and the category’s top prize in the European white-variety category for 2023 Rubaiyat Chardonnay “Kyuyashiki Harvest.” President Haruo Omura is shown at right. Eleven award-winning wines were also poured during the ceremony, allowing guests the luxurious experience of watching the presentation while tasting the wines.
Japanese Wine Takes Over the Yamanashi Prefectural Government Complex
Remarkably, the tasting festival took place at the Yamanashi Prefectural Government complex. Wines filled meeting rooms, lobbies and corridors—places where prefectural employees normally work—creating a wonderfully unusual scene.
Even the memorial buildings and plazas surrounding the government offices were full of Japanese wine.
Venue A, centered on tastings of award winners, even featured a DJ booth on a stair landing and had a lively atmosphere.
Venue B was also extremely busy, as visitors could taste and buy not only award-winning wines but Japanese wines that had not been entered in the competition.
There was also a live radio broadcast in the corridor, with producers joining for entertaining wine talk shared across the venue.
Outdoor courtyard booths and food stalls gave visitors the chance to enjoy simple dishes as well.
It was a luxurious day of enjoying Japanese wine alongside producers throughout a large venue. Yet Kofu’s high that day reached 39°C.
For once, perhaps not only growers but drinkers too felt the effects of global warming directly.