If you want to understand Hokkaido wine, one person is impossible to overlook: Sayuri Arai, owner of Wine Café Véraison and a longtime advocate for Hokkaido wine.
Known affectionately as “A-chan,” Arai is trusted deeply by wineries and consumers alike and is widely regarded by wine fans as a living encyclopedia of Hokkaido wine.
On Sunday, November 30, 2025, a special day-trip bus tour will travel through Hokkaido wine country with Arai.
She also appears on Television Hokkaido programs featuring Hokkaido wine, and participants will visit notable wineries and related destinations together with her.
Here is what the tour includes.
Television Hokkaido’s LOVE WINE HOKKAIDO Shares the Appeal of Local Wine
Arai continues to share information about Hokkaido wine every day as a local-wine advocate.
Many Japanese wine fans say, “If it’s Hokkaido wine, ask her,” and she has earned equally strong trust from wineries across the region.
She also appears on Television Hokkaido’s LOVE WINE HOKKAIDO.
The program not only introduces excellent Hokkaido wines at Arai’s Wine Café Véraison but also profiles producers devoted to winemaking, offering a deep and entertaining look at the current Hokkaido wine scene.
Three episodes have aired so far:
- #1 Rare Domaine Takahiko Wine in Yoichi, Hokkaido
- #2 Wine Chosen for JAL International First Class!? Talking All About Hokkaido Wine in Yoichi
- #3 Men Making Wine for Their Communities in Memuro and Higashikawa
Past episodes can be viewed at the TVh Television Hokkaido YouTube playlist below.
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLPJZv0z9jOOvka6yE8uBNJCFb6AZDF9_T&si=Qa9laHY1e-T1YXFh
It is an appealing program that explores today’s Hokkaido wine scene together with Arai.
Be sure to check it out.
About the Bus Tour
On Sunday, November 30, 2025, a bus tour will travel through Hokkaido wine country with Sayuri Arai of LOVE WINE HOKKAIDO.
The tour is called “Arai Sanpo — Sorachi Edition ‘LOVE WINE HOKKAIDO’ BUS TOUR.”
Here are its highlights.
Notable Wineries and a Special Lunch Event
The tour has three main destinations.
Housui Winery
Housui Winery is known for its beautiful scenery and as a location featured in the film A Drop of the Grapevine.
The winery won an award at the Japan Wine Competition 2025. Tour guests will receive special access to vineyards and winemaking facilities that are normally closed to visitors.
Kuriyama & A.M.
Kuriyama & A.M., a restaurant on a hill in Kuriyama, Hokkaido, is famously difficult to book.
A special lunch will be held exclusively for the tour.
The program is a “maker’s lunch” personally prepared together with Housui Winery winemaker Yuki Kubodera.
Guests can enjoy a luxurious pairing of carefully made wines with the chef’s dishes.
Maro Wines
Maro Wines is the Hokkaido wine brand of winemaker Naoyuki Maro in Naganuma.
Its wines are made with spontaneous fermentation and low-intervention methods, expressing a vivid sense of place.
Guests will walk through the vineyard and enjoy the landscape that extends beyond the glass.
There may even be a chance to stop by another very popular winery—and perhaps even receive a “hug,” according to the organizers.
That surprise is reserved for participants.
Tour Features
The tour has four main features:
- During the bus ride, Sayuri Arai will share a wealth of stories about Sorachi wine.
- A deep dive into Housui Winery’s winemaking with winemaker Yuki Kubodera.
- A maker’s lunch at Kuriyama & A.M. with producers, naturally including wine pairings.
- A visit to MARO wines, described as Japan’s first “shared” winery initiative.
The bus tour combines wineries worth watching now with a luxurious producer lunch at a popular restaurant.
It also offers extensive information about Sorachi wine directly from Arai—content that can only be experienced on this tour.
Why not join?
A Rare Opportunity to Experience Sorachi
Arai Sanpo — Sorachi Edition “LOVE WINE HOKKAIDO” BUS TOUR will be held on Sunday, November 30, 2025.
Capacity is limited to 20 people on a first-come, first-served basis.
The tour costs ¥26,000 including tax. Because participants will walk on unpaved winery and vineyard terrain, comfortable clothing suitable for temperature changes and well-broken-in walking shoes are recommended.
Every participant will also receive a copy of Sayuri Arai’s book.
It is a luxurious bus tour through notable Sorachi wineries and a popular restaurant with one of Hokkaido wine’s most knowledgeable advocates.
Watching Television Hokkaido’s LOVE WINE HOKKAIDO before joining should make the experience even richer.
Why not enjoy an early-winter Hokkaido journey filled with Arai’s stories, Sorachi wine and local food?
Reference
LOVE WINE HOKKAIDO — TVh Television Hokkaido
https://www.tv-hokkaido.co.jp/special/love_wine_hokkaido/
Arai Sanpo — Sorachi Edition “LOVE WINE HOKKAIDO” BUS TOUR Details