WINE SHOP nico in Shibuya, Tokyo, which specializes in Japanese wine, and the Japanese-wine e-commerce store Craft Wine Shop have launched a new collaboration.
Through the initiative, WINE SHOP nico Shibuya will offer more than 300 Japanese wines.
From Hokkaido to Kyushu, the lineup is set to become broader than ever, ranging from distinctive wines made by small producers to approachable everyday bottles.
As the number of wineries across Japan continues to grow, Japanese wine is becoming increasingly diverse. Yet its appeal is still in the process of reaching people beyond dedicated wine enthusiasts.
What might emerge from this collaboration? The representatives of both companies shared what they hope it can achieve.
Expectation 1: Discover the Japanese wine of today from a selection of more than 300 wines
“We want more people to understand what Japanese wine is like today,” says WINE SHOP nico owner Keita Aragaki.
New wineries are being established across Japan, and the range of choices grows year by year. But it is not easy for a single shop to keep track of wines from Hokkaido to Kyushu and communicate the appeal of each one.
By adding wines handled by Craft Wine Shop to nico’s existing lineup, the two companies are complementing each other’s selections. The result is a sales floor with more than 300 Japanese wines.
One reason Aragaki chose to work with Craft Wine Shop was precisely that difference in lineup.
“If our selections overlapped too much, we would simply become direct competitors. Craft Wine Shop is seriously working with wines that we would like to carry ourselves but cannot fully cover.”
By bringing together the producers and wines each company has built expertise around, the shop can now show a breadth of Japanese wine that was difficult to realize in a single store before.
Expectation 2: A place not only to buy Japanese wine, but to experience it
While Craft Wine Shop has mainly delivered Japanese wine nationwide through e-commerce, nico’s major strength is that it has a physical place where people can experience the wines.
At the Shibuya store, customers can not only buy wine but also actually taste a variety of Japanese wines. There is also a BYO system that lets customers enjoy bottles purchased in the shop inside the venue, together with dishes designed to pair with wine.
RELATED STORY渋谷駅すぐ！日本ワインが飲める！買える！楽しめる！〜WINE SHOP nico渋谷〜Yuukan Arimoto, representative of CruX Co., Ltd., which operates Craft Wine Shop, also spoke about the potential of the collaboration: “People can try different Japanese wines and discover that Japanese wine is interesting and delicious. Creating that kind of experience so casually, with this many different wines, is difficult not only online but even at ordinary restaurants and wine shops.”
Online, people can access abundant information and a broad selection. In a physical store, they can actually taste the wines and choose while talking with people.
If the collaboration develops further into events and other activities, nico Shibuya could also become a real-world base for learning about, drinking and choosing Japanese wine.
Expectation 3: From “competitors” to collaborators—and more people drinking Japanese wine
Another interesting aspect of this initiative is that two businesses that both sell Japanese wine have chosen to work together.
Arimoto acknowledges that “there are areas where sales businesses compete with each other,” but adds that “rather than staying at that level, it is important to cooperate and energize the entire industry.”
Among wine enthusiasts, people increasingly say that Japanese wine is gaining momentum. Yet Aragaki says “the Japanese wine boom has not arrived yet,” while Arimoto describes the market as “still before dawn.” Their understanding of the Japanese wine market is closely aligned.
That is precisely why, rather than each company trying to keep customers to itself, there is value in combining their strengths and reaching people who still do not know Japanese wine well.
The stage for that effort is Shibuya, where people of many generations come and go. “I think it is a place where not only enthusiasts but ordinary visitors can become interested and enjoy Japanese wine casually,” Arimoto says.
For people who already love Japanese wine, the collaboration brings still more choices. For those who have not yet discovered it, it creates an opportunity to encounter that first glass. The initiative offers a glimpse of how the Japanese wine market could broaden from here.
If you are in the area, why not visit and look forward to discovering a new bottle?
WINE SHOP nico
https://www.nico-wine.com/shibuya
Craft Wine Shop
https://craftwineshop.com/?srsltid=AfmBOoodn7Ngej6Gwxf3cOz1I9N325LCvy27NSfkv-BmxdRtDmJrrhku