Currently, wineries exist in almost every prefecture across Japan.
Yes, with the exception of Saga Prefecture.
Now, a movement to finally build a winery in Saga Prefecture is underway.
The project "From Saga Prefecture! We Want to Build a Winery in Karatsu!" led by Tomotaka Seto, which is currently seeking support through crowdfunding, is also a noteworthy endeavor.
What kind of project is it?
Let's take a closer look at the details.
The Project's Passion and Philosophy
As mentioned above, the project aims to open Saga Prefecture's first winery (scheduled for 2026), and we had the opportunity to hear about Mr. Seto's passionate commitment, which naturally makes one want to cheer him on.
■ Making Wine with 100% Estate-Grown Grapes
Grape cultivation will take place on a 5,200-square-meter plot of land at an elevation of 250 meters in Nanayama, Karatsu City, and brewing is also planned to be carried out in Karatsu City.
They will produce genuine "Karatsu wine."
After clearing land that had lain idle for many years, planting will begin in March 2024, starting the cultivation of eight varieties of wine grapes, including Albariño.
■ Together with Friends in Saga Prefecture!
Along with his desire to foster a culture that will endure for the next 100 years together with local peers in his home prefecture of Saga, he also noted, "Renovating the barn at my family home keeps costs down, and there are huge advantages to having local geographical familiarity."
Mr. Seto's Encounter with Winemaking
The desire to build a winery in Saga Prefecture was born from his winemaking experience in Hokkaido.
After relocating with his family to Yoichi, Hokkaido, he spent about a year involved in wine grape growing and winemaking. Deeply impressed by the depth of wine history there, he began to think about connecting people through wine in the region where he grew up.
For winemaking, he learned grape cultivation in Hokkaido at places like Nobori Jozo and Jiki no Hatake.
He plans to continue visiting the area in the future to keep studying viticulture and vinification.
The brewing techniques he adopted during his training include fermenting with wild yeast (indigenous yeast), co-fermenting multiple varieties blended together, and making wine unfiltered.
He plans to brew using the same methods at his own winery.
Making Memorable Wine
"The kind of drink I want to make is 'memorable wine.'
To achieve that, I want to create wines that clearly express the packaging, price point, and dedication behind them.
I also think it would be wonderful to hold a tasting session for this year's wine after bottling, together with local community members and those involved.
Rather than a wine made alone, I want many people to be involved so we can enjoy it together."
Speaking with such enthusiasm, Mr. Seto already has a concrete vision for the wines, as detailed below:
White Wine 2 varieties
・A wine using Albariño—often called the "wine of the sea"—crafted to pair beautifully with Karatsu's seafood
・A unique white wine made from red wine grape varieties such as Pinotage and Pinot Noir
Red Wine 1 variety
・A red wine made with varieties such as Merlot and Cabernet Franc, designed to pair with meats from Saga Prefecture
Unique Viticultural Adaptations for Saga Prefecture
The environment differs significantly from Hokkaido, where Mr. Seto learned grape cultivation.
In hot, humid, and rainy Saga Prefecture, rain shelters are necessary to protect the grapes from disease, and instead of the vertical shoot positioning trellises used in Hokkaido, pergola-style overhead trellises will be adopted. He also aims to minimize the use of pesticides as much as possible.
The support raised through this crowdfunding campaign is planned to be allocated toward part of the costs for materials such as grape trellises and rain shelters.
Support the Potential of Saga Prefecture's First Winery!
To all the wine lovers who feel inspired by this journey, you can offer your support via the link below.
The deadline is Sunday, March 31! Don't miss out!!
This is a long-term project: planting this year, harvesting and beginning winemaking in 2026, with the first release scheduled for 2027.
Why not support this story of wine being brought to life entirely from scratch?
https://readyfor.jp/projects/134933
