Wakayama
和歌山県 湯浅町
A history of fermentation nurtured by this town.
Here in Yuasa, we create a new wine of Wakayama.
More than 750 years have passed since soy sauce was first made in Japan here in Yuasa. Fermentation culture remains deeply rooted in the everyday lives of the town’s people.
Pure water flowing from Mt. Yamada nourishes the town, together with knowledge carefully preserved and passed down through generations. These timeless treasures of Yuasa, refined over centuries, are now reborn as wines that could only be made here.
Wakayama’s fruit is shaped by a rugged natural landscape surrounded by steep mountains.
Rain falling across those mountains filters through the earth and emerges as pure water. Abundant sunshine helps the fruit grow, while sea breezes carried by the Kuroshio Current bring sweetness. Wakayama is widely known as one of Japan’s great fruit-growing regions, and the fruit grown here is exceptionally juicy and delicious.
Soil, water, wind and sun—the vineyards receive every one of these natural gifts. Before long, the vines too will be laden with plump clusters of grapes, full almost to bursting.
The brand-new facility located just a few minutes on foot from Yuasa’s Preservation District for Groups of Traditional Buildings is the Yuasa Winery production plant. It was built as Yuasa Town’s integrated direct-processing and distribution acceleration center. The spacious site is fully equipped with modern facilities for winemaking, providing an environment where specialists can fully apply their expertise. In this clean plant, the winery develops and produces products designed to enhance the value not only of grapes but also of agricultural products from Yuasa and throughout Wakayama Prefecture.
A tasting room has been created in one corner of the plant, where visitors can enjoy wines from Yuasa Winery. Guests are invited to taste the wines while hearing stories from specialists about Wakayama, Yuasa, and many other topics. Factory tours and tastings require reservations.\n\nHours: 9:00–16:00
Created as a tourism hub after the area was designated a Japan Heritage site by the Agency for Cultural Affairs. The first floor offers a range of soy sauces, including fresh unpasteurized soy sauce, as well as locally processed agricultural products. The second floor is a dining area serving dishes made with regional ingredients, such as shirasu rice bowls and sea bream ramen.\n\n2708-5 Yuasa, Yuasa-cho, Arida-gun, Wakayama 643-0004\n\nHours: 10:00–17:00 / Closed Wednesdays\n\nTEL: 0737-63-0200
PHOTO — NIHONWINE.JP editorial
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SOURCE — NIHONWINE.JP editorial