Japanese wine for sushi, why not?

An old and young wine country

Starting from casual home brewing using sake-making equipment, modern winemaking in Japan started more than a century ago in Yamanashi, inspired by Western wine-drinking culture soon after the Meiji Restoration. However, quality-driven, site-specific winemaking didn’t really take off until about two decades ago.

Today, only about a quarter of wine produced in Japan is made from domestically grown grapes (or ‘Japanese Wine’ in the true sense of the term), according to statistics from Japan’s National Tax Agency (2022). That amounts to just 11,987kl – roughly 16 million bottles. To put things into perspective, Bordeaux alone produced around 503 million bottles of wine even in the low-yielding 2021 vintage.

Finding the sunny spot

Wine plantings are scattered along Japan’s long, crescent-shaped land stretching northeast and southwest, with Yamanashi, Nagano, Hokkaido and Yamagata being the top four wine regions by production volume.

Seasonal rain and typhoons during the growing season pose serious challenges for wine planting throughout the nation. Although wine grapes still thrive in some of the sunniest and driest spots – such as the mountainous ‘fruit kingdom’ Yamanashi north of Mt Fuji. Even here, producers see over 1000mm of rain (slightly higher than Bordeaux) in an average year, despite over 2,200 hours of sunshine.

To protect the grape bunches from rain and humidity, producers usually need to bestow various rain shields – sometimes in the form of overarching plastic sheets, some meticulously attach a wax paper hat to every single bunch of grapes – forming a rather iconic view if you visit Japanese vineyards in the harvest season. Needless to say, that extra manual effort also means increased costs.

Generally speaking, ample rain contributes to a relatively subtle flavour profile and lighter alcohol levels of Japanese wines, and chaptalisation (adding sugar to boost alcohol) is a common practice in some regions.

The signature grape: Koshu

The pinkish Koshu grape, also the ancient name of Yamanashi, is the most planted white grape in Japan and one we will most likely see in the western market.

It is the nation’s signature wine grape – DNA research revealed its genetic roots as a Vitis vinifera (the European wine grape species), believed to have travelled via the Silk Road, crossed with some Chinese local grapes during the journey, and settled in Japan more than 1,000 years ago.

One of its several discovery stories describes it as a divine medicine gifted by the Buddha of Medicine (Yakushi Nyorai in Japanese). Truth or not, it has been planted in the Yamanashi region for centuries, first enjoyed as a table grape and often occupying marginal hillside plots unsuitable for rice paddies.

Subtle and nuanced, with yuzu, stone fruit characters and fresh natural acidity – but not too harsh – Koshu is crafted in a wide range of styles in its Yamanashi heartland, from Chablis-like fresh whites to textured and lightly spiced orange wines alongside traditional method (similar to Champagne) sparklers.

Top reds and beyond

Among the various hybrids planted in Japan, Muscat-Bailey A is the most planted red grape. It is a cross of American hybrid Bailey and Muscat Alexandria.

With bright cherry fruits and soft tannins, Muscat-Bailey A is a charming partner for iron-rich sashimi and sweet soy-seasoned yakiniku (Japanese barbeque), with some examples best enjoyed slightly chilled.

Familiar international varieties such as Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Syrah are also found in Japan's key wine regions, particularly Nagano, which has a higher proportion of red wine production.

Producers such as Château Mercian (in its Kikyogahara Winery) and Manns (with its Komoro Winery, home of the Solaris range) are crafting delicate, ethereal expressions of these classic grapes in Nagano.

In the far north, the cool, less typhoon-prone Hokkaido is now gathering many young and ambitious winemaking forces from the nation and beyond. Many have high hopes for its potential for making cool-climate varieties such as Zweigelt and delicate, Burgundian-style Pinot Noir.

When and where to visit

Yamanashi – Perhaps the most famous, among the local wine events held during the year, is the annual Grape Harvest Festival on the first Saturday of October in Katsunuma, Koshu City. Visit the Daizenji Temple (aka ‘the Grape Temple’ – the rumoured place where Koshu was discovered), take part in walk-around tastings, join the traditional mikoshi parade, with fireworks and a mountainside torii-shaped bonfire as the finale in the evening.

Take the train from Shinjuku, Tokyo to Katsunuma Budokyo for a day trip or stay longer and enjoy an onsen (hot spring) stay and Ho-to noodles – a Yamanashi local specialty.　

Nagano – There are various wine events held across Nagano throughout the year, from the annual spring Shiojiri Wine Festa in the centre of the prefecture to the many activities organised by producers in the Chikuma River Wine Valley in the east.

In the north, visitors can even join a wine-themed excursion organised by Nagano Dentetsu (electric railway) through Kita-Shinano this summer, combining all-you-can-drink local wines, bespoke bento boxes and some of the region’s most scenic railway routes.

Hokkaido – The region hosts an annual food and wine event, ‘Hokkaido Wine Evening’ in early spring in Sapporo. The 2026 event – the 30th edition – saw a record-breaking 40 wineries taking part.

Six Japanese wines for sushi pairing

Related articles