Kashiwa Wine
柏和葡萄酒株式会社
A National Treasure temple's own wine, made by the priest and parishioners.
About Kashiwa Wine
- Location
- 甲州市
- 山梨県
- Wines listed
- 2
- White 1, Red 1
- Main grapes
- Muscat Bailey A, Koshu
Kashiwa Wine is a small, temple-based winery operating within the grounds of Daizen-ji, a National Treasure temple in Katsunuma, Yamanashi — founded in 718 CE and known locally as the 'Grape Temple' (Budo-dera) for its legendary role in the origin of the native Koshu grape. The winery runs as a cooperative 'block wine' system: shareholder-parishioners each bring 300-400kg of grapes grown in their own vineyards to the temple's brewing shed, the temple's priest and officers vinify the harvest together, and each March the finished wine is distributed back to members in proportion to their contribution. Originally made purely for local home consumption, the wine — Koshu (white) and Muscat Bailey A (red) — is now also sold at the temple's shop in 720ml and 1800ml bottles, and can be tasted on-site for a small fee.
Who Is This For?
For travelers and wine lovers drawn to Japan's wine origin story, who want to taste an authentic community-made wine at the very temple linked to the legend of the Koshu grape.
Wines of Kashiwa Wine
Location & Nearby
- Address
- 山梨県甲州市勝沼町勝沼3559View map ↗
Source: yamanashi-kankou.jp (checked Sep 2026)
The pin with the gold outline marks Kashiwa Wine.
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Frequently Asked Questions
- Can I tour the Kashiwa Wine winery?
- No — Kashiwa Wine operates as a members-only 'block wine' cooperative producing wine mainly for shareholder-parishioners, so there are no public winery tours.
- Can I taste and buy the wine on site?
- Yes. Tasting is available at Daizen-ji's shop for a small fee (temple admission plus roughly ¥300), and both Koshu (white) and Muscat Bailey A (red) are sold in 720ml and 1800ml bottles, open daily from around 9:00 to 16:00.
- What grape varieties does Kashiwa Wine use?
- Koshu, Japan's signature native white grape, and Muscat Bailey A, Japan's classic native red grape — both grown by temple parishioners in vineyards around Katsunuma.
- Why is a Buddhist temple making wine?
- Daizen-ji, founded in 718 CE, is known as the 'Grape Temple' (Budo-dera) and is tied to the legendary origin of the Koshu grape in Japan. Wine has long been offered at temple ceremonies, and today the priest and local parishioners continue that tradition by co-producing wine from grapes grown on temple land.
- Where is Kashiwa Wine located?
- At Daizen-ji temple, 3559 Katsunuma, Katsunuma-cho, Koshu City, Yamanashi Prefecture — in the heart of Japan's historic Katsunuma wine district.