Sun River Wine

Sun River Wine is the brand of Toshin Yoshu Co., Ltd., a small family-run winery in the southernmost part of Yamanashi City, in eastern Yamanashi Prefecture, sitting along the Hikawa River. Founded in 1963 by local grape farmers who wanted to make wine for their own enjoyment, the winery relocated to its current site in 1990 and is now run by third-generation owner Kazuhito Tagusagawa, who handles everything from crushing to bottling himself. The company name "Toshin" comes from the alumni yearbook of Hikawa High School, the family's alma mater, while the brand name "Sun River" is simply the English translation of "Hikawa" (hi = sun, kawa = river), the river the winery sits beside. Using grapes grown on its own plot and sourced from trusted local contract farmers, the winery ferments each vintage slowly and ages it unhurriedly to let that year's character come through, producing what the owner calls deliberately "unsmart, rugged wines made by a rugged man." Key varieties include Muscat Bailey A, Koshu, Merlot and Yama Sauvignon, often bottled as single-vineyard or blended cuvées with playful, story-driven names. Tastings and tours are by appointment only, and wines are sold locally through roadside stations, regional supermarkets, and the Yamanashi Hyakkaten mail-order shop.