Suntory Tomi no Oka Winery
サントリー登美の丘ワイナリー
Where Japan's wine history was made — and the world's greatest Koshu was born, on the same hill since 1909
Suntory Tomi no Oka Winery is Japan's most historically significant estate winery, occupying 150 hectares of south-facing hillside in Kai City, Yamanashi Prefecture, at elevations between 400 and 600 metres above sea level. The estate's story begins in 1909, when railway engineer Shinsuke Koyama, struck by the Rhine Valley-like beauty of the terrain, founded Tomi Farm. In 1936, Suntory — then called Kotobukiya — took over the estate together with Zenbei Kawakami, the revered father of Japanese viticulture, cementing a partnership that would define Japanese fine wine for the next century. The winery produced Japan's very first noble rot wine in 1978 (Tomi Noble d'Or, from the 1975 harvest) and its flagship Tomi red was the first Japanese wine to win a gold medal at a major Bordeaux competition (Les Citadelles du Vin, 2003). In 2024, the ultimate recognition arrived: SUNTORY FROM FARM Tomi Koshu 2022 became the first Japanese wine in history to win Best in Show at the Decanter World Wine Awards — chosen from over 18,000 entries worldwide.
www.suntory.co.jp/factory/tominooka/ ↗Cuvées
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Who Is This For?
For wine lovers who want to experience the pinnacle of Japanese fine wine — whether discovering world-class Koshu for the first time or savoring a Bordeaux-inspired red that speaks unmistakably of Yamanashi terroir
Frequently Asked Questions
- What makes Tomi Koshu 2022 the world's best at Decanter 2024?
- Tomi no Oka addressed Koshu's traditionally low sugar concentration by developing 'secondary shoot cultivation' (副梢栽培) with Yamanashi University — trimming primary shoots to force secondary buds that ripen after the typhoon season, achieving sugar levels above 18° Brix. Combined with block-by-block precision management across 50 individually mapped vineyard parcels, the 2022 vintage produced a Koshu with aromas of melon, yellow peach, Japanese citrus, and white flowers, concentrated dry richness, and fresh acidity — compelling enough to beat 18,000+ wines from around the world.
- What is the Tomi red wine, and why is it significant?
- The Tomi red has been the winery's flagship since 1986 — a Bordeaux-inspired blend of Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, and Petit Verdot from the estate. It was the first Japanese wine to win a gold medal at a major Bordeaux competition (Les Citadelles du Vin, 2003 for the 1997 vintage), and was served at the G7 Hiroshima Summit in 2023. As the climate warms, the blend has shifted toward Petit Verdot as the dominant variety — a climate-adaptive choice that maintains elegance.
- Can visitors tour the winery?
- Yes, multiple tour options are available (pre-booking required): the Premium Tour (~120 min, ¥8,000/person, Fri–Sun/holidays), Standard Tour (~80 min, ¥3,000/person), and Koshu Vineyard Walk (~30 min, ¥1,000/person). A free shuttle bus runs from JR Kofu Station South Exit on weekends and holidays. Book at suntory.co.jp/factory/tominooka/.