Chiba
千葉
Chiba is one of Japan's most unexpected wine regions — a pioneer winery 90 years in the making, proving that passion and place can redefine what counts as wine country.
About Chiba
- Producers listed
- 9
- Appellations
- 5 areas
- Most wineries in
- 八街市・横芝光町
- Founded 2010 or later
- 83%
- 5 of 6 with a known founding year
Chiba Prefecture is an emerging wine region located east of Tokyo on the Boso and Shimofusa peninsulas. Though not a traditional wine-producing area, Chiba benefits from a mild climate influenced by the Pacific Ocean and Tokyo Bay, with long sunshine hours and relatively low rainfall. The prefecture has a history of grape cultivation stretching back over 50 years, particularly in the Tako-machi area of Katori District, where yamabudo (wild mountain grape) varieties thrive. Funakoshi Winery — the first new winery established in Chiba in 90 years — has put the prefecture on the Japanese wine map since 2020, demonstrating that commitment and innovation can yield distinctive wines even in non-traditional terroirs.
Best for
Fans of natural, low-intervention Japanese wines; curious explorers seeking off-the-beaten-path domestic wines from regions outside Hokkaido, Nagano, and Yamanashi.
Food Pairings
Fresh seafood from Tokyo Bay and the Pacific (clams, sashimi, grilled fish), Chiba's renowned peanut dishes, rice-based cuisine from the Kanto region.
Winery Map of Chiba
Of the Chiba wineries on Vinami, we show the 9 whose locations we have verified.
2 wineries without a published street address are listed below but not shown on the map.
Wineries by Municipality
- 八街市2
- Sawa WinesFounded 2021
- Yachimata Organic Vineyard(contract-made)Founded 2020
- 横芝光町1
- Saito Grape GardenFounded 1938
- 佐倉市1
- 千葉市1
- Chiba WineryFounded 2025
- 船橋市1
- Funabashi Coq WineryFounded 2021
- 多古町1
- Funakoshi WineryFounded 2020
- 柏市1
- Weingut Egucci von TEGA(contract-made)
Addresses and founding years are verified against each winery's official website and public information from local governments and industry bodies. Sources are listed on each producer's page.
Producers
千葉ワイナリー
Chiba Winery
Chiba Winery is the first winery to open within Chiba City, Japan, launched by Tomio Holdings Co., Ltd. after receiving its fruit-wine manufacturing license on October 8, 2025. Rooted in the Tomio Village project in Chiba City's Wakaba Ward, the winery is cultivating roughly 600 vines across 70 ares of European wine grape varieties planted in spring 2024, with its first estate-grown Chiba City harvest expected in autumn 2026. Its debut 2025 vintage was produced through contract winemaking using grapes from Sakura and Kashiwa, alongside cider from Numata-grown apples, a rosé from Matsudo grapes, and a sparkling wine from Kashiwa pears. Guided by the vision of building '100 years of wine culture' in Chiba — timed to the city's 900th founding anniversary in 2026 — Chiba Winery positions itself as a cultural hub linking agriculture, food, welfare, and tourism, with a production capacity of 15,000-30,000 bottles and 15,000-bottle storage.
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chibawinery.com/船橋コックワイナリー
Funabashi Coq Winery
Funabashi Coq Winery is Chiba Prefecture's first urban winery, founded in 2021 in a residential neighborhood of Funabashi City by Takeru Kokubo, a wine writer and long-time restaurateur who has run the meat-and-wine bar COQ DINER since 2011. Because loud machinery can't be used in its residential setting, the winery crafts its wines almost entirely by hand and without filtration, sourcing grapes from producers across Japan, including Hokkaido and Nagano. The result is fresh, unpretentious wines built to accompany everyday Japanese home cooking — an urban winery experience that brings winemaking into the heart of the city.
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fcw.theshop.jp/齊藤ぶどう園
Saito Grape Garden
Founded in 1930 when first-generation owner Yasuji Saito cleared a pine grove in Yokoshibahikari, Chiba, to plant grape vines, Saito Grape Garden is one of Japan's oldest continuously family-run wineries. The first harvest came in 1935, and a wine-brewing license followed in 1938. During the Second World War the winery was designated a military supply facility, with its wine used as provisions and its tartaric acid byproduct repurposed for wireless equipment. Today fourth-generation vigneronne Masako Saito tends roughly one hectare of vines without herbicides, letting free-ranging chickens and geese keep the undergrowth in check. Using only estate-grown fruit — no imported grapes or concentrate — the wines are pressed on a prewar wooden press and bottled in tiny volumes of about 4,000 bottles a year, sold directly from the winery for just a few days each November.
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www.saito-winery.com/エグッチ・フォン・テガ
Weingut Egucci von TEGA
Weingut Egucci von TEGA is a micro-scale wine producer in Kashiwa City, Chiba Prefecture, growing grapes on a hillside overlooking Lake Teganuma. Cultivation began in 2019 on previously fallow farmland, and the project — known locally as the Teganuma Mirai Wine Project — now tends roughly 1.5 hectares planted with seven grape varieties, farmed without chemical fertilizers and with minimal pesticide use. Local volunteers help with vineyard work on weekends, reflecting the project's community-driven approach to reviving the Teganuma landscape. The winery released its first vintage in 2023 and produces around 500 bottles per year across several small, limited-batch cuvées.
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egucciwine.base.shop
Appellations
Smaller wine areas within Chiba.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Is Chiba a well-known wine region in Japan?
- Chiba is an emerging wine region that is gaining recognition for its small-scale, innovative boutique wineries. Funakoshi Winery, established in 2020, was the first new winery in the prefecture in 90 years and has put Chiba on the Japanese wine map.
- What kind of climate does Chiba have for viticulture?
- Chiba features a mild maritime climate influenced by the Pacific Ocean and Tokyo Bay, with long sunshine hours and relatively low rainfall. The coastal breezes help moderate temperatures and regulate grape ripening on the Boso and Shimofusa peninsulas.
- What grape varieties are grown in Chiba?
- Chiba has a long history of cultivating yamabudo (wild mountain grape) varieties, particularly in the Katori District. Boutique wineries also grow Muscat Bailey A and Koshu, along with experimental international varieties suited to the coastal terroir.
- Which areas within Chiba are most notable for wine?
- The Tako-machi area in Katori District is historically significant for grape cultivation with over 50 years of history. The Boso Peninsula is another key area where the maritime climate is leveraged for viticulture.
- What foods pair well with Chiba wines?
- Chiba wines pair beautifully with the prefecture's abundant fresh seafood — including hamaguri clams, sashimi, and grilled fish from Tokyo Bay and the Pacific — as well as Chiba's famous peanut dishes and light vegetable cuisine.