Shimane
島根
Japan's mythical wine land — award-winning Koshu beside Izumo Taisha
About Shimane
- Producers listed
- 3
- Most wineries in
- 雲南市・出雲市
- Founded 2010 or later
- 33%
- 1 of 3 with a known founding year
Shimane Prefecture, located along the San'in coast of western Honshu, is a hidden gem of Japanese wine production. Known as the 'Land of the Gods' owing to the ancient Izumo Taisha Grand Shrine, the region produces wines from three distinctive wineries: Shimane Winery in Izumo (the largest and most visited, founded 1959), Okuizumo Vineyard in Unnan (eco-focused, small-scale), and Iwami Winery near Mt. Sanbe in Oda (Japan's only winery inside a national park). The inland Chugoku Mountains bring a continental climate with over 10°C diurnal temperature swings, ideal for retaining grape acidity. Key varieties include Delaware (Shimane ranks 4th nationally), Koshu, Muscat Bailey A, Chardonnay, Merlot, Sauvignon Blanc, and local hybrids like Fuji no Yume and Hokuten no Shizuku. Shimane Winery's Enmusubi Koshu won Gold and Best-in-Category at the 2019 Japan Wine Competition — the first non-Yamanashi winery to win in the Koshu category — and the winery earned 4 stars at the Japan Winery Award. Wines are often enjoyed alongside local specialties such as Shinjiko shijimi clams, Izumo soba, nodoguro (blackthroat seaperch), Shimane Wagyu, and Oki rock oysters.
Best for
Japanese wine explorers seeking off-the-beaten-path regions; Izumo Taisha pilgrims who want to combine shrine visits with winery tours; fans of Koshu and Muscat Bailey A who want to try non-Yamanashi examples; eco-conscious wine lovers (Okuizumo Vineyard's organic approach).
Food Pairings
Shimane wines shine brightest with the prefecture's own cuisine. White and sparkling wines (Koshu, Delaware, Sauvignon Blanc) pair beautifully with Shinjiko shijimi clam miso soup — the clams' umami mirrors the wines' mineral freshness. Light reds and rosés (Muscat Bailey A) complement Izumo warigo soba and Matsue tai-meshi (sea bream rice). Fuller reds (Merlot, Fuji no Yume from Iwami Winery) match Shimane Wagyu beef, a fixture at Shimane Winery's BBQ house. Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc from elevated Yokota Vineyard (430m) suit nodoguro (blackthroat seaperch) with its rich fat. Sparkling Delaware Brut pairs with Oki Island rock oysters.
Winery Map of Shimane
Of the Shimane wineries on Vinami, we show the 3 whose locations we have verified.
Wineries by Municipality
- 雲南市1
- Okuizumo VineyardFounded 1990
- 出雲市1
- Shimane WineryFounded 1959
- 大田市1
- Iwami WineryFounded 2015
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
石見ワイナリー
Iwami Winery
Iwami Winery is the only winery in Japan located within a national park, set on the eastern slopes of Mount Sanbe (Daisen-Oki National Park) in Oda City, Shimane Prefecture. The company was founded in October 2015 and opened to the public in April 2018, growing roughly 10,000 vines across five grape varieties -- including Merlot, Chardonnay, and the Japanese-bred Marsellan -- on 4.7 hectares of volcanic-ash 'kuroboku' soil at high altitude, where wide day-night temperature swings help preserve acidity. The winery produces red, white, rose, and orange wines from estate-grown and regional fruit, and operates an open-air restaurant, 'Iwami no Mori,' plus an adjoining hot-spring hotel, inviting visitors to experience the wine alongside the dramatic scenery of Mount Sanbe.
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iwami.wine/奥出雲葡萄園
Okuizumo Vineyard
Okuizumo Vineyard is a boutique winery in Unnan City, Shimane Prefecture, founded in 1990 as an offshoot of the local Kisuki Dairy cooperative. Nestled in the mountainous "Shoku no Mori" (Forest of Food) estate, the winery has produced wine since 1992 under winemaker Norio Abe, who trained at Japan's National Tax Agency brewing laboratory and at Marufuji Winery in Yamanashi. Guided by the philosophy that "no technique surpasses the right variety," Okuizumo grows both native yamabudo hybrids -- led by its flagship Shokoshi -- and European varieties such as Chardonnay, its most widely planted grape and a repeat gold medalist at the Japan Wine Competition, including in 2025. Low-pesticide, hand-tended viticulture and community harvest days reflect the winery's guiding theme of coexisting with nature and with the local community.
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okuizumo.com/島根ワイナリー
Shimane Winery
Shimane Winery (島根ワイナリー) was established in 1986 in Izumo, Shimane Prefecture, tracing its roots to a grape processing cooperative founded in 1959. Located just minutes from Izumo Taisha—one of Japan's most sacred Shinto shrines—it is one of the most visited wineries in western Japan, welcoming over one million visitors annually. The winery operates on three integrated pillars: grape cultivation, wine production, and tourism, with all raw materials sourced exclusively from within Shimane Prefecture. Its flagship 'Enmusubi' (縁結) series, named for the shrine's deity of matchmaking, spans still and sparkling wines from Muscat Bailey A, Koshu, Delaware, Chardonnay, and Sauvignon Blanc. In 2008 the winery opened Yokota Vineyard in Okuizumo-cho (altitude 430–440 m), where Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon thrive in the mountain climate. Shimane Winery received a 4-star award from the Japan Winery Awards (JWA) 2025 and has earned multiple gold medals at the Japan Wine Competition, including the 2025 gold for Enmusubi Muscat Bailey A 2023.
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www.shimane-winery.jp/
Frequently Asked Questions
- What makes Shimane wines unique compared to other Japanese wine regions?
- Shimane stands out for three reasons: (1) Geography — the Chugoku Mountains create a continental microclimate with 10°C+ day-night temperature swings that lock in grape acidity and flavor concentration. (2) Heritage — Shimane Winery has been crafting wine since 1959, making it one of Japan's oldest active wineries. (3) Awards — Shimane Winery broke a long-standing Yamanashi monopoly by winning the Koshu Gold Award at the 2019 Japan Wine Competition, and again won gold in the same category in 2024. The prefecture has three very different wineries (tourist winery, eco boutique, national-park producer) giving visitors a range of styles.
- Which wineries can I visit in Shimane, and what is each one like?
- Shimane has three wineries: (1) Shimane Winery (Izumo, 5 min from Izumo Taisha) — the largest, with free factory tours, free tastings of ~10 wines, a BBQ house featuring Shimane Wagyu, and a gift shop. Flagship: Enmusubi series (Koshu, MBA, Chardonnay, sparkling Delaware). (2) Okuizumo Vineyard (Unnan) — an eco-conscious boutique winery producing ~50,000 bottles/year; known for Koboji (a wild-grape hybrid) and Chardonnay. Features a guesthouse, restaurant, and wine cellar gallery. (3) Iwami Winery (Oda, near Mt. Sanbe) — Japan's only winery inside a national park, with 4.7 ha of vineyards growing Merlot, Chardonnay, and local hybrids like Fuji no Yume. Offers red, white, rosé, and orange wines.
- Can I buy Shimane wine outside the prefecture?
- Yes. Shimane Winery operates an official online shop (shimane-winery.shop) with nationwide shipping — free shipping on orders over ¥11,000. Okuizumo wines are also available via select Japanese wine online retailers. For a wider selection including all three wineries, specialty Japanese wine shops like wa-syu or IMADEYA carry rotating stock. Visiting the wineries in person is the most reliable way to access limited-edition and seasonal releases.