Katsunuma
勝沼
Japan's most established wine region, producing the distinctive Koshu white and the indigenous Black Queen red, with a history of winemaking stretching back over 130 years.
Katsunuma is the historic heartland of Japanese winemaking, located in Koshu City, Yamanashi Prefecture. Nestled in the Kofu Basin at the foot of the Southern Alps, it benefits from warm temperatures, good drainage, and concentrated sunshine that allow both indigenous and European varieties to thrive. The area is home to the Katsunuma Wine Village, a cluster of boutique wineries sharing a riverside site along the Hikawa River.
Best for: Delicate, mineral-driven white wines from Koshu that pair beautifully with Japanese cuisine, seafood, and light dishes; robust reds from Black Queen for grilled meats and aged cheeses.
Appellations
Producers
ユイット・ヴィンヤード・ミサカ
8 Vineyard
8 Vineyard (officially 8 vin-yard MISAKA, pronounced "Huit Vineyard Misaka" in French) is a winery operated by New Yamanashi Wine Brewing Co., Ltd. (ニュー山梨ワイン醸造株式会社), a directly managed subsidiary of JA Fuefuki agricultural cooperative. Founded in 1963 in Misaka Town, Fuefuki City, Yamanashi Prefecture — the city that boasts Japan's number-one grape cultivation area, harvest volume, and shipment volume — this winery has a proud six-decade history of crafting wines from 100% locally grown grapes. The brand name "8 vin-yard MISAKA" carries deep symbolism: the number 8 (八) is traditionally considered auspicious in Japan, representing good fortune and prosperity. Laid on its side, it becomes the infinity symbol (∞), embodying the winery's wish for enduring success. The "8" also represents the eight farming regions within JA Fuefuki that supply grapes exclusively to this estate. Every bottle is made from grapes grown in Misaka Town, preserving authentic terroir of this storied wine district. The winery produces wines from both indigenous Japanese grape varieties — most notably Koshu (甲州), which has been cultivated in Yamanashi for over 1,200 years — and traditional red varieties. Their flagship white wine, Misaka Free-run Koshu (御坂 フリーラン甲州), is made using only free-run juice from Koshu grapes, resulting in delicate citrus aromas, fine minerality, and refreshing acidity. Their flagship red, Yachikura Muscat Bailey A (八千蔵 マスカットベーリーA), is crafted from vines over 60 years old in the historic Yachikura district, yielding a wine of uncommon depth and character with cherry-like aromas and well-integrated tannins. In 2019, the winery made a landmark decision to begin barrel aging, producing their first oak-aged wine under the guidance of Yasuo Murakami, a leading figure at the Japan Winery Association. The result, "Takei" (竹居), showcases vanilla and toasted oak notes beautifully integrated with the regional Koshu grape. The winery also produces wines from rare and distinctive varieties including Adirondack (アジロン) — a fragrant American-origin black grape grown almost exclusively in Yamanashi — and TAIHO, a large-berried variety related to Fujuminori. In 2025, 8 vin-yard MISAKA was recognized with a Connoisseur's Award at the 8th Japan Winery Award (日本ワイナリーアワード 2025), an honor given to distinctive wineries chosen by wine specialists for their unique character and future potential.
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8vin-yard.jpキュウハチワインズ
98WINEs
98WINEs is a winery founded in 2018 by Shigeyuki Hirayama, former chief winemaker at Mercian (Château Mercian), located in Fukuori, Shiojawa, Koshu City, Yamanashi Prefecture, at an elevation of 650 meters. Using only Koshu and Muscat Bailey A grapes suited to this terroir, the winery practices low-intervention winemaking with gravity-fed fermentation, no filtration, and minimal use of additives. The name '98' embodies the philosophy that the imperfect 98 can become 100 or even 200 through connection with people — leaving room for the drinker to complete the experience. The winery comprises three buildings: an iron building for gravity fermentation, a stone building for aging (reusing local stone walls), and a wooden building for tastings, sales, and social interaction.
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98wines.jp/シャトージュン
Chateau Jun
Chateau Jun is a winery founded in 1979 by JUN Co., Ltd., a prominent Japanese fashion and lifestyle conglomerate, making it one of the pioneering examples of a Japanese apparel company venturing into wine production at a time when such an idea was virtually unheard of in Japan. Located in Katsunuma-cho, Koshu City, Yamanashi Prefecture — Japan's premier wine-growing region — the winery operates its own vineyard of approximately 2 hectares and works with contracted farmers across Katsunuma Town and Hakushu Town in Hokuto City. Chateau Jun produces around 70,000 bottles annually from a diverse portfolio of grape varieties: white wines from Koshu (the Japanese indigenous variety), Semillon, Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Delaware, and Riesling; red wines from Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot Noir, Muscat Bailey A, Fujinoyume (a Japanese indigenous red variety), Marselan, and others. Winemaking and viticulture are overseen by Yoshiya Nirin, whose philosophy centers on producing honest wines that faithfully reflect the terroir of Katsunuma rather than chasing concentration or power. The winery targets elegance, drinkability, and long-aging potential. Chateau Jun has received four stars at the Japan Winery Award (JWA) for six consecutive years as of 2025 (started in 2020), and their Koshu 2018 was served at the G20 Osaka Summit leaders dinner in 2019. ROUGE 2023 (made from the indigenous Fujinoyume variety) won a Silver at Decanter World Wine Awards 2025 — the first DWWA recognition for a wine made from this variety. The winery also produces a cryo-extraction dessert wine from Koshu grapes and an accessible everyday range called Gabu-nomi Chateau Jun. JUN Group also operates Versailles Resort Farm in Hokkaido, a retirement home for racehorses, and releases special-label wines inspired by celebrated racehorses, reflecting the group's broader lifestyle and culture brand ethos.
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www.chateaujun.com/シャトー・メルシャン
Chateau Mercian
Japan's leading premium wine producer, owned by Kirin Holdings, pioneering Koshu and producing quality Merlot and Chardonnay from Mariko vineyard in Nagano.
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www.chateaumercian.comダイヤモンド酒造
Diamond Winery
Diamond Winery (Chanter Wine) is a small, family-run estate in Katsunuma, Koshu, Yamanashi Prefecture, originally founded in 1939 as the Ishiharada Grape Wine Cooperative by local farming families who gathered on the Amemiya family land to make wine for themselves. Incorporated as Diamond Winery Co., Ltd. in 1963, the estate is now led by third-generation winemaker Yoshio Amemiya, who trained for three years in Bordeaux and Burgundy including a stage at the renowned Domaine Simon Bize in Savigny-les-Beaune. His Burgundy apprenticeship profoundly shaped his minimalist, terroir-focused approach to crafting wines from Japan's signature grape varieties: Koshu and Muscat Bailey A. Annual production is approximately 45,000 bottles, all from 100% Japanese-grown grapes. Wines are sold under the Chanter brand, a nod to the French winemaking culture the winery admires. Diamond Winery has been a consistent recipient of 5-star recognition from the Japan Winery Award (JWA).
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www.jade.dti.ne.jp/~chanter/ドメーヌ・ド・ラ・アケノ・ヴェニュス
Domaine de la Akeno Venus
Domaine de la Akeno Venus is a small, artisan winery located in Shimokamitori, Akeno-cho, Hokuto City, Yamanashi Prefecture, Japan. Founded in 2018 by Shuzo Yoshida, this boutique domaine represents one of the most compelling second-career winemaking stories in Japanese wine. Yoshida, formerly a municipal ward employee in Tokyo, began cultivating Cabernet Sauvignon in Akeno as early as 2011, dedicating years to mastering viticulture before formally obtaining his winemaking license. He studied at the Yamanashi Prefectural Agricultural and Forestry University vocational training division and honed his skills through hands-on experience at established local wineries. The Akeno district sits on the western foothills of Mt. Kaikomagatake in the Southern Alps, and it is renowned for recording over 2,600 hours of annual sunshine — among the highest in Japan. This extraordinary solar radiation, combined with low rainfall, excellent soil drainage on well-inclined slopes, cool summers, and dramatic day-to-night temperature swings, creates near-ideal conditions for producing structured, complex red wines from Bordeaux varietals. The high altitude and mountain winds further reduce disease pressure, allowing Yoshida to farm with reduced pesticide use. The winery's flagship wine, Akeno Venus Cabernet Sauvignon, is crafted entirely from estate-grown Cabernet Sauvignon harvested from the home vineyard in Akeno. After a slow, gentle fermentation in stainless steel tanks to preserve fruit purity, the wine is aged for approximately seven months in old French oak barrels, imparting subtle complexity without overwhelming the elegant fruit. The resulting wine displays a deep garnet color, layered aromas of ripe dark berries, gentle spice, and a hint of oak, with balanced tannins and refreshing acidity that make it versatile at the table — equally at home alongside steak, roast beef, sukiyaki, or grilled chicken. Shuzo Yoshida runs the domaine together with his son, blending the wisdom of a career reinvented and the energy of the next generation. Their shared commitment to quality and terroir expression has earned Domaine de la Akeno Venus recognition in the Japan Winery Award (JWA) 2025, receiving a Connoisseurs Award — a testament to the quality emerging from this sun-drenched corner of Yamanashi.
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中央葡萄酒
Grace Wine
Founded in 1923 by Chotaro Misawa in Katsunuma, Yamanashi, Grace Wine (Chuo Budoshu Co.) is Japan's most internationally acclaimed winery. The GRACE brand was established in 1953 by third-generation Kazuo Misawa. Today, fifth-generation winemaker Ayana Misawa — who trained at the University of Bordeaux under Denis Dubourdieu and at Stellenbosch University in South Africa — leads viticulture and oenology since 2008. Grace's signature achievement is the 12-hectare Misawa Vineyard in Akeno, Hokuto City, established in 2002 at 700m elevation in the area with the longest sunshine hours in Japan, overlooking Mt. Fuji, Mt. Yatsugatake, and the Southern Alps. The estate cultivates Koshu, Chardonnay, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, and other varieties using Guyot and fence-trained methods. In 2014, their Cuvée Misawa Akeno Koshu 2013 became the first Japanese wine to win a Gold Medal and Regional Trophy at the Decanter World Wine Awards (DWWA), the world's largest wine competition. Since then, Grace has won multiple DWWA Platinums and Golds; in 2016, Grace Extra Brut 2011 became Asia's first sparkling wine to win a DWWA Platinum. The estate earned 5 stars at the Japan Winery Award (JWA) 2025.
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www.grace-wine.com日和ワイナリー
Hiyori Winery
Hiyori Winery is a premium craft winery founded in April 2018 by Maeri Hayasaka, located at Katsunuma 2543-3, Katsunuma-cho, Koshu City, Yamanashi Prefecture — the historic heartland of Japanese winemaking. The name "Hiyori" (日和) means "favorable weather" or "auspicious day," embodying the founders' wish that every bottle brings positivity and vitality to the moment it is opened. The winery's own vineyards sit in the prestigious Toriibira district of Katsunuma, a sun-drenched plateau renowned throughout Japan for its exceptional sunlight, dramatic day-night temperature swings, and excellent natural drainage — conditions that concentrate flavors and produce grapes of outstanding quality. Hiyori cultivates primarily Koshu, Japan's ancient indigenous white grape variety, alongside Chardonnay. Their viticultural philosophy centers on ecobiotic farming: enriching the soil with charcoal and lactic acid bacteria to build deep organic matter and foster a living, balanced ecosystem in the vineyard. In the cellar, Hiyori practices strict temperature management and low-temperature fermentation, a technique that gently coaxes out the natural elegance and delicate aromas of Koshu rather than forcing extraction. The resulting wines are precise, pure, and reflective of their terroir. The flagship "hiyori Katsunuma Kosada Koshu" (小佐手甲州) is sourced exclusively from select Koshu vines in the Kosada sub-district and is prized for its pellucid aroma of Japanese citrus and pear, gentle fruitiness with subtle bitterness, and seamless affinity with Japanese cuisine. Beyond still wine, Hiyori has expanded into craft beverages with flair: in 2025 they launched "hiyori vermouth," a Japanese vermouth made from their own wine base infused with Japanese botanicals including Kihada bark (historically used since the Jomon period) and Yamanashi-grown mugwort, available in four expressions — Sakura (sweet), Yuzu (white), Lemon (dry), and Kihada (extra dry). This botanical ambition underscores their broader vision as a craft beverage brand sending Japanese culture to the world. Hiyori was recognized in the Japan Winery Award (JWA) 2025, confirming their position among Japan's quality-driven small producers. Their collaboration with master sommelier Shinya Tasaki at the "Cave de ワイン県やまなし" event further demonstrates their prominence in Japan's wine scene.
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hiyori-corp.com/勝沼醸造
Katsunuma Winery
Katsunuma Winery was founded in 1937 in the heart of Katsunuma, Yamanashi Prefecture — Japan's most celebrated wine region. After a major transformation in the 1990s under current representative Yuji Ariga, the winery made a bold commitment to Koshu, Japan's indigenous grape with over 1,300 years of history, abandoning international varieties to pursue an authentic expression of their terroir. Today, 30 out of the 40 million bottles produced annually are Koshu wines. The winery operates under the philosophy that 'wine is an expression born from the interaction between people and nature,' striving to create Koshu wines that resonate with the world. The ARUGA brand encompasses two lines: Arugabranca (white wines centered on Koshu) and Arugano (reds and rosés centered on Muscat Bailey A), showcasing the depth and versatility of Japanese indigenous varieties.
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www.katsunuma-winery.com/キスヴィンワイナリー
Kisvin Winery
Kisvin Winery was founded in 2013 in Enzan, Koshu City, Yamanashi Prefecture, by a partnership of two specialists: third-generation viticulturist Yasuhiro Ogihara and internationally-trained winemaker Mayu Saito. The name 'Kisvin' is a coined term meaning 'Kiss the Grapes.' Saito studied winemaking at California State University, Fresno, and trained at Domaine Jean Collet in Chablis, Burgundy, before joining the winery. The duo cultivates approximately 5 hectares of vineyards, growing Koshu and Chardonnay for whites, Pinot Noir and Syrah for reds, and Zinfandel for rosé. Their most innovative technique involves hand-covering each grape bunch with specially designed silver umbrellas to shield them from direct sunlight and morning dew—allowing Koshu grapes to ripen while retaining green color and freshness. In 2017, world-renowned sommelier Gérard Basset (holder of five Master of Wine titles) visited Kisvin and publicly praised their Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. In 2019, Kisvin Koshu was selected for ANA international first-class service. Saito was featured on NHK's 'Professional: A Work of Passion' (2021). In 2025, Kisvin received the prestigious 5-star rating at the Japan Winery Award (JWA), the highest honor given to wineries producing wines of outstanding quality across many varieties and vintages.
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www.kisvin.co.jp/機山洋酒工業
Kizan Winery
Kizan Winery is a small, third-generation family-run winery founded in 1930 in Koshu City (Enzan/Shioyama district), Yamanashi Prefecture. The name Kizan derives from the posthumous Buddhist name of warlord Takeda Shingen, whose family temple Erinji stands nearby. Third-generation winemaker Kozo Tsuchiya holds a PhD in microbiology from Tokyo University and began winemaking in 1994; his wife Yukari, also an oenologist, studied at the University of Adelaide (Roseworthy). Together they handle cultivation, vinification, and sales almost entirely by themselves. The winery works with approximately 1.1 hectares of estate vineyards plus contracted growers exclusively in the Higashi-Yamanashi district, focusing on the indigenous Koshu grape for its sparkling and still whites, and Black Queen for its red. Their hallmark is the Kizan Sparkling Traditional Brut, a methode traditionnelle Koshu sparkling aged 12 months on lees, produced at an exceptional price point. The winery received five consecutive five-star ratings from the Japan Winery Award (2019-2023) and again in 2025. Their guiding philosophy: craft honest wines that belong on the everyday Japanese dining table.
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kizan.co.jpラベルヴィーニュ
La Belle Vigne
La Belle Vigne is a small husband-and-wife winery founded in 2019 on the banks of the Hikawa River in Katsunuma, Koshu City, Yamanashi Prefecture. The name is French for 'beautiful vine,' reflecting the founders' philosophy of creating wines in harmony with nature. Winemaker Daisuke Gotoh trained at the University of Bordeaux and served as head sommelier at a Michelin-starred French restaurant in Ginza, Tokyo, before realising his dream of becoming a vigneron. He now commutes between Tokyo and Yamanashi, personally overseeing both viticulture and winemaking. The estate owns approximately 0.5 hectares of vines and produces around 2,000 bottles per year. La Belle Vigne is one of the founding members of the Katsunuma Wine Village. The winery received a Connoisseurs recognition at the Japan Winery Award 2025.
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belle-vigne.net/株式会社ルミエール
Lumiere Winery
Established in 1885, Lumiere Winery is one of the oldest and most prestigious wineries in Japan, located in the heart of Katsunuma, Yamanashi Prefecture. With a deep commitment to terroir, the winery specializes in the Koshu grape variety, utilizing traditional techniques such as sur lie to produce elegant, refined wines. Lumiere is renowned for its historical stone fermentation tanks, which are designated as a Japan Heritage site. Their winemaking philosophy balances historical craftsmanship with modern innovation, resulting in wines that perfectly complement Japanese cuisine.
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www.lumiere.jp/マンズワイン
Mann's Wines
Mann's Wines (Manns Wine Co., Ltd.) is one of Japan's most established wineries, founded in 1962 as a subsidiary of Kikkoman Corporation — the legendary soy sauce maker. The name combines 'Man' from Kikkoman with 'manna,' the Latin word for heaven-sent food. With wineries in Katsunuma, Yamanashi (est. 1963) and Komoro, Nagano (est. 1973), they are Japan's largest producer of Koshu grape wines by volume and a pioneer of Japanese fine wine. Their flagship Solaris series, launched in 2001 — named for the Latin word for 'sun' — has been served at diplomatic state dinners including the 2016 G7 Ise-Shima Summit and official receptions hosting foreign heads of state. Mann's Wines has developed its own proprietary grape varieties, including Shinano Riesling (a Riesling x Chardonnay cross registered in 1991) and Asama Merlot. The winery holds Japan Winery Award 2025 five-star status, the top recognition for consistently outstanding quality across multiple wines and vintages.
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mannswines.com/丸藤葡萄酒工業
Marufuji Winery
Founded in 1890 in Katsunuma, Koshu City, Yamanashi Prefecture, Marufuji Winery is one of Japan's most historically significant wineries, now in its fourth generation under the Omura family. The winery produces wines under the brand name 'Rubaiyat,' a name inspired by the 11th-century Persian poet Omar Khayyam's collection of quatrains celebrating wine and beauty. Since well before dry wines became fashionable in Japan, Marufuji has steadfastly championed the dry style, cultivating both the traditional Koshu grape and European varieties such as Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Petit Verdot, Chardonnay, and Sauvignon Blanc. Their own vineyards are farmed with minimal chemical inputs under a no-till, grass-growing approach, guided by the principles of terroir and 'right grape, right place.' In 2016, the Rubaiyat Petit Verdot 2012 was selected for the G7 Ise-Shima Summit working dinner, cementing the winery's standing on the world stage. The winery has also received the highest five-star rating at the Japan Winery Awards 2025.
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www.rubaiyat.jp/丸藤葡萄酒工業
Marufuji Winery (Rubaiyat)
Marufuji Winery, located in Katsunuma, Yamanashi Prefecture, has been producing wine since its founding in 1890 (Meiji 23). Now in its fourth generation under the Omura family, the winery is known for its unwavering commitment to dry-style wines at a time when sweet wines dominated the Japanese market. The iconic 'Rubaiyat' brand name, adopted in 1957, is derived from the poetry collection of 11th-century Persian mathematician and poet Omar Khayyam. The winery cultivates both the indigenous Koshu variety and European varieties such as Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Petit Verdot, Chardonnay, and Sauvignon Blanc across 12 vineyard plots, striving to create 'Japanese wines to be proud of on the world stage.' Consecutive five-star ratings at the Japan Winery Award (2018–2023) attest to the consistently high quality of their wines.
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www.rubaiyat.jp/ニッカワワイナリー
Nikkawa Winery
Nikkawa Winery is a small, family-run winery founded in September 2020 in Katsunuma, Koshu City, Yamanashi Prefecture — a town with nearly 1,000 years of history in Koshu grape cultivation. The winery takes its name from the Nikkawa River (日川), which flows through the Katsunuma area and has historically sustained the region's viticulture. The winery was established by Kazuo Yoshihara (吉原和夫), who was born into a grape-farming family in Katsunuma but spent 40 years working as a banker in Tokyo. After retiring, he returned to his hometown with a lifelong dream: to turn the grapes he grew up with into wine under his own label. Situated within the Katsunuma Wine Village (勝沼ワイン村), a cluster of small artisan wineries that opened in 2020, Nikkawa Winery embodies the spirit of producer-driven, transparent winemaking. Yoshihara cultivates nine grape varieties across his own vineyard and his family's longstanding farm: Koshu, Muscat Bailey A, Chardonnay, Agawam (Ajiron Dac), Merlot, Bijou Noir, Sauvignon Blanc, Yama-Sauvignon, and Petit Verdot. Annual production is approximately 6,000 liters — the minimum required for a winery licence — supplemented by purchased grapes while the estate vineyards are progressively expanded. Koshu, the iconic indigenous Japanese white variety, remains the focus, with the winery producing both a fresh unwooded style and an oak-aged expression matured for nine months in barrel. Yoshihara's son, who previously worked as an acupuncturist in Tokyo, has joined the family enterprise and is completing training at Tomu Winery to master viticulture and winemaking. He is set to carry the winery into the next generation. The philosophy at Nikkawa is simple: observe the grapes daily, cultivate them to eating-quality standards, and then let the terroir of Katsunuma speak. The winery was recognised at the Japan Winery Award (JWA) 2025, receiving the Connoisseurs Award — an honourable mention acknowledging emerging quality producers among Japan's 374 eligible wineries.
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nikkawa-winery.com/
Food Pairings
Sushi, sashimi, tempura, grilled fish, light pasta dishes, charcuterie, and Japanese nimono (simmered dishes).
Frequently Asked Questions
- What makes Yamanashi wine different from other Japanese regions?
- Yamanashi is Japan's oldest and largest wine region, home to the Koshu grape - a pink-skinned variety cultivated here for over 1,000 years. Its continental climate produces wines with a distinctive combination of bright acidity, subtle citrus and stone-fruit aromas, and a delicate mineral finish perfectly suited to Japanese cuisine.
- What is GI Yamanashi?
- GI (Geographical Indication) Yamanashi is Japan's official wine appellation, granted in 2013, which certifies that wines are made from grapes grown in Yamanashi Prefecture and adhere to specific production standards. It was Japan's first wine GI designation.
- What grape varieties grow in Yamanashi?
- The most iconic is Koshu, an ancient indigenous white variety producing dry, mineral whites. Black Queen, a red hybrid developed in Japan, is the flagship red. International varieties including Chardonnay, Merlot, and Cabernet Sauvignon are also cultivated.