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Japan: A surprising wine lover's paradise
April 10, 2025
It had been a dream of mine to visit Japan for decades and long before I ever fell in love with wine. I was always fascinated by the culture, the people and because I love cities and technology, it seemed like the city of the future and I needed to see it first hand. On a weekday night in October of 2024 I decided to finally make the dream a reality and in a bit of an impulse buy, purchased a plane ticket. Then the planning for my two week trip began.
I expected to get a little adventurous on the trip and eat a lot of food I do not normally eat and also expected my drinks of choice would be mainly beer, sake and whiskey, since when it comes to alcohol, that is what Japan is known for. As I started doing my research and planning I quickly discovered the impressive wine scene happening in the three cities I planned to visit; Tokyo, Kyoto and Osaka. What I also learned of was the growing domestic wine production in Japan.
The main wine region in Japan is Yamanashi Prefecture, known as the birthplace of Japanese winemaking and producing around 30% of the country's wine. This region, located near Mount Fuji, is the most established and celebrated wine region in Japan. Yamanashi is known for its Koshu grape, a unique Japanese variety that produces white wines with citrus aromas, light acidity, and low alcohol. Koshu is not a very complex variety so you’ll often find winemakers producing it with some skin contact to add more...umph. Other regions like Hokkaido and Nagano also contribute to Japan's wine production.
As I started making my plans for the two week dream trip, which included a very detailed six tab spreadsheet breakdown of potential things to do each day because I’m kind of crazy with planning trips and really love it, I started to find a lot of great looking wine bars. Like, way more than I ever expected. Enough that I had trouble picking which ones to try and fit into my time there. I think I chose well, discovered some places along the way, learned more about wine’s deep connection to Japan and had some pretty lucky moments that led me to drink a lot of great wine with a lot of great fellow wine lovers. It all started in Tokyo.
TOKYO
Meiji Shrine
On my first full day in Japan, a Tuesday, I had plans to see the Meiji Shrine. Not far from where I entered the park I found myself staring at rows of Burgundy wine barrels from some very impressive producers.
Emperor Meiji (1868-1912) ushered in a period of enlightenment that embraced Western culture, especially food, clothing and wine. Japan and France developed a relationship, and the Emperor's favorite wine to consume quickly became Burgundy. In connection with this history, France began to dedicate wine to the Meiji Shrine every year. About 180 bottles of wine are gifted from about 60 wineries every December from Burgundy, with even the big boys like Romanee-Conti included on some occasions. Ten years ago the Meiji Shrine agreed to an idea to build this tribute representing the long standing and generous wine connection between Japan and France.
Aoyama Wine Base (@aoyamawinebase)
Japan, 〒150-0001 Tokyo, Shibuya, Jingumae, 5 Chome−48−5 ファノス表参道 1F・2F
My first wine stop was early in the evening and not a place I had planned to try, but I had time to kill before a reservation and was getting thirsty from all the walking during the day. This was the case almost every day of my trip in full transparency. I walked a lot. Too much. So much so that I now have shin splints and need to stop walking for a while.
Aoyama Wine Base is a bottle shop and wine bar located in the Aoyama section of Minato, Tokyo. I found it simply by doing a Google Maps search for wine bars that were on the way to where I needed to be that night. It is modern, stylish and small. As the website says, they have over 180 wines by the glass and bottle and a lot more American wines than I expected to find in Japan. Yep, they’ll Coravin just about any bottle on their list for you.
I started with a Pouilly Fume, then had a Cabernet Franc from Loire and ended with my first ever Japanese wine. Backyard Winery / Vajra Koshu Old Fashioned 2022 (Orange). Like I said above, Koshu is a light white wine and the skin contact on this one definitely brought it more life. It was a good introduction and representation of Japanese wine, which I’ll discover quickly, lean toward the “Natty” style of wine making. This is both because of trends in wine, no different than in Los Angeles and most of the current wine world, but also because of the varieties they are able to produce and the climate they can produce them in. It all just lends itself to producing this style of wine.
I had a great time at Aoyama (I wouldn’t be writing about it if I didn’t) and it kicked off my wine fun in Japan perfectly.
Aoyama The Cellar & Grill (@w_aoyama_the_cellar__grill_)
www.cardenas.co.jp/shop/restaurant/w-aoyama/
Japan, 〒107-0062 Tokyo, Minato City, Minamiaoyama, 5 Chome−8−5 B1F
I had my dinner reservation at Aoyama The Cellar & Grill. I sat at the counter with the chef just two feet from me working a small grill and smoker with straw to cook up a whole lot of meats that I do not eat. But, it was fun watching her work her magic.
They had a short list of by-the-glass wines here, but an extensive cellar that you can explore and grab a bottle from to open with your meal. I took a look and got a kick out of seeing some very familiar labels on the shelves. There was of course plenty of serious French and Italian bottles, but just a few shelves over were Ridge and Mayacamas and then even some Santa Barbara classics, Hitching Post and Au Bon Climat! I asked the Somm, why? How? Turns out he’s visited Santa Ynez and had to get it represented in the restaurant.
When I say I asked him, let me be more clear. I used Google Translate to translate my question from English to Japanese and he returned the favor by translating for me his answer to English. Google Translate was a life saver and just a miracle piece of technology the entire trip. More on this later.
I would absolutely come back to Aoyama The Cellar & Grill and not just because of their excellent wine program. The place reminded me of a great basement level New York City bar and restaurant. Probably because it too was underground and right off the street. It was cozy yet lively, the staff was friendly and helpful (which you’ll soon discover is a redundant thing to say about anyone in service working in Japan) and the food, what I could eat of it, was delicious.
No.501 (@no.501.bottletokyo)
SEIZAN-GAIEN BLD, 1F, 2 Chome-5-4 Jingumae, Shibuya, Tokyo 150-0001, Japan
On my way to explore the infamous Golden-Gai area of Shinjuku, I, as usual, left my hotel too early and had a couple hours to kill. No.501 Natural Wine Shop and bar was on my list from research I had done and this was the perfect chance to stop in since it was on the way. This is where I realized every place that serves alcohol also serves food. The chef was hard at work behind the bar and was also the one walking me through all their wines by the glass. With a natural wine focus, I was of course skeptical of enjoying anything, but I did. A 2022 11% alc. Zweigelt and a very peachy Drop sparkling made from the Delaware grape, which I definitely never heard of. Delaware grapes are a North American hybrid variety extensively grown in Japan, particularly in regions like Yamanashi Prefecture, and are used for both table grapes and wine production, especially light table wines.
After geeking out on wine and learning how much the natural wine trend has taken over Tokyo, my new friend tipped me off to the one and only wine bar in Golden-Gai. Of course, it’s a natural wine bar. Bar Pitou.
Bar Pitou @barpitou
Japan, 〒160-0021 Tokyo, Shinjuku City, Kabukicho, 1 Chome−1−7 花園5番街
The only wine bar in all of the roughly 200 bars of the Golden-Gai, and small, 8 person capacity small, with a lovely woman pouring and filled with other travelers like me. Unlike most of the Golden-Gai bars, this one felt modern and new, which was a nice change from the dark and dingy vibe of every place surrounding it. No pictures taken here so take a look at their Instagram for sure. All the wines were high quality and there was a much larger selection than I expected for such a small place in this part of town. If you aren’t aware of the Golden-Gai district, definitely click that link. It’s a wild scene that you’d never see here in the U.S. because, well, crazy fire hazard situation.
Vin Park Wine Festival (@vinpark.jp)
On my first Saturday in Japan while exploring Shibuya it was made clear to me that I was destined to be in Tokyo right at this exact moment in time. I stumbled on the Vin Park Wine festival! I mean really… what are the odds that this wine fanatic would book a trip to Japan and be staying a quarter mile away from a Japanese wine festival that was in Shibuya for the first time?
There was some confusion, for me, when I tried to pay for the festival. It didn’t work the way we’re used to here in the U.S. You paid for a glass and then the wine stations were pouring glasses of wine for an additional cost. No tasting through all of the wines you could handle, unless you could handle a glass of each. Luckily, their pours were barely a half pour so I did indeed taste a lot of Japanese wine that day. Other than that, the same passion and dedication to wine was felt all around. There was also a good percentage of young winemakers, clearly the group championing the rise in Japanese winemaking.
As expected, everything was all natural and most were “natty”. I met a French wine broker who had been living in Tokyo for fifteen years working in wine and representing one of the winemakers that day. We spoke for 45 minutes all about wine and life in Tokyo and I had fantasies of moving there. I still do.
The festival was broken up in two sections with a short walk along this amazing fountain separating them.
There was a DJ, food vendors and other stands with people selling lots of handmade trinkets and custom clothes. This shirt made me laugh. “Drunker”?
Izakaya Vin (@izakayavin)
tabelog.com/tokyo/A1303/A130301/13002063/
1 Chome-5-7 Dogenzaka, 渋谷区 Shibuya, Tokyo 150-0043, Japan
That night I had a reservation at Izakaya Vin, another one I found doing my research for the best places for wine in Japan. I made a reservation far in advance (I’m a planner) and read some great reviews about the place. They did indeed have a stellar wine list by the glass and bottle with a large focus on France, which was pretty common throughout my trip. A little surprisingly the second most common region to see represented was Chile. I drank some great, inexpensive, Chilean Cabernet Sauvignon on this trip.
What I didn’t realize about Izakaya is its much more of a restaurant. The word “Izakaya” should have clued me in. So, when I was brought upstairs to sit in an empty room for dinner I was surprised and a little let down. I was hoping for a fun counter seat where I could talk shop with the owner. Instead, what I got was a perfectly pleasant dinner with some killer glasses of Burgundy (A Clos Saint Jean 1st Cru and a Chorey-les-Beaune) and an extremely attentive and friendly staff. I would go back for sure, but only if I had company to bring. A good send-off for my last night in Tokyo until the end of my trip.
KYOTO
Komorebino (@komorebino)
Japan, 〒605-0078 Kyoto, 京都市東山区富永町123Higashiyama Ward, 花見会館1階
I arrived in Kyoto mid afternoon before I could check into my room, so I spent some hours at the Yasaka Shrine, Chion-In Temple and strolling through the insanely crowded Nishiki Market. After getting into my hotel room I was ready to get right back out and I hit the Gion District, a more historic feeling area of Kyoto near Yasaka that is filled with restaurants and bars. I hadn’t had any wine bars on my list to stop at this night and was planning to have drinks at some cocktail bars I put in my spreadsheet. But, those places weren’t open for a while still and after having a beer with dinner I got the itch for some wine. A quick Google Maps search led me to Komorebino Natural Wine Bar.
Like so many places in Japan, it was a little hard to find the entrance, but I’m glad I didn’t give up the search. This place is gorgeous and I had it all to myself for the first thirty minutes while sipping on a 2018 Brunello di Montalcino. Another wine lover walked in and sat down. A Russian woman living in Vietnam. We had an amazing conversation about wine, solo traveling and politics as we both drank some of the best natural wines of my entire trip.
Kyoto Insider Sake Experience (@kyoto_insider_sake_experience)
The next day I dove into learning about and drinking sake thanks to the incredible tour guide and sake Somm leading this group tour in the Fushimi Sake District. We started out at the Gekkeikan Ōkura Sake Museum where we spent about ninety minutes getting a lesson on the history of sake, the Gekkeikan sake family and the sake making process. Then we were taken on a five minute walk to sit down for a tasting of 17 different styles of sake. Some of this was even paired with food.
I had no idea how complicated and varied the sake making process is. There are many parallels to wine and wine making. Although I didn’t leave with a new taste for it, I definitely have a greater respect for sake and know which types I like. Junmai Ginjo, Yamadanishiki Rice with 55% polishing was for me.
Musée (@wine_bar_musee)
starwinelist.com/wine-place/wine-bar-musee
Japan, 〒604-8222 Kyoto, Nakagyo Ward, Kannondocho, 470 道家商事 3階 ビル
That night I had another reservation at Musée Wine Bar, a third story wine bar with a small Japanese garden a few blocks from my hotel. It was an early reservation. Early as in they just opened so the place was empty. This happened to me a lot. I started most of my nights early which meant my nights rarely went very late on this trip. The silver lining of all these early starts was getting the undivided attention of the owners and sommeliers working at these places. Tonight was no exception.
I was greeted by owner and somm Makoto Hashimoto, who spoke no English, and a chalkboard menu all in Japanese. Oy Vey. No reason to worry though. Google Translate! If you haven’t used the camera feature on Google Translate to translate a sign into English you haven’t lived. It’s genius and works almost flawlessly in real time. It really feels like magic.
Along with the expected French and Italian wines, Makoto had some familiar California wines on the list including Domaine de la Cote and Paul Lato. The pours were closer to what we would call a half pour, but at about the same price as a full. Granted, the wine selection by the glass was probably the best of the trip, so the price seemed justified and I was able to try a lot more than I would if they were full pours. My bank account had a heart attack after, but the conversation with Makoto, the environment of the bar and the great wine was all well worth it. This is a must visit on any wine fan's trip to Kyoto.
OSAKA
Pinot Noir Wine Bar (No Instagram)
No website
Japan, 〒542-0083 Osaka, Chuo Ward, Higashishinsaibashi, 1 Chome−8−14 2f
Dotonbori is Osaka’s lively entertainment area and most famous tourist destination renowned for its neon lights, wild signage, and the enormous variety of restaurants and bars. Where else would I plan to be on my first night in Osaka?
I had a few cocktail bars on my list, but hadn’t read much about the wine bars in this really fun part of the city. A quick Google Maps search led me first to Pinot Noir Wine Bar. I had some trouble finding the door again, but when I did it led me up to the second floor to find another cozy wine bar focused on all French wines with the owner of 11 years and sommelier, Masami Ueno, ready to pour. Read more about her and the bar here.
Like most of my initial interactions walking into bars and restaurants, there were about ten minutes of awkward attempts trying to communicate. Since the place was empty, and yes it was still only around 5:30pm, I thought maybe I would just have a glass and hit the road. But, my curiosity was too strong. I had too many questions for Masami. For one, why only French wines? How long did she own the bar? Will this place get any busier soon?
Google Translate came out and of course I ended up staying for two more glasses while geeking out on wine with Masami and adding a new favorite wine bar to my list.
Vintage Inn Wine Bar (@vintageinn)
Japan, 〒530-0057 Osaka, Kita Ward, Sonezaki, 2 Chome−10−15 曽根崎センタービル 1F
My last night in Osaka ended up being my favorite wine night of the entire trip, and one of my favorite nights overall. This story starts months earlier at the Garagiste Festival in Glendale, CA on Saturday June 22nd.
I was volunteering at the event which is filled with all small production wines being poured almost exclusively by the winemakers themselves. If you haven’t been, I highly recommend it. Garagiste happens every year in Sonoma, Paso Robles, Solvang and Glendale. Keep an eye out. At this one, I had the pleasure of meeting winemaker Sonoe Hirabayashi of Six Cloves Wines while tasting through her NorCal wines. We followed each other on Instagram and moved on with our respective busy days.
Flashforward to October when I started planning my trip and I saw that Sonoe was in Osaka at a wine bar with her wines. That wine bar was Vintage Inn. I reached out to ask about it and she said it was the best wine bar in Osaka that focused almost exclusively on California wines. A wine bar with an owner obsessed with California wine in Japan? Clearly I had to go. I started following Vintage Inn on Instagram and attempted to make a reservation. They do not take reservations and only have six seats. I was going to have to take my chances when I got there.
Believe it or not, I didn’t get there exactly when the bar opened. I was fashionably late by about thirty minutes. It was also hard to find, being part of the many crammed labyrinth type strip malls all over Japan, often underground and part of subway stations. I had some of my best drinks in places like this.
This was one of many times where I looked like a crazy person holding my phone open to Google Maps as it desperately tried to pinpoint my location and guide me to the door. Eventually, I had to use my own instincts and street smarts to figure out what hallway to turn down and to spin around to look behind me to find the entrance.
I walked in and saw owner and somm Yumiko Kozuka cleaning glasses behind the bar. Were all the seats taken by then? Would my months of waiting and dreaming be damned? Nope. It was empty. I said a quick Kon’nichiwa and sat down. What happened next I did not expect. Yumiko knew me as WineGuideBri and was expecting me! The power of social media, right people?
She also did not speak enough English for us to really have a conversation. Ordering a glass was a challenge enough at first. We both whipped out our phones and then for the next hour “chatted” all about wine, her love of California wine, the history of the bar and our shared annoyance with the natural wine movement taking over both the U.S. and Japan.
Despite the language barrier, and like so many other nights of meeting locals, I really felt like we were having a connection and it was all thanks to this shared love of wine. I always try to explain to friends who haven’t been bitten by the wine bug how the interest and love of it goes so much deeper than just the juice in the bottle. It brings people together in a special way that is closer to art than any kind of alcoholic beverage.
Sure enough, Sonoe’s Six Cloves Wine was there along with so many familiar California producers like an old favorite out of Santa Barbara, Jaffurs. There was also Scheid, Inglenook, Au Bon Climat, Tatomer, Lasseter and about fifteen more between the reds and whites all by the glass.
At one point, Yumiko asked what my plans were for the rest of the night. I didn’t have any and asked her if she could recommend a restaurant for dinner. Not only did she have a place for me, she picked up the phone and made the reservation and told them to expect me in 30 minutes. She gave me the name of the place, showed me it on Google Maps and made sure I knew where I was going. I lied and said yes. And that’s where I headed off too, Borracho.
Borracho (@vinoborracho)
www.ameba.jp/profile/general/vinoborracho
Japan, 〒550-0004 Osaka, Nishi Ward, Utsubohonmachi, 1 Chome−14−2 田中BLD 1F
At this point I was really feeling like a local. Or at least that I was being embraced by the locals enough to reveal some of their hidden gems. I had no idea what to expect from Borracho. I told Yumiko my wacky food restrictions (quasi-vegetarian who eats some dairy and very limited fish) and trusted that she sent me someplace accommodating. After some more looking like a fool with my face in Google Maps, I found the door and then the narrow staircase up one flight to find the restaurant. If Yumiko hadn’t called for me I’m sure this would have been an awkward record scratch moment. A tourist just happens to find our little wine focused restaurant and walks in expecting a seat? Luckily, they were expecting me and had my name. It was an extremely warm greeting and I was immediately in love with the place.
There was a young girl and two older men taking up three of the counter seats in the place that only seats a total of 17 (don’t fact check me on that. I’m close). The counter is where it's at because you’re right in front of the action where the owners, a husband and wife team, Mitsuru Takemura (who goes by Take-Chan I’m told) and Kaori Takemura, are cooking delicious meals and slinging delicious wine. They were so accommodating with my diet and whipped up one of the most delicious pasta dishes I’ve ever had. Simple and perfect.
We barely skipped a beat before getting into a great night of conversation that also included some bitching about the natty wine movement. I made a joke, translated it with Google, and I must say… it killed!
As for what I drank, a Rioja Alavesa white and then a Japanese Red that has a label all in Japanese so I can’t really tell you more. Both were great and paired perfectly with the food and company.
My trip ended back in Tokyo’s Ginza district (the Beverly Hills of Tokyo) for two more nights, but my amazing wine journey ended that night with Yumiko, Kaori and Mitsuru.
I can’t gush enough about my time in Japan. It was a bucket list trip and I’m thrilled I finally made it happen. I did and saw so much, which included other killer spots for food and drink that did not involve wine. I could write another ten pages about them. I’ll just give quick shout outs to four of the best cocktail bars I’ve ever been to, Craftroom (Osaka, 8 seats in a subway station) The Bellwood (Tokyo) and Bar Trench (Tokyo), Bible Club (Osaka). And one of the best brick oven pizzas of my life, Pizza Marumo.
When Japanese people decide to tackle something, they do it as good as it can be done. Go to Japan. Just do it. If you need help planning your trip, reach out.
