Hokkaido wines have been gaining attention recently. Hokkaido, with its lack of a rainy season and minimal impact from typhoons, is well-suited for cultivating European grape varieties, and in fact, it is the top producer of wine grape varieties in Japan.

Although the history of winemaking in Tokachi is relatively short, since the first winery was established there about 50 years ago, research into brewing techniques has been conducted, and now the number of wineries, both large and small, has grown to nearly 30.

It has gained particular attention since around 2000, and many brands have been recognized and praised in wine competitions.

This time, we've selected and will introduce six famous wineries in Hokkaido that you should definitely check out.

<Table of Contents>
1. Hakodate Wine
2. Hakkensan Winery
3. Chitose Winery
4. Furano Wine
5. Ikeda Wine Castle
6. Hokkaido Wine (Tsurunuma Winery)
Final thoughts

Hakodate Wine is about a 15-minute drive from Shin-Hakodate-Hokuto Station on the Shinkansen line. The winery can be visited by reservation.

Located next to the factory, "Budokan Main Store" is a direct sales shop where you can always sample more than five recommended wines for free.

A popular choice is "Shibare Wine," made using the "shibare-zukuri" method, where grapes are frozen before pressing. It's a sweet and easy-to-drink dessert wine.

Also popular is the "wine soft serve ice cream." There are two types, red and white. The red one on the left in the photo uses Campbell wine, and the white one on the right uses Niagara wine. The alcohol content of the wine is less than 0.5%, so it can be enjoyed by drivers and children.

Hakkensan Winery is located about a 10-minute drive from Jozankei Onsen, a popular tourist spot near Sapporo.

Located at the foot of Mt. Hakkensan, this is a relatively new winery, established in 2011. With the motto, "Wine is made in the vineyard, and grapes want to become wine," they are actively developing new products.

If you wish, you can tour the vineyards and see the winemaking process.

Popular wines include "Sapporo Local Wine," made from 100% grapes grown on their own farm, and "Seyval 13053," a medium-bodied wine made from Hokkaido-grown grapes. They also offer apple cider and "CHOINOMI 250," a size perfect for comparing different wines, making them suitable for a variety of occasions.

Chitose Winery, easily accessible from New Chitose Airport by car in 15 minutes and from JR Chitose Station on foot in 5 minutes, is easily recognizable by its stone building.

It can get quite cold inside the winery until around June, so be sure to dress warmly when you visit.

Sparkling wines and fruit wines made with haskap berries, a specialty of Chitose, are rare and unique products only found in Hokkaido. Also popular is "Kita Wine," which is made from Kerner and Pinot Noir grapes harvested from contracted vineyards in Yoichi town.

The shop sells products directly, and visitors can enjoy factory tours and tastings at the brewery.

Furano Wine started in 1972 as a city winery called the "Furano City Grape and Fruit Research Institute."

It's a popular tourist spot, and especially from late June to late July, you can see the quintessential Furano scenery with early-blooming lavender in full bloom.

(This is a limited-time light-up of the Furano Wine Lavender Fields.)

Both the red and white wines are said to be refreshing and easy to drink, with no strong or unusual flavors, making them popular even among wine beginners.

In addition to a wine sales area, the factory offers tours of the barrels and tanks where the wine is aged.

Photo by Wikipedia 036_Wine Tasting Corner/shinji_w

Also, even if you can't make it to the guided tour, you can sample recommended wines for free at the tasting corner. We recommend the red wine called "Kiyomi." It is made using "Kiyomi" grapes, a wine-specific variety grown in Ikeda Town, and has been a staple wine since the winery was established. It is a dry wine with a good balance of grape acidity and bitterness, offering an authentic taste.

Hokkaido Winery is a popular winery that has won numerous gold medals and other awards at domestic and international competitions.

In particular, the limited-edition wine "Tsurunuma" is made from late-harvested grapes grown on the company's own farm, "Tsurunuma Winery," and has been recognized for its quality and praised in numerous competitions.

In addition to our own farms, we use local grapes grown by approximately 300 contract farmers, and we brew our wine at our head office brewery in Otaru City, emphasizing our commitment to locally sourced ingredients.

Our headquarters are located on a hill overlooking the city, a 20-minute drive from JR Minami-Otaru Station. At the "Otaru Wine Gallery" inside the headquarters, you can enjoy direct sales of wine and tours.

Above, we introduced some famous wineries in Hokkaido that have recently been attracting attention, and that are also enjoyable to visit as tourist spots, so be sure to check them out.

In addition to those mentioned above, the number of wineries in Hokkaido is increasing year by year, reflecting the growing popularity of Hokkaido wines. Please enjoy Hokkaido wines!

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