[NEWS] The 5th Japan Wine Festival

From April 12 to 14, 2019, the “5th Japan Wine Festival ~JAPAN WINE FESTIVAL~” will be held at the Fountain Plaza of Hibiya Park, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo. As many as 49 wineries from 14 prefectures belonging to the Koshu of Japan Wineries Association will exhibit and pour their own wines.

At the opening ceremony on the 12th, Michio Nagabayashi, president of Mercian Corporation, and Hiroshi Yoshii, a director-general of the National Tax Agency, spoke as sponsors about the rising demand for wine in Japan in recent years and the growth of “Japan wine” – wine made domestically using 100% Japanese grapes.

The ribbon-cutting at the opening ceremony on 4/12 (from left: Director-General Yoshii of the National Tax Agency; President Nagabayashi of Mercian; President Miyashita of Suntory Wine International; President Shimazaki of Manns Wine).

Glass in hand, it's a perfect chance to savor Japanese wines from across the country, from Hokkaido to Oita. Inside the venue, besides the winery booths, you can also enjoy cheese from the NPO Cheese Professional Association and various foods from food trucks. Seminars by professionals working at the front lines, including Takuro Tatsumi, chairman of the “Association of People Who Love Japanese Wine,” are also planned.

[How to take part]
① Buy an original (plastic) wine glass and a ticket.
② Buy wine at the booths.
③ Give your glass a quick rinse at the washing station and try the next wine!

[Seminars & events]
● 4/12 Asia-Oceania Best Sommelier Wataru Iwata on the appeal of Japanese wine
● 4/13 Endless ways to enjoy! ~Pairing Japanese wine with Japanese cheese~
● 4/13 Comparative tasting seminar of four top-range “Solaris” red wines
● 4/13 Special screening of “Usukeboys” ~Château Mercian Kikyogahara Merlot~
● 4/13 “Japan wine party” networking event for wine lovers
● 4/14 Riedel's new “Koshu” glass tasting seminar by Château Mercian
● 4/14 On the potential of the now-spotlighted native variety “Muscat Bailey A”

■ The 5th Japan Wine Festival ~JAPAN WINE FESTIVAL~ ■
Dates: Fri Apr 12 15:00–21:00 / Sat Apr 13 11:00–19:00 / Sun Apr 14 11:00–16:00. Venue: Hibiya Park Fountain Plaza.
[Official site] http://www/nihonwine-matsuri.jp/