In-depth guides to sake breweries, Japanese wineries, and private craft beverage tours in Japan.
Jozen Mizunogotoshi: A Private Visit to Shirataki Sake Brewery in Niigata
There is a line in the Tao Te Ching, written by Laozi more than two thousand years ago, that a sake brewery in […]
Mars Hosaka Winery: A Private Visit to Yamanashi's Mountain Winery
Mars Hosaka Winery sits at 700 metres above sea level in the Nirasaki highlands of northern Yamanashi — where Hombo Shuzo, makers of Mars Whisky, produces structured mountain reds from altitude-grown Merlot and Cabernet. A guide to private visits with Wintage Tour.
Hakkaisan: A Private Visit to the Sake Brewery That Defines Niigata
There is a sake in Japan that serious drinkers describe with a single word: kirei. Clean. Not simple — clean. […]
Luxury Japan Travel: A Guide to Sake Breweries, Wineries, and Craft Culture Beyond Tokyo
A guide to Japan's most rewarding off-beaten-path travel: private sake brewery visits in Niigata and winery tours in Yamanashi, arranged as day trips or overnights from Tokyo.
Kisvin Winery Japan: A Private Visit to Yamanashi's Most Exclusive Vineyard
Kisvin Winery produces in such small quantities that its wines appear only at Tokyo's finest hotels. A guide to private access — and why a visit here is unlike any standard wine tour.
Koshu Wine: Japan's Indigenous Grape and the Yamanashi Wine Region
Koshu is Japan's indigenous wine grape — pale, delicate, and shaped by over a thousand years in the Kofu Basin. A guide to Koshu wine, Yamanashi wine country, and what a private winery visit looks like.
Sake Tasting in Japan: What to Expect at a Private Brewery
Sake tasting in Japan — what the grades mean, what happens inside a private brewery tasting, and why visiting the source transforms the experience. A practical guide for international visitors.
The Best Sake and Wine Day Trips from Tokyo
Yamanashi wine country and Niigata sake breweries are both reachable as private day trips from Tokyo. This guide covers what to expect, when to go, and what makes a private brewery or winery visit different from a standard tour.
What to Expect on a Private Sake Brewery Tour in Japan
Everything you need to know before your first private sake brewery tour in Japan — koji room access, tasting sessions with the brewer, and lunch at local restaurants. A guide from Wintage Tour.
The Best Time to Visit Japan for Sake and Wine Tours
Planning a sake brewery or winery tour in Japan? Discover how each season — spring cherry blossoms, summer vineyard work, autumn harvest, and winter brewing — shapes the experience. A seasonal guide from Wintage Tour.