Explore a World-Famous Winery with a Guided Tour and Private Tasting in Yamanashi

The Icon series—Château Mercian’s signature line

Château Mercian’s long list of accolades reflects its standing as one of Japan’s leading wineries. Its wines have earned numerous gold medals at the International Wine Challenge, the world’s largest and most prestigious wine competition. In 2020, Mariko Winery, one of its vineyards, was named among the World’s Best Vineyards, placing in the global top 30 for wine tourism. Wabunka’s exclusive plan offers access to this acclaimed winery—an experience described as one worth seeking out at least once. Spend a day immersed in the evolving story of Japanese wine.

Exceptional Japanese wines crafted to global standards are born here

Explore the Origins of Japanese Wine at the Wine Museum, a Japanese Heritage Site

Your journey begins at the Katsunuma Winery, where a private guide will lead you to the Wine Museum. Here, you will trace the origins of Japanese winemaking and the legacy of Château Mercian, rooted in the land of Katsunuma.

Housed in Japan’s oldest surviving wooden winery, the museum preserves key chapters in Japanese wine history

Built in 1904, the museum is considered the oldest wooden winery still standing in Japan. In 2020, it was designated a Japanese Heritage Site by the Agency for Cultural Affairs. It houses rare materials documenting Japan’s winemaking journey, including large-scale equipment from the early 1900s, an original underground cellar, and bottles of the oldest known Japanese wine, dating back 140 years.

Takano Family Wine (left two bottles), brewed in 1879, stands as a preserved symbol of early winemaking dreams and dedication

After the museum, your guide will lead you to Iwaimura vineyard Vineyard, located just behind the wine museum. Here, over 20 grape varieties—including Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Chardonnay, and Koshu—are cultivated using the hedge method, a technique common in Europe and the U.S. Depending on the season, the vineyard reveals a changing landscape of foliage, textures, and color. It’s also rare to find so many grape types grown together in a single plot—take your time to observe the unique shapes and growth stages of the vines.

Observe the varied leaf shapes and ages of different grape varieties up close

 Inside the Winemaking Process: A Behind-the-Scenes Tour

Next, you will step into the winemaking facility—an area normally closed to the public. With your guide, explore the production zone where freshly harvested grapes are fermented and blended. Towering stainless steel tanks, each capable of holding around 20,000 bottles’ worth of wine, line the cellar. Nearby, ten large French oak barrels used mainly for aging red wine add a sense of grandeur.

One temperature-controlled tank holds the equivalent of 20,000 bottles of wine

Château Mercian’s renowned wines rest in the underground cellar, awaiting perfection

Walk the path of Japanese wine and feel the devotion behind each bottle

The Ortus Room was created as a refined space for a premium tasting experience

A rare experience for wine lovers—tasting in the heart of the cellar

From vine to glass, each grape becomes a lasting impression