First Kyoho Wine In Japan: Tanushimaru, Fukuoka Prefecture

It takes about one hour by car from Fukuoka City to the south.

"Kyoho Winery” spread out in a deep forest at the foot of the Mino Mountain Range.

This is the first Kyoho winery in Japan that handles the entire process of growing, harvesting, brewing, bottling, and selling Kyoho grapes in-house.

Kyoho grapes, also known as the king of grapes, were considered to be difficult to make into wine, however, Denbei Hayashida, the 13th generation brewer of Wakatake Sake Brewery, worked with local farmers for about 10 years to successfully produce a wine made from 100% grape in 1972.

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Upon entering the winery grounds, the first thing that catches the eye is the large brewery.

In addition to Kyoho grapes, wine is made here using a variety of seasonal fruits such as locally harvested blueberries, strawberries, and peaches.

Further in, you will see the entrance to the cellar.

The inside of the cellar is like a different space. Covered with rock walls, this space has the atmosphere of a Western castle, where wines arranged by age lie in quiet repose.

The winery's historical materials and the press used at the time of its founding are also on display, and can be viewed at your leisure.

In addition, there is a restaurant, HEURIGE, within the property of the Kyoho Winery.

Here, you can enjoy rare house wines in the process of fermentation along with dishes made with local ingredients. The view of the vineyards and Tanushimaru from the terrace is truly spectacular.

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Last but not least, stop by the winery's store.

At this store, you can taste and purchase their own grown wines and a variety of fruit wines.

Particularly recommended is the “wine baby”. It is characterized by its acidity and gentle sweetness that remains in its first taste, bottled when the juice of Kyoho grapes is in the process of being turned into wine.

At this store, visitors can taste and purchase their own grown wines and a variety of fruit wines.

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The Kyoho Winery is a place that offers visitors a special experience and great wines. We invite you to visit Tanushimaru Town in Kurume City, Fukuoka Prefecture.

Author profile

Name：HANA

Born in Tokyo, living in Fukuoka for 13 years. I love the outdoors and delicious food.

When I first visited the Kyoho Winery, I was surprised by the environment where the sun gently greeted me through the trees in the forest leading to the facility, and where my excitement grew, a full-fledged winery appeared.

Located halfway up a mountain, the Kyoho Winery's location overlooking the plains is also attractive. BBQ facilities are also available on the premises, so you can enjoy the luxury of a BBQ with a glass of freshly made excellent wine.

Access from Fukuoka Airport

Fukuoka Airport→Hakata Station (Subway Airport Line 6 min.)

Hakata Station→Kurume Station (Shinkansen Sakura 17 min. or JR Kagoshima Honsen rapid train to Inuzuka 40 min.)

Kurume Station→Tanushimaru Station (JR Kyudaihonsen, bound for Ukiha, 29 min.)

Tanushimaru Station→Kyoho Winery (5 minutes by taxi or 40 minutes on foot)

Address: 246-1 Masuida, Tanushimaru-cho, Kurume- city, Fukuoka, Japan

Business hours: 9:00-17:00

Official site