Katsunuma Grape Festival: Savoring a Day Full of Grapes and Wine

The Kōshū City Katsunuma Grape Festival

(Kōshū City, Yamanashi Prefecture) 

【Budō（ぶどう）】 is a Japanese word for grapes. This fruit is believed to have been introduced to Japan through the Silk Road in ancient times. As early as the 7th to 8th centuries, grapevine patterns were used in the designs of Buddhist statue pedestals, and there was even a Buddha statue holding a bunch of grapes. This shows that grapes were not merely a fruit, but also held cultural and spiritual significance.

Grape cultivation in Japan became widespread in more modern times. As domestic wine production began in earnest. Among Japan’s grape-producing regions, Katsunuma in Kōshū City holds a central place, with a 1,300-year history of grape cultivation and a 145-year history of winemaking.

Every year on the first Saturday of October, when grapes are harvested, the Kōshū City Katsunuma Grape Festival is held. Upon arriving at JR Katsunuma Budōkyō Station, visitors are greeted by a sweeping view of the vineyard-covered hills from a high vantage point, offering a vivid sense of nature’s bounty. As you enter the city, grapevines can be seen along roads, with clusters of grapes hanging heavily everywhere you look.

The town’s central square serves as the main venue for the Grape Festival. Despite the name, the event is essentially a wine festival. Local wineries set up booths and offer tastings of their wines to attendees.

Normally, visitors would need to travel from one winery to another throughout Katsunuma area, but during this festival, all the wineries gather in one place. This makes it easy to sample a wide variety of wines without the hassle of moving around. Upon arrival, visitors purchase a tasting ticket and receive a commemorative wine glass. The glass is decorated with images of two young men from Katsunuma who played a foundational role in Japanese wine history.

The venue is bustling with people strolling around, wine glass in hand, wondering which wine to try next. Red, white, rosé, sparkling―so many flavors tempt the eye and the palate. Wines made from Koshu grapes, a native Japanese variety used for white wines, and Muscat Bailey A, used for red wines, are particularly well-known from this region.

If you get hungry, you can enjoy food like fried noodles from festival stalls, pairing it with your wine. For those who don’t drink or for children, grape juice is also available, making the festival enjoyable for everyone.

Around the venue, grape farmers sell fresh grapes directly to visitors. There are many varieties of red and white grapes, each with its own unique sweetness, tartness, and size, making the selection process part of the fun. If you still haven’t had your fill, there’s a paid wine tasting corner at the station. Here, you can savor Katsunuma wine to the very last drop.

A day in the grape-rich land of Katsunuma is a truly luxurious experience. Nature, history, culture, and flavor come together in this special place.