Japan Winery Awards 2026: 98WINEs Joins the Five-Star Ranks
The Japan Winery Awards 2026, which rank Japanese wineries, have been announced: 318 estates were rated nationwide, and Yamanashi's 98WINEs has newly reached the top five-star tier.
On 8 June 2026, the Japan Winery Award Council announced the results of the ninth Japan Winery Awards 2026. Of the 396 wineries nationwide that were considered, 318 were rated in four categories: Five Stars, Four Stars, Three Stars and Connoisseurs. The awards are distinctive in that they rank the producer itself rather than individual wines, which makes them a useful guide when choosing Japanese wine producers. Note that “Japanese wine” means wine made solely from grapes grown in Japan and vinified in Japan.
Eighteen five-star wineries, with Yamanashi’s 98WINEs a new entry
The top tier, Five Stars, is awarded to wineries that show outstanding quality across many labels and vintages, and 18 were chosen this year. The newcomer is 98WINEs in Yamanashi Prefecture, west of Tokyo and north of Mount Fuji, the heartland of Japanese wine. Yamanashi has ten wineries in total on the list, including Katsunuma Jozo, Chateau Mercian, Chuo Budoshu and Suntory Tomi no Oka Winery. Elsewhere, the selection includes Domaine Takahiko and Yamazaki Winery from Hokkaido; Sakai Winery, Takahata Winery and Takeda Winery from Yamagata Prefecture in the Tohoku region; Obuse Winery and Kido Winery from Nagano Prefecture; and Ajimu Budoshu Kobo from Oita Prefecture in Kyushu. Below them, there are 76 Four-Star wineries and 170 Three-Star wineries, plus 54 “Connoisseurs”, which make distinctive wines worthy of recognition.
Judging the producer, not a tasting
The judges are representatives or buyers from wine shops and restaurants with a broad range of Japanese wines, or people who write about Japanese wine, and as a rule they must have at least ten years of experience. Regional and national judges narrow down the candidates, and the final decision is made through discussion among all the national judges. The main criteria are consistency of quality from vintage to vintage, consistency of quality from product to product, value for money, and an overall assessment. The condition of the vineyards, the winemaking facilities and the stability of the business are also taken into account. Because a growing number of new producers outsource their winemaking to other companies, only wineries that have held a fruit wine production licence for at least three years are eligible.
The next faces chosen by the author of Kami no Shizuku and by JAL
This year’s special judge was Yuko Kibayashi, the writer behind the wine manga Kami no Shizuku (The Drops of God), who works under the pen name Tadashi Agi. The Yuko Kibayashi Prize, which she selects, went to Geohills Winery in Nagano Prefecture. The JAL Prize, with which Japan Airlines (JAL) supports the next generation of wineries, went to Minamisanriku Winery in Miyagi Prefecture and Bellwood Vineyard Winery in Yamagata Prefecture. As last year, 20 ordinary Japanese wine enthusiasts were also invited to the award ceremony.
If you are choosing Japanese wine in Europe, you can use this list to search by producer name. The names of wineries rated Four Stars and below are published on the Council’s official website. Check the producer and region on the label, and try comparing five-star wineries from different regions, such as cool Hokkaido, Yamagata in Tohoku, the basin of Yamanashi and the highlands of Nagano, to see the range of Japanese wine. You could also ask a specialist shop or importer of Japanese drinks which of the award-winning wineries they stock.
Sources
This article was written by The Sake Wire editorial team, summarising the public sources listed above. Images are our own.
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