Best Japanese Wine Bars In Tokyo

5 minutes read time

Japan makes some seriously exciting wines. Finding a place to drink it in Tokyo is another story.

Bars that focus on Japanese bottles are small, often tucked away, and sometimes you can only find them by sending a message on Instagram (true story!). So I did the digging for you.

First, the three places I’ve been to and loved. Then the addresses on my list for my next trip, a few wineries and wine regions that have opened their own spots in the city and some tips so your evening goes smoothly.

Please note that the details in this post, such as opening hours or offerings, may have changed since I wrote it. I recommend checking directly with the establishments for the latest updates before your visit. I found Instagram is usually the most reliable source.

Start here : 3grapes (Yoyogi)

If you’ve never tasted Japanese wine, this is where I’d send you first.

3grapes is a small Japanese wine salon a few minutes from Meiji Jingu Shrine, and it’s exactly the kind of place I’ve been looking for. The team runs guided tastings in English (and French).

You taste five Japanese wines from different regions in about an hour. Add food pairings if you’re hungry, or go premium and take home a handcrafted wine glass. In a rush? There’s a quick three wine tasting, and you can also just pop in for a glass.

Fun fact: a lot of European visitors walk out with a bottle of Japanese wine rather than sake. I take it as a very good sign.

Tastings start at ¥9,500 per person. Opening hours vary, so check their website before you go. And if you book through my 3grapes article, the code DIANE gets you 5% off.

My secret address : Nippon Wine Nakamura 日本ワイン中村 (Arakicho, Shinjuku)

日本ワイン中村 is the kind of tiny bar you would never find by chance. It sits in the quiet backstreets of Arakicho, with eight seats around a counter, a bit like a traditional kappo restaurant, and nothing but Japanese wine of the list.

The staff know their stuff, and they have a soft spot for rare bottles from small producers, with plenty from Hokkaido. When I went, I tasted five whites, one rosé and four reds.

Yup, ten wines.

Among them : a Chardonnay from Kumamoto, an Albarino from the Niigata wine coast, a Petit Manseng from Coco Farm in Tochigi, and two Pinot Noirs from Hokkaido, one from Takizawa winery and one from Chitose winery. The snacks are simple and spot-on with the wines (miso-marinated cheese, shishito pepper), but don’t come for dinner.

One thing to know : the staff only speak Japanese, so have Google translate ready.

It’s open Monday to Saturday from 6pm, a short walk from Akebonobashi Station. With only eight seats, book ahead : a message on Instagram was my way. I’ve told the whole story of my evening at 日本ワイン中村 in the post.

For bottles to take home : Osozakura (Nishi-Azabu)

Osozakura means “late-blooming cherry blossom”. Pretty poetic name for a wine shop, don’t you think?

This Japanese wine shop in chic Nishi-Azabu mixes sleek design with daruma dolls and ukio-e prints, and about 95% of its 350 bottles are Japanese. Not ready to commit to a whole bottle? A flight of three glasses costs ¥1,500. (I went with my sister, we took 6…to share! You get way more tasting then)

And if you’re buying a gift, they’ll wrap your bottle in an artisan furoshiki cloth. Cute!

It’s open from noon, closed on Mondays and Wednesdays, and an easy walk from Hiroo station. (S Bldg 1F, 4-4-12 Nishi-Azabu). More on osozakura.jp.

More Japanese wine bars on my list

I haven’t been to these yet, so I’ll keep it short. They all take Japanese wine serioulsy, and they’re top of my list for my next trip.

Bu-an (Shinjuku)

A bistro with around 3000 Japanese wines, more than 15 of them by the glass, and a walk in cellar. The food moves between French and Italian, with pesticide-free vegetables and natural fish. Tasting starts at ¥2,000 and small plates at ¥380.

Open daily for lunch and dinner, and booking is a good idea (2-8-2 Shinjuku). Careful, there’s another Bu-an in Kōenji, ten minutes away by train. It’s a different place, but also a good Japanese wine address, with around 200 bottles (@buan_koenji)

Winestand Waltz (Ebisu)

Your natural wine option. Owner Yasuhiro Ooyama pours natural, organic and biodynamic wines, with some Japanese bottles among them. It’s standing room only, eight people max, so you’ll probably end up chatting with your neighbors.

Cash only, no reservations, open Tuesday to Saturday around 7pm. Glasses start at about ¥1,000 (4-24-3 Ebisu, Shimada Bldg 1F).

Soirée (Sendagaya)

A Japanese wine bistro with a cellar of more than 4000 bottles and a good choice by the glass. The sommelier is a blind-tasting champion, so this is the place to put your palate to the test!

Open 6pm to 11pm, closed Sundays and Mondays, near Kita-sando Station. Book through their website or Instagram.

Degustation

A big range of Japanese wines by the glass, including Koaso, the label they make from their own vineyard in Nagano. Weekdays only, 6pm to 10pm, near Gaiemmae Station (@degustation.kitaaoyama).

Asagayasagao (Asagaya)

Around 20 Japanese wines by the flass, and the list keeps changing. The catch : they only share the address on request, so message them on Instagram first.

Very Tokyo

Open Tuesday to Saturday from 3pm (5:30pm on Tuesdays)

Kogane (Gaiemmae)

An offal izakaya with a brilliant twist : you open the fridge and pick your own bottle from a range of well-priced Japanese wines. Open weekdays from 6pm and weekends from 3pm (kogane-sake.jp)

Kagurazaka Rubaiyat (Kagurazaka)

The Tokyo restaurant of Marufuji, the Yamanashi winery behind the Rubaiyat label. Expect gentle French cooking, with wines shipped straight from Yamanashi. Dinner Tuesday to Saturday, lunch on Sundays (@kagurazaka.rubaiyat2015).

Wineries and Wine Regions with a Tokyo Address

Can’t leave Tokyo? Some wineries and wine regions have come to you!

Kiyosumi Shirakawa Fujimaru Winery (Kiyosumi-Shirakawa)

Wine made right in the middle of the city. This is the Tokyo sibling of Shimanouchi Fujimaru in Osaka, Japan’s first urban winery, with a restaurant and shop on site. Open Thursday to Monday, 11:30 am to 11pm (@kiyosumi_fujimaru_winery).

Värmen (Tokyo Midtown Hibiya)

A restaurant from the family behind Cave d’Occi, the winery that kick-started the Niigata Wine Coast, with Michelin-starred chef Tetsuji Kakegawa overseeing the kitchen. It’s a good excuse to taste their seaside Albariño withoug the three-hour trip to Niigata. Open daily, 11am to 11pm (varmen.jp). The same team runs Āta, a French seafood restaurant in Daikanyama and Toranomon.

Cave de Wine-ken Yamanashi (Nihonbashi)

Yamanashi’s official shop and restaurant in Tokyo, with around 300 wines from the prefecture. If you can’t fit in a day trip to Katsunuma, this is your consolation prize. Open daily (cave-de-wineken.com).

Ginza Nagano (Ginza)

Nagano Prefecture’s shop in Ginza, with local produce and a whole floor for Nagano wines and tastings. Handy if you’re shopping in Ginza anyway. Open daily, 10:30 am to 7pm (ginza-nagano.jp).

Before you go : a few tips for Tokyo wine bars

Message ahead : The best bars are often tiny, run by one or two people, with irregular days off. A quick Instagram message tells you if they’re open and saves you a seat

Keep your sentences short : Google Translate handles “Are you open tonight” much better than a long polite paragraph.

Bring cash : Some small bars don’t take cards.

Skip the perfume : Scent gets in the way of tasting, and some wine bars will actually ask strongly perfumed guests to leave.

Expect a table charge : Many bars add a small charge per person, usually ¥200 to ¥1,000, often with a little welcome dish. That’s normal, and there’s no need to tip on top : tipping isn’t expected in Japan.

Conclusion: Best Japanese Wine Bar In Tokyo

Japanese wine in Tokyo takes a little hunting. Start with an English tasting at 3grapes to find your bearings, then book a counter seat at Nakamura when you’re ready for the rare bottles.

Found another great spot for Japanese wine in Tokyo? Tell me in the comments. I’m always looking for the next one!

Where to next?

My secret address to tasting Japanese wine in Tokyo

In this post, I take you to a hidden gem in Tokyo—a cozy wine bar specializing in Japanese wines. Discover the warm atmosphere, standout bottles like Kikuka Chardonnay, and my personal tips for making the most of your visit. If you’re curious about Japan’s wine scene, this is one spot you won’t want to miss!

Want the full story on 3grapes?

In my dedicated article, I tell you everything you need to know before you book: how the tastings work, which option to pick (quick, casual, with food or premium), and who’s behind the counter. Spoiler: Anzu, François and Alex. And if you book through that page, the code DIANE gets you 5% off.

Get ready before you fly

Kanji labels, grapes you’ve never heard of, regions you can’t place on a map… Japanese wine can feel like a lot at first. My 30-minute video masterclass gives you the big picture, with the slides, a map of the wine regions and a guide to the grapes to keep on your phone. Watch it on the plane, and you’ll walk into your first Tokyo wine bar feeling a lot more confident about what to order.