insights from frontier Japan

Since the Coronavirus pandemic took hold last spring, sake companies in Hokkaido have continued to face adversity. In a bid to expand their sales channels, many are looking overseas. The volume of exports in the past five years (including sales at duty-free shops in Hokkaido) has been in the range of 100 to 200 thousand liters. This accounts for just 5% or so of the total shipment of alcohol and, therefore, depending on the Coronavirus being brought under control, there can be said to be sufficient room for growth.

In Hokkaido there are 25 microbreweries, like the well-known ‘Noboribetsu Craft Beer Onidensetsu,’ that are particular about manufacturing methods and use of local ingredients, and their distinctive beers and shochu white spirits are increasing in presence.

More and more businesses in Hokkaido are taking up the challenge of producing high-quality whisky using local resources, making the most of the environment – ideal for producing barley and ageing unblended whisky – with which it is blessed.

Located in the city of Nayoro, ‘Shinga’ is known as Japan’s northernmost winery. “If there were no varieties that contained the Crimson Glory pedigree, we couldn’t have produced red wine here,” confides CEO Takebe Yuji (48)

In early April, as the last remaining snow disappears, in a hillside vineyard overlooking Hakodate, maintenance was being carried out on the young Pinot noir variety of vines used to make red wine.

Why are producers of alcohol popping up around Hokkaido right now? We asked Sone Teruo (51), professor of Applied Microbiology at Hokkaido University Research Faculty of Agriculture, who is knowledgeable about wine and whisky produced in Hokkaido.

Wine and the like that cannot be made elsewhere; initiatives in pursuit of thorough quality are beginning in regions throughout Hokkaido.

The town of Shakotan, located on a peninsula that protrudes west from central Hokkaido, is known for having one of Hokkaido’s leading beaches and for its specialty product of sea urchin. ‘Craft gin’ that utilizes the region’s abundant botanical resources is produced at a small distillery in the town.