Enjoy Comparing 350 Kinds of Wine at Yamagata’s Winebal 2025 Festival, 10th Edition of Event Held

The Yomiuri Shimbun

16:44 JST, May 28, 2025

KAMINOYAMA, Yamagata — One of Japan’s largest wine festivals, Yamagata Winebal 2025, was held around Kaminoyama Castle in Kaminoyama, Yamagata Prefecture, on May 10 and 11. This year, a record number of 57 wineries opened stalls, with 27 coming from inside the prefecture and 30 from outside. Visitors enjoyed about 350 kinds of wines produced inside and outside the prefecture.

The event began in 2014 when a local commerce and industry organization formed an organizing committee, and this year was the 10th festival held, with a break for the COVID-19 pandemic.

At the festival, Kaminoyama-produced white wine with a refreshing fruity flavor, spicy red wine from Iwate Prefecture and aromatic rose wine with a slight sparkle were served, as well as grape juice that children could enjoy. Visitors received their wine into glasses after handing over the tickets they had purchased.

“The white wine was delicious with just a moderate acidity,” said Yumi Ishino, a 62-year-old pharmacist from Kawasaki. “It was a real luxury to be able to compare wines in the cool outdoors.”