Hokkaido Wine, a winery based in Otaru, Hokkaido, will begin accepting reservations on July 1 (Wednesday), 2026, for a new reservation-only weekend tour, the "Weekend Only Sushi Pairing Tour." The tour offers a casual pairing of the winery's own wines with sushi from a neighborhood restaurant that locals have loved for years.
Concept: Beyond Sightseeing, Where Everyday Local Life Meets Wine
Otaru is famous nationwide for its sushi, yet many visitors are unsure which restaurant to choose, wonder where they can enjoy sushi with wine, or ask where the locals actually eat. In response to these questions, Hokkaido Wine created a deeply local pairing experience.
Rather than a well-known restaurant in the tourist district, the tour intentionally partners with a neighborhood sushi shop near the winery that locals visit regularly and trust. In the special underground tasting room, guests can discover flavors beloved by residents in a way that differs from ordinary sightseeing.
Three Highlights of the Weekend Only Sushi Pairing Tour
1. A 110-Minute Experience Starting with a Winery Tour
The tour begins with a presentation on Hokkaido Wine today and an explanation of the history of its winemaking, followed by a popular 4K immersive vineyard experience (a virtual vineyard) and visits to the oak barrel aging cellar and the room where bottle-fermented sparkling wine is produced. It is a full program designed to be enjoyed with all five senses. After the winery tour, guests move to the underground tasting room "Keller3" for a relaxed pairing of the winery's wines with the neighborhood sushi. (Total duration: about 110 minutes.)
2. Familiar, Reliable Flavors from a Neighborhood Sushi Shop
For the pairing, guests can choose between "nigiri sushi" or "raw chirashi sushi" prepared by a sushi shop beloved by locals. A pairing with a neighborhood sushi shop may offer new ideas that can be brought to the everyday dining table. To help guests enjoy the wine at its best, each wine is served at an appropriate temperature in original glasses bearing the winery's logo, made by the renowned Austrian glassmaker Riedel. (Please select "nigiri sushi" or "raw chirashi sushi" when booking.)
The nigiri sushi is served in a sushi tub with a nostalgic feel, a presentation unique to this neighborhood-focused plan. It works both as an accompaniment to the wine and as a light meal.
The raw chirashi sushi is generous in volume, making it a good choice for those who would like to enjoy it as a meal alongside the wine pairing.
3. Wines You Can Enjoy Again at Home
So that guests can recreate the pairing experience at home, the wines served during the tour are also available for purchase at the winery's shop.
Four of the winery's wines are paired with the sushi: "Traditional Method Hokkaido Type M," "Northern Blend 2023," "PIWI's Blend 2022," and "Yoichi Harvest Kerner Special Cuvee 2020." The combined suggested retail price for all four full bottles is ¥13,882 (tax included). The selection may vary with the season.
Tour Details
Tour Name: Weekend Only Sushi Pairing Tour (reservation required)
Price: ¥13,200 per person (tax included)
Dates: Every Friday, Saturday, and Sunday (minimum of 2 participants required)
Time: 11:00 AM to 12:50 PM (approximately 110 minutes). Please complete check-in by 10:50 AM.
Details: After check-in, all participants set off together on the winery tour. In the underground tasting room "Keller3," the neighborhood sushi shop's "nigiri sushi" or "raw chirashi sushi" is served alongside a pairing of four of the winery's wines chosen to match the sushi. Afterward, guests are free to shop or spend their time as they wish. A shopping discount voucher (valid only on the day of participation) is provided.
The name of the featured sushi restaurant is kept as a secret to be shared among the tour's participants.
Reservations
Reservations are accepted through the dedicated booking site. On the reservation calendar, the tour is available on dates marked "Weekend Only Sushi Pairing Tour."
https://hokkaidowine.rsvsys.jp/
Access
The winery is about a 20-minute taxi ride from JR Otaru Station, JR Minami-Otaru Station, or the canal area (approximately ¥3,500 to ¥4,000). Staff can arrange a taxi for the return trip.
