Hirakawa Winery

Hirakawa Winery was established in Yoichi, Hokkaido in 2015, following the creation of its farming entity, Hirakawa Farm, in 2014. Its founder, Atsuo Hirakawa, is originally from Tokyo and holds an unusual triple qualification — sommelier, agricultural engineer, and oenologist — that gives him a comprehensive view of every stage of the wine process, from vine to table.

Hirakawa spent roughly 12 years studying and working in France, where he is described as the only Japanese person to have graduated from ENSA/Agro-Montpellier (now Institut Agro Montpellier), a Grande École considered the most difficult to get into in the field of agriculture in France. Here, in 2003, he was awarded his Diplôme National d'Œnologue (DNO), which is the only officially recognized degree in France required to work as an enologist (oenologist). Throughout his time in France, he has worked in several of France's most celebrated wineries, including Château Margaux, Château Cheval Blanc, Domaine Bernard Baudry, Château Lafleur, and Domaine Leflaive, as well as in South Africa and New Zealand. His experience as a sommelier in both French and Japanese fine dining gave him an unusually complete understanding of how wine meets cuisine.

After returning to Japan in 2008, Hirakawa worked at Michel Bras Toya Japon, and it was while serving as a sommelier here, eventually as head sommelier, that he tasted the white wines made from Yoichi-grown Kerner grapes and became convinced that world-class wine could be made there. He set out to prove it, believing that whether or not a unique flavor can be created from the land depends on the discernment and mindset of the person making it, and with the goal of creating wines from cold-climate grape-growing regions that can complement fine dining. Notably, Hirakawa chooses not to identify grape varieties on labels, preferring that each wine be understood as an expression of place and vintage.

The estate has expanded significantly since its founding. Today, Hirakawa Winery cultivates approximately 13.5 hectares across three distinct vineyard sectors in Yoichi, totalling 21 hectares of property. The first sector (Sawamachi, 8 ha) sits directly on the coastal relief with exceptional south-facing exposure. The second (Toyooka core, established 2018) was cleared and planted on southeast-facing slopes. A third sector was acquired in 2023, further broadening the range of microclimates and soil profiles available.