Yokohama Winery

Yokohama Winery was founded in 2017 by Yoshiko Machida, a former employee of environmental group WWF Japan. The brewery makes red, white, and rosé wines by being inspired by the assets of Yokohama, where they have lived for many years.

As of 2021, the ingredients are brought from her friends. Wine grapes from Yamanashi, Nagano, and other Tohoku prefectures, and cider apples from Fukushima Prefecture. Currently, the brewery is seeking to produce a local wine made by the ingredients from Yokohama. They have opened a 0.3-hectare vineyard on abandoned land in Asahi Ward, near Yokohama Zoo called ZOORASIA, and grow grapes without pesticides., and grow grapes without pesticides.

The Yokohama Winery delivers wine to customers within Naka ward and Nishi ward by electric motorcycle. They also collect empty bottles to reuse them.
They refund 30 yen per full or half-sized bottle and 20 yen per mini bottle, to customers who returned their bottle. Furthermore, they offer the subscription service “Hama Wine Club.” The club members can return the bottles by cash on delivery.

They contribute to sustainability by producing antioxidant-free wines that have a low impact on our health.

1. Reducing Environmental Impact with Returnable Bottles

Compared to one-way bottles, returnable bottles have about half the environmental impact on CO2 emissions. Since wines are often imported, and many bottles come in different colors and shapes, recycling them is considered a challenge.

2. Running Electric Bikes with Renewable Energy

Yokohama Winery and its vineyards use a renewable energy program called “Yokohama no Denki (meaning Electricity of Yokohama).” Renewable electric bikes cut CO2 emissions by about half compared to gasoline-powered vehicles.

3. Conveying a Wine Culture in a Sustainable Manner

Milk has gradually shifted from glass bottles to paper cartons. Some people may think that the same transition should be done to wine, but many people consider that paper cartons and plastic bottles are not appropriate for wine. This conflict makes it hard for producers to make a shift. On the other hand, Japan had a tradition which liquor stores collect empty beer and sake bottles to reuse them. It is the time to reconsider using bottles sustainably to make a transition towards a zero-carbon society.