“Funao Winery” holds festival events throughout the year.
Its 2026 summer festival, “Wine and Grape Summer Festival,” celebrates the 140th anniversary of Muscat of Alexandria cultivation.
Here’s a look at a day spent enjoying grapes, wine, and music in the winery’s satoyama at summer dusk.
The information presented was current when this article was published in July 2026. Please note that it may differ from current information.
“Wine and Grape Summer Festival” Event Overview
The “Wine and Grape Summer Festival” will be held on Sunday, July 26, 2026, from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m.
The Funao Town Agricultural Successors Club, GRAPE SHIP, and Funao Winery have joined forces to plan the event, growing it into an even more appealing event than before. All three are dedicated to cultivating Muscat of Alexandria in Funao.
Please see the flyer for details.
The Funao Town Agricultural Successors Club and Muscat of Alexandria
We spoke with Asano Yoshinori, a member of the Funao Town Agricultural Successors Club, which co-hosts the event with Funao Winery, about the club and Muscat of Alexandria (hereafter “Alexandria”).
The Funao Town Agricultural Successors Club is an association of young agricultural workers in Funao.
As of July 2026, it has 16 members. Five grow Alexandria, five grow sweet peas, another specialty of Funao, and the others are producers of grapes such as Shine Muscat.
There used to be more than 100 Alexandria-producing farms, but now there are only a dozen or so. In that respect, too, the Funao Town Agricultural Successors Club is a reassuring presence for the community.
And 2026 marks the 140th anniversary of Alexandria cultivation beginning in Okayama Prefecture. It is apparently rare for a single variety to be grown for 140 years. While many new varieties of mandarins, strawberries, and grapes have emerged through repeated breeding, there are few examples of one variety continuing for so long.
Seedless grapes such as Shine Muscat and Pione are popular these days, but the aroma, flavor, and acidity that come from having seeds are unlike anything else. They explained that hormone treatment to make grapes seedless inevitably diminishes their aroma.
Incidentally, the name Muscat of Alexandria is said to come from the fact that it spread from its place of origin in North Africa to various regions via Alexandria Port on the Mediterranean coast. Its greatest appeal, its rich aroma, is brought out by the seeds, so it is deliberately grown with them.
Because it requires high temperatures and dry conditions to grow, greenhouse cultivation techniques developed in Japan, particularly in Okayama Prefecture, beginning in the Meiji era. Even today, Okayama Prefecture accounts for about 90% of domestic production.
Freshly picked Alexandria grapes will also be on sale on the day of the event, and you may be able to get them at a good price. Gift sets of Alexandria grapes, juice, and wine will also be available, as will shipping to other parts of Japan (box and shipping fees extra; cash only).
At the food booth, strawberry shop ROSSO will sell “shaved Alexandria,” made by shaving frozen Alexandria grapes, in addition to its signature “shaved strawberries.”
Juices and Wine Born in Funao
Juices and wine made in Funao will be on sale on the day.
100% Alexandria Juice from the Funao Town Agricultural Successors Club
The Funao Town Agricultural Successors Club also makes 100% Alexandria juice from grapes grown in Funao. The juice is deliberately left with its lees, which settle at the bottom; shaking the bottle distributes them throughout the juice.
When I tried it, it was very sweet and rich, with a strikingly fragrant aroma. At 3,300 yen per bottle (720 ml), it is a little pricey, but after hearing how much work goes into making it and tasting it myself, I felt the price was justified.
GRAPE SHIP’s Natural Wine “Aka 2025”
Another organizer of this summer festival, GRAPE SHIP, is a winery run by Matsui Kazunori. Matsui grows Alexandria organically himself and produces and sells natural wine and juice at his own winery, GRAPE SHIP.
During our visit, we sampled “Aka 2025,” a rosé wine he said was his top recommendation. It is made with Alexandria grapes along with Syrah and Shoko-shi grapes, and, of course, is a natural wine with no additives.
Matsui describes it as “a dry wine with gentle effervescence, offering sweet-and-sour notes and a pleasant bitterness, and allowing you to savor the fruit’s flavor at leisure.”
GRAPE SHIP’s natural wines have fans across Japan. Production is limited, making them popular products that sell out quickly. It may be a stroke of luck if you get to try one at this summer festival.
New Juices and Wine from Funao Winery
Of course, juices and wine from Funao Winery will also be on sale.
The newly released Muscat of Alexandria juice is Funao Winery’s first juice made from 100% Alexandria grapes. The grapes are harvested from the winery’s own vineyards and elsewhere when they reach a sugar content of at least 18 degrees, and the juice is made generously with free-run juice.
They said they used the winery’s distinctive filtration techniques to create a premium juice with exceptional clarity.
Funao Winery manager Jogo Tetsuya told us:
“From growing the Alexandria grapes to making the juice and designing the label, we have created this product with care for the connections and bonds between people at every stage. Please enjoy the rich, pure fruit flavor born of the winery’s skill and passion.”
Another wine worth mentioning is “Muscat of Alexandria Tokujo Dry Orange 2024,” which won a Gold Medal at the Asia Wine Awards 2026.
This wine was released to commemorate the 140th anniversary of Alexandria cultivation. The Asia Wine Awards is said to judge wines from around the world based on color, aroma, taste, balance, and drinkability, while taking into account Asian tastes and lifestyles, as well as wine regions and grape varieties. The judges include wine experts, wine merchants (importers and distributors), and sommeliers from across Asia.
A Message from Funao Winery
We asked Funao Winery manager Jogo Tetsuya for a message to our readers.
Jogo (surname only)
This year marks 140 years since Muscat of Alexandria, which Funao Winery, GRAPE SHIP, and the Funao Town Agricultural Successors Club each handle with great care, began to be grown in Okayama.
The three organizations are joining forces to hold the “Wine and Grape Summer Festival” to raise awareness of Alexandria and make it more familiar to people. We have planned an event with more to offer than ever before, hoping that as many people as possible will come and enjoy Alexandria’s rich aroma and refined sweetness.
The venue will be packed with appealing vendors.
Visitors wearing yukata or jinbei will receive one complimentary glass of juice or wine at the Funao Winery shop. Please come to Funao Winery with your family and friends.
From the Writer
I have attended events at Funao Winery many times, but this time I also got to hear from young producers involved in growing Muscat of Alexandria and making wine in Funao about their work. Seeing how they carefully continue the labor-intensive cultivation of Muscat of Alexandria while working in harmony with nature, I was moved to learn that they take pride and responsibility in this historic cultivation and have confidence in its flavor and aroma.
When I was a child, “muscat” meant Muscat of Alexandria, and even in my hometown of Okayama, it was a premium grape. It was very sweet and delicious, but peeling it and removing the seeds was a little troublesome.
In recent years, since muscat grapes that can be eaten with their skins on, such as Shine Muscat, began appearing on the market, the convenience and price have meant that I have had far fewer chances to eat Muscat of Alexandria. But eating it again has reminded me that its flavor is exceptional.
I’m really looking forward to the day of this summer festival, knowing that I’ll get to enjoy Muscat of Alexandria lovingly grown by the producers, as well as products made from it, such as juice and wine.
140th Anniversary of Muscat of Alexandria Cultivation: “Wine and Grape Summer Festival” Information
| Name | 140th Anniversary of Muscat of Alexandria Cultivation: “Wine and Grape Summer Festival” |
|---|---|
| Date | July 26, 2026 (Sunday) 3:00 p.m.–7:00 p.m. |
| Location | 611-2 Mizue, Funao-cho, Kurashiki City, Okayama Prefecture |
| Admission (tax included) | Free *Food and drink costs are charged separately. |
| Website | Funao Winery |
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