By Nicholas Vroman

A mere couple of hours east from the hubbub of Shinjuku, about 15 kilometers before Matsumoto, at the foothills of the Japanese Alps, is the town of Shiojiri. As you approach the town, the emerald green rice fields give way to grape arbors, most trellised in the traditional Japanese style — high, so cool air can circulate freely under the hanging grapes during the sweltering summer days. Pulling into the station, you know you’re in grape town. Banners and posters for local wineries and wine-country kitsch abound. It’s all in good fun and promotion for the small, but lively wine industry that’s developed in the high Kiyogahara Basin where Shiojiri lies.
A brief stop at the tourist information center just outside the train station is where you can find a bottle of local wine to buy or, better still, a map and directions to the local wineries where you can taste to your heart’s content. The wineries are just a pleasant walk or cab ride through neighborhoods dotted with vineyards, fruit stands, soba shops, temples and shrines.
The wine business in Shiojiri has  been going on for a good 100 years. Japan is a difficult land for making wine. With hot, humid summers and frigid winters at the higher elevations, grapes suffer. But tenacious growers and vintners have been perfecting their crafts, and local wine in Japan is experiencing a small renaissance.
Of the eight wineries that make up the Shiojiri appellation, the two biggest — Suntory and Chateau Mercian — aren’t open to the public. Alps Winery makes some odd and, shall we say, interesting, wine. Izutsu and JA Shiojirishi wineries, with their Concord, Delaware and Niagara grape wines, are best left to the imagination. Of the remaining six, three are highly recommended.
Kido Winery, which started bottling in 2004, is a three-person operation. Aki Kido, his wife Yukiko and father Takeshi make hand-crafted Merlots, Cabernets and Chardonnays with grapes from their three local vineyards. Their bottlings sell out fast. And there’s a good reason. Their wines capture the nature of these great European grapes with a Japanese delicacy, making them unique.
Shinano has been at it since 1917. They make the usual futsu wine that’s best left alone, but of late their Merlot has been shining, winning awards in wine tastings throughout Japan.
But for the best — and they are truly good — wines of the region, Hayashi winery is the place to visit. In their small, homey tasting room, knowledgeable guides will take you through flights of their best Merlots and Chardonnays. They’ve got two brand names for their wines. Hayashi is for their basic wines. Goichi, named after the old man who started the winery in 1919, denotes their flagship wines. Their 2009 Estate Goichi Chardonnay is a delightful mouthful, reminiscent of spring flowers with a delicate citrus and honeyed edge. Their 2007 Estate Goichi Merlot is at its best now, with a delicate edge of dry straw offsetting the lushly balanced fruit that tastes of early summer cherries. A special treat — only available at the winery — is a delightful quince cider. They call it Showashowa Karin and it’s as good or better than most European ciders — and totally original.
On the way to the more touristy areas of Matsumoto or the Kiso Valley to the south, Shiojiri is well worth a stop for a sip or two.

About 20 kilometers south of Shiojiri lies Narai-juku. a famous post town along the old Nakasendo, a major road that connected Tokyo and Kyoto. The town is one of the few in Japan that remains relatively unchanged since the Edo Period.

About 10 kilometers northwest of Shiojiri is Takabocchi Kogen, a highland park where one can see spectacular vistas of the Japanese Alps, the Kiso Mountains and Mount Fuji.