Private Nagano Wine Tour from Karuizawa: Villa d'Est Lunch

Your guide is a certified sommelier who spent 16 years as an international flight attendant.

A private wine tour from Karuizawa through the Chikuma River Wine Valley with a dedicated English-speaking sommelier guide and complimentary transport. You visit the preserved Edo-period post town of Unno-juku, learn about local terroir at the Wine & Beer Museum, and finish with a seasonal farm-to-table lunch paired with Villa d'Est wines at the winery itself, surrounded by vineyard views. Two wine tastings or a non-alcoholic pairing are included. Children from age 6 are welcome, though their meals are ordered separately on-site.

Step-by-step itinerary

Nagano wine tour and winery lunch

• Visit Unno-juku Edo-period town
• Explore Wine & Beer Museum exhibits
• Taste local wines and craft beers
• Tour Villa d'Est Winery gardens
• Enjoy farm-to-table lunch with wine

The experience

Four to five hours gives you time to move at your own pace through three distinct stops without rushing. You start at Unno-juku, a post town that has survived since the Edo period with its original merchant houses and silk-farming architecture still intact along the Hokkoku Kaido highway. The connection between that history and today's wine culture is real: the same low rainfall and abundant sunlight that once made Nagano a silk powerhouse now drives the vineyards of the Chikuma River Wine Valley.

Your guide, Eriko, is a certified sommelier and Nagano Terroir Guide who trained with the Confrérie des Chevaliers du Tastevin, a prestigious wine brotherhood. She handles all the driving so everyone in your group can taste without worry. At the Wine & Beer Museum in Tomi City, you sample from a rotating selection of local wines and craft beers before moving to the actual vineyards: a way to figure out what you like before you arrive. Villa d'Est itself is a pioneer of modern Japanese wine, founded by an essayist and painter, and sits on hillsides with views across the rolling vineyards to your table.

Lunch is a seasonal farm-to-table course built around vegetables and herbs from the winery's own garden, paired with local meat or fish and Villa d'Est wines chosen to match each course. If you prefer not to drink, a craft non-alcoholic pairing is available. The itinerary can include stops at Raiden Kurumi no Sato, a roadside farmers' market known for local walnuts and regional produce, or at Tsuruya, a local supermarket chain where you can pick up Nagano's signature fruits, wines from the valley, and private-label items like their apple butter spread. Just let your guide know if either appeals to you.

What’s included

• Two wine tastings or one non-alcoholic craft pairing.
• air-conditioned private vehicle with a certified sommelier guide.
• Villa d'Est's seasonal farm-to-table lunch course with fresh garden vegetables, local herbs, and regional meat or fish.
• samples at the Wine & Beer Museum.

Before you book

Days and timesThursday to Sunday

AgesAdult (13 and older) · Child (6 to 12 years) · Under 6: can't be booked

GroupPrivate

Live guideEnglish

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup included.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.

ConfirmationConfirmation within 48 h

Prices and times updated 2 days ago

Good to know

Low physical effortPublic transport nearbyNot recommended during pregnancyNot recommended with heart problemsNot recommended with back problems

Operated by Japan Go Round

Is this one for you?Book this tour if you want to move through wine country without driving and have someone who knows the region's history and terroir explain what you are tasting. The fixed four- to five-hour window fits the main stops (Unno-juku, the museum, and Villa d'Est) into a single afternoon, leaving your morning or evening free for the rest of Karuizawa.

Top questions

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Child (6 to 12 years). Children under 6 can't be included in the booking.

What is Unno-juku and why does the tour start there?

Unno-juku is a preserved post town from the Edo period on the historic Hokkoku Kaido highway, lined with authentic merchant houses and silk-farming architecture. The tour begins there to show how Nagano's climate (low rainfall and abundant sunlight) built a thriving silk industry centuries ago and now drives world-class wine production in the same region.

Does the tour include wine tastings, and can I do it without alcohol?

Two wine tastings at Villa d'Est are included, or you can choose a craft non-alcoholic pairing instead. You also sample wines and craft beers at the Wine & Beer Museum before lunch. Extra drinks can be ordered on-site if you want more.

What is the farm-to-table lunch like at Villa d'Est?

Lunch is a seasonal course featuring fresh local vegetables and herbs from the winery's own garden, paired with regional meat or fish and Villa d'Est wines selected to match each dish. You eat surrounded by panoramic vineyard views. Children's meals are not included in the tour price. You order and pay for them separately on-site.

Is private transport included, and do I need to drive myself?

Private transport is included for your entire group. Your guide, Eriko, drives an air-conditioned vehicle so all guests can enjoy wine tastings without worrying about driving.