Taste the Autumn of Yoichi! A One-Night Dinner event on October 10
At UNWIND HOTEL & BAR OTARU, we host the regular event “Taste of Hokkaido Wine & Cuisine,” which shares the wine culture of Hokkaido. This time, we will hold a special dinner for one night only, “Taste of Hokkaido Wine & Cuisine – Terroir of Yoichi –,” on Friday, October 10, 2025, focusing on Yoichi, a wine-producing region gaining attention for its unique charm. The event will take place at “The Ball Otaru,” the hotel’s restaurant in a renovated historic building, where you can enjoy the flavors of autumn available only on this day.
Taste of Hokkaido Wine & Cuisine – Terroir of Yoichi –
We will hold the event “Taste of Hokkaido Wine & Cuisine – Terroir of Yoichi –,” focusing on the neighboring town of Yoichi, which is drawing attention as a wine-producing region with unique appeal.
At this event, you can enjoy a special course dinner made with autumn ingredients from Yoichi, paired with wines produced there. Our guests include Yuka Shinbo from the Yoichi Regional Revitalization Cooperation Team, Mr. Hasegawa from Hasegawa Vineyard, and Ms. Mizuki Nakai from Domaine Mizuki Nakai. With their talks about the appeal of Yoichi wines and their perspectives as producers, you can enjoy a very special dinner.
“Taste of Hokkaido Wine & Cuisine” is a regular event held to make Hokkaido wines easier to enjoy. From tasting a wide variety of wines made from grapes grown in the rich land, to discovering new pairings with food, to deepening your understanding of wine, and even encounters with new wineries, you can enjoy a wealth of experiences through wine.
The venue, “The Ball Otaru,” is a restaurant inside the hotel where the Art Deco style has been preserved since the original construction, with arched windows and stained glass. It is a fantastical space where history and modern design beautifully blend. In this special renovated historic building, please enjoy the deepening season and the flavors of autumn.
Wine List
At this event, you will enjoy wines from five wineries in Yoichi, selected by Yuka Shinbo, who is active as part of the Yoichi Regional Revitalization Cooperation Team. Among them are rare wines such as the first release “Rose” from Domaine Mizuki Nakai and the “Merlot” from Yamada-do, released as a hometown tax donation limited edition.
- CAMEL FARM WINERY｜BACCHUS Extra Dry 2022
- Hasegawa Vineyard｜Line 2023
- Domaine Mizuki Nakai｜Nobori no Oka Nakai Rose 2023
- Yamada-do｜Merlot 2023
- Toyooka Nishio Vineyard｜LA TRADITION Rouge 2023
Five-course menu using plenty of Yoichi ingredients
From the hotel’s restaurant “The Ball Otaru,” we have prepared a special course menu for this day only, using seasonal autumn ingredients from Yoichi, a land rich in both mountains and sea. The dishes highlight the natural flavors of Yoichi, such as Tensho Buri (yellowtail) known as “the taste of heaven” in autumn, and the branded Kitajima pork. Please fully enjoy the pairing of Yoichi wines, made from high-quality grapes grown in this land, with the sweetness and umami of Yoichi’s autumn produce.
※The menu may change depending on availability of ingredients.。
- Amuse
- Yoichi Fukuhara Shoten: marinated herring, herring pickles, scallops marinated in miso
Smoked sweet shrimp and octopus, pickled Yoichi tomato “Nico Rosso”
- Yoichi Fukuhara Shoten: marinated herring, herring pickles, scallops marinated in miso
- Appetizer (meat plate)
- “Chinese-Style Pie-Baked Cocotte with Yoichi Kitajima Wine Pork”
- Fish dish
- Yoichi offshore Tensho Buri meunière with Japanese-style ginger wine sauce and wasabi oil, served with mino-age
- Meat dish
- Yoichi venison shank stewed in Yoichi red wine, with seasonal steamed vegetables
- Dessert
- Compote of Senryo pear from Hasebe Orchard in Yoichi
※Served with bread from a Yoichi bakery (Pan-dokoro)
Event Details
- Date: Friday, October 10, 2025. Doors open 18:30, starts 19:00, ends around 21:00
- Venue: “The Ball Otaru,” restaurant inside UNWIND HOTEL & BAR OTARU
- Capacity: 22 people (first come, first served, reservation required)
- Price: 14,300 yen (tax included)
- Reservation:Please reserve through this form
Presenter: Yuka Shinbo
Born in Okayama Prefecture. Worked for many years as a flight attendant at JAL, ANA Group, and KLM Royal Dutch Airlines, where she developed a deep interest in wine through in-flight wine service.
After obtaining her sommelier certification, she went to France to study for more specialized knowledge. She trained in Bordeaux and Champagne and obtained the qualification of “Conseiller en Sommellerie.”
Currently fascinated by the unique wines of Yoichi, she relocated there as a wine industry support member of the Regional Revitalization Cooperation Team. Since spring 2025, she has been active at wineries and vineyards, devoting herself to sharing the wine and food culture of Yoichi through her local experiences.
Special Guest: Mizuki Nakai
Operating “Domaine Mizuki Nakai” in Nobori, Yoichi, the first winery in the town established by a grape grower. The parent farm has cultivated wine grapes since 1985 and has nearly 100 years of history.
She studied winemaking for two years under Mr. Takahiko Soga of Domaine Takahiko, and obtained her brewing license in September 2023. She now produces in her own vineyard and winery, sharing the charm of Yoichi grapes and wines.
Special Guest: Hiroki Hasegawa
Operating the family-run vineyard “Hasegawa Vineyard” in the western side of Nobori, Yoichi. From 2013, he studied fruit cultivation under Jun Nakai of Nakai Sightseeing Orchard for two years, and started farming in 2015.
At first, the orchard had apples, cherries, and plums, but he gradually cleared and replanted the land with grapes, completing a vineyard of about 4 hectares in 2020. He is now working on grape cultivation that takes advantage of the unique environment of the land.
UNWIND HOTEL & BAR OTARU
Built in 1931 as “Ettchuya Hotel,” the first hotel exclusively for foreigners in Hokkaido. During the war, it was used as an officers’ club for the army, and after the war, it was requisitioned by the US military. This historic building has been designated as an Otaru City Historic Building and as part of the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry’s “33 Heritage of Industrial Modernization.”
After being closed for a long time, it was revived through bold renovation, keeping its architectural beauty and atmosphere while expressing a modern boutique hotel with contemporary sensibilities. With a mission to be a medium connecting the region and travelers, it creates organic encounters and exchanges. Please experience this unique world that is more than just a classic hotel.
<Facility Information>
- Name: UNWIND HOTEL & BAR OTARU
- Address: 1-8-25 Ironai, Otaru, Hokkaido
- Access: About 35 minutes by JR Hakodate Line from Sapporo Station to Otaru Station, then 10 minutes on foot from Otaru Station to the hotel