The Best Activities in Japan

Mount Fuji fills the window while you work through pours of koshu and muscat bailey A at this small Yamanashi winery. The chef, who spent years making wine in Burgundy before coming home at 60 to start over, farms native grapes and keeps the tasting room intimate enough that you'll want to book ahead. Ranked 20th on the World's 50 Best Vineyards list. Hiking trails and a craft brewery next door handle the rest of the afternoon.

The gravity-flow system moves juice through overhead rails while a window below frames the fermentation tanks, which tells you something about how seriously this winery takes its process. Set on the Jinba plateau with 360-degree views of mountains and vineyards, Mariko is a winery visit and tasting experience, landing at number 46 on the World's 50 Best Vineyards list. Tours end at a counter pouring native Japanese varieties alongside local food.