Tokyo, Japan, April 2025
- Global Presence and Diverse Exhibitor Participation
- Japan’s Thriving Wine & Spirits Market: Mature and Evolving
- Cultivating Japan’s Market: The Gateway for Imported Beverages
ProWine Tokyo 2025 concluded with exceptional success, reaffirming its position as Japan’s leading international trade fair for wine and spirits. Held from April 15–17 at Tokyo Big Sight, the second edition attracted 190 exhibitors from 21 countries and welcomed around 5,500 professional visitors. Organized by Messe Düsseldorf Japan and co-located with FABEX and other food and beverage trade fairs, ProWine Tokyo provided invaluable opportunities for networking, business discovery, and market expansion in Japan’s rapidly evolving wine and spirits sector.
Akiko Ohara, General Manager of Messe Düsseldorf Japan, emphasized:
“Japan has a unique openness toward culinary culture which makes it a promising market to any country around the world. ProWine Tokyo provides a unique platform where global producers can better understand the local business landscape and establish valuable connections that will lead to successful market entry.”
Global Presence and Diverse Exhibitor Participation
ProWine Tokyo 2025 featured a strong return of prominent international pavilions from France, Germany, Spain, and Portugal, reinforcing the event’s global appeal. Sandrine Krummenacher, Business France, shared her positive experience: “Today marks the final day of the show, and feedback from our exhibitors has been overwhelmingly positive! The strong interest from Japanese professionals in French wines and spirits reaffirms that this market remains strategic and promising, even amid global uncertainties.”
The fair also saw the first-time participation of Serbia and Georgia, enriching the European representation and celebrating the heritage of old-world wines. Additionally, emerging regions such as China, Mexico, and New York introduced innovative offerings, providing visitors with a chance to discover the latest trends from rapidly growing markets.
Ian Dai, Founder of Loong’s Toast & YGCW and XiaoPu Wine Maker from China, commented: “This is Loong's Toast's first participation in an international exhibition, and the feedback we received met our expectations. Japan is a mature yet slow-growing market, vastly different from China. Its proximity to China brings advantages such as convenient transportation, lower shipping costs, and support from the local Chinese community. These factors make Japan a promising choice for exporting Chinese wine.”
There were wine related tools present here, as happy as other exhibitors. Greg Lambrecht, Chairman at CORAVIN, stated: “We are a new technology in a very old industry. I was nervous about Japan, whether they will be very conservative or open minded? The outcome was more than great. Here, people who love wine, their desire to study and gain deep understanding of everything around wine is so intense.”
In addition to the global presence, ProWine Tokyo showcased Japan’s rich traditions, with the Japan Sake and Shochu Makers Association highlighting the country’s renowned sake and shochu, both in their traditional forms and through innovative new products.
Japan’s Thriving Wine & Spirits Market: Mature and Evolving
Japan’s wine and spirits market continues to thrive, driven by a sophisticated and educated consumer base. Despite a global decline in alcohol consumption, Japan’s market remains dynamic and responsive to global trends and evolving consumer preferences. Hugues Amesland, Owner of Rounagle-Halcools SAS, exhibiting for the first time in Japan, shared:“Japan is a mature market, and visitors here are well-educated in wines and spirits. We received valuable feedback, and the overall response was very encouraging. People came, tasted, gave feedback, and shared their thoughts. I am looking forward to returning next year to expand our presence.”
Paulo Repetto, CEO of NOMORA, said: “I had high expectations and they will be well met. Even on the first day I met so many importers and I’m afraid it will be tough to select the right ones.”
The fairground also spotlighted Japan’s market innovation. A new AI-powered sommelier tool, designed for small-scale restaurants, was introduced to support personalized wine curation. Additionally, ProWine Tokyo collaborated with the best-selling wine book in Japan, which personified grape varieties as manga characters—an approach deeply anchored in Japanese pop culture. This playful concept introduced unique grapes to the local market in an entertaining and culturally resonant way.
Cultivating Japan’s Market: The Gateway for Imported Beverages