Kazuomi Fujita – Yellow Magic Winery (Yamagata Prefecture)

Kazuomi Fujita, the energetic winemaker behind Yellow Magic Winery, brings a bold, experimental spirit to Japan’s natural wine scene. Based in Yamagata Prefecture, Fujita works with a mix of hybrid and vinifera varieties, including Delaware, Muscat Bailey A, and Sauvignon Blanc.
He embraces spontaneous fermentation and minimal intervention, producing vivid, textural wines often characterized by skin contact and a touch of wildness. The winery’s name—Yellow Magic—is a nod to creativity and freedom, inspired by the pioneering electronic band Yellow Magic Orchestra.
Fujita’s wines often blur boundaries between traditional and avant-garde: sparkling, pét-nat, and orange styles that reflect his artistic curiosity and the vibrant natural energy of Yamagata’s volcanic landscape.

  • Founder/Winemaker: The winery was founded in 2019 by Sumito Iwatani (a former brewer who previously worked at Fujimaru Winery in Osaka/Tokyo).

  • Location: Akayu, Nanyo City, Yamagata Prefecture. This region is known as "the heart of Delaware" and provides excellent conditions (well-drained slopes, good sun, significant day-night temperature differences).

Winemaking Philosophy

The winery operates with the concept of creating "Japanese wine" that resonates with modern sensibilities, taking a natural, low-intervention approach often leading to wines with experimental and lively characteristics.

  • No Additives: Their basic brewing philosophy is to add "nothing and subtract nothing" (no added sulfur, no added sugar).

  • Natural Fermentation: They use natural yeast (wild yeast) and slow, low-temperature fermentation to bring out the pure flavor of the grapes.

  • Unfiltered: They specialize in Nigori wine (cloudy wine) that is bottled without filtration, resulting in wines with a fresh taste, natural effervescence, and complex mixed fruity flavors.

  • Vineyard Management: Grapes are grown under vinyl roofs (a common Japanese technique to control the negative effects of rain) and cultivated without pesticides.

Key Grape Varieties and Styles

Yellow Magic Winery embraces hybrid and native Japanese grapes to create distinctive, funky, and often chillable wines.

Variety Type	Grape Varieties	Wine Style Examples
Hybrid/Native	Muscat Bailey A (Japan's "pride and joy," a red hybrid), Campbell Early (hybrid from Ohio), Yama Sauvignon (a cross between Cabernet Sauvignon and Japanese wild grape Yama Budou), Delaware (a commonly grown Japanese variety).	Pump Up (a Petillant Naturel sparkling, often from Muscat Bailey A), Grooove Niku Yaro (a fun, chillable red blend), and various Orange Wines (skin-fermented white/hybrid grapes).
Vinifera/Hybrid Blends	Chardonnay, Niagara, Delaware (used in their Ordinary Orange wine).	Orange Wine (made by fermenting white/hybrid grapes with the skins, creating complex texture and color).