GW Travel on May 4th, my first visit in 25 years. This time, I took a good look around the facility and found it quite interesting, with highlights including the production line and products. As a white wine drinker who prefers dry wines, I was particularly interested in Tokachi wines, and I was pleased to find that the standard Tokafu was within my budget if I added a little extra. With a wide range of other options available, I felt inclined to try different wines, although I had to pass on the tasting this time due to driving. The knowledgeable sales staff made the experience enjoyable, and I ended up staying longer than planned. It was indeed Golden Week, as the facility was bustling with customers showing a high willingness to make purchases. Seiorosam Hokkaido Ikeda Town Tokachi Wine was the first vintage wine produced by the winery. Emphasizing aging and a preference for dry wines, it offers a refreshing aroma and a balanced mix of fresh fruitiness, creating a flavor that suits my taste.

I visited a restaurant on the 4th floor of Wine Castle in Ikeda Town. It was a holiday, so there were a lot of people coming and going, giving off a touristy vibe! I was seated by the window, and the weather was nice, with a great view, making the location perfect ^_^ I ordered: - Ezo deer Rigatoni Bolognese (1500 yen) - Raclette Pizza (1250 yen) There were so many delicious looking dishes to choose from, but I finally settled on these two! The Ezo deer Rigatoni Bolognese had rigatoni pasta, making it easy to eat in one bite! The Bolognese sauce was rich and delicious, making me want more! The Raclette Pizza is best eaten right out of the oven! The cheese stretches and the dough is soft and chewy, making it delicious ♡ A satisfying dish! The bread was complimentary and served with olive oil. The outside was crispy while the inside was fluffy! It was delicious when dipped in olive oil! The restaurant was very clean and seemed to have been recently renovated. The staff were very attentive, even offering more water when it was running low. They were very considerate and lovely people. I would love to try their dinner menu next time! Thank you for the delicious meal!

I went on a business trip to Ikeda Town in Hokkaido and visited the restaurant "Ikeda Wine Castle". The steak was over my budget so I ordered a hamburger and grape juice instead! The hamburger was delicious, different from the yakiniku I had the day before! The broccoli, carrots, and potatoes that came with the hamburger were also delicious, almost like a main dish! My colleagues ordered curry and I tried a bit, it was a fancy and delicious curry! Bought some Yamasachi as a souvenir on the way back home~

This is a restaurant inside Ikeda Wine Castle. I entered through the entrance and was seated at an available table. Since I was driving, alcohol was prohibited, so I opted for juice instead of wine. I chose the "Ikeda Grape Cider," which has a sweet grape flavor with a subtle sweetness. The grape's characteristic acidity is not too strong, and the carbonation adds a refreshing touch. The "Ikeda Grape Cider" costs 500 yen including tax. Most of the other customers around me were enjoying a "wine tasting" with three wine glasses lined up.

The tender Hokkaido beef sirloin steak cut smoothly and paired perfectly with the red wine from Yamako. The venison, deer loin steak was flavorful without any gamey taste. Initially, we were considering a nearby lunch spot, but we were glad we stopped here. The view from the restaurant was magnificent, and overall, it was a feast including the location.

I went on a 2-night, 3-day trip to Tokachi Obihiro! On the final day, I watched the Tokachi Ban'ei horse racing and took a break at a café. Then, I visited Ikeda Wine Castle. Tokachi is known for its Tokachi wine, and this place offers tours of the production process and has a beautiful restaurant with a great view. The exterior looks like a large medieval European castle! After touring the production process, I visited the spacious and beautiful sales shop. I usually drink beer and sake, but I used to drink wine a lot in the past, so I decided to try some Tokachi wine. I chose the following wines to purchase: - Yamasachi (red) for 2,970 yen - Yuuei no Shiro (white) for 2,640 yen. Yamasachi, the red wine, was actually served at the G7 Hiroshima Summit! I thought wines served at summits cost thousands of yen per bottle, so I was surprised. It has a slightly heavy taste with a harmonious blend of floral aroma, acidity, and richness. It is very delicious. Yuuei no Shiro, the white wine, is a limited edition that can only be purchased at the wine castle. It has a slightly sweet taste and is easy to drink. It has a refreshing acidity and a hint of sweetness, giving it a fresh and fruity flavor. It's like white grape juice and is easy to drink, almost dangerously so. It was a great experience enjoying wine after a long time. If you visit Tokachi Obihiro, I recommend trying Tokachi wine. Thank you for the meal! (^_^)

Started in 1963 and celebrating its 60th anniversary, I found out about this place during my last business trip and finally made a return visit to coincide with the Do As Infinity tour. The area in front of Ikeda Town Station was quiet, but here it was bustling with many people wearing T-shirts from yesterday's event. The view from the fourth floor was amazing, and we were able to enter smoothly as we arrived before the tourist bus. However, when we left, there was a long line, so timing is important. We ordered a lunch set while enjoying the scenery of Hokkaido, and the pasta was especially chewy and delicious. The turnip soup was also tasty. It seems they promote using local ingredients, and the staff provided detailed explanations for each dish. This place truly exudes a sense of freedom, and the magnificent landscape makes you feel the essence of Yoshida Miwa's work.

I felt like the menu had expanded a bit since I last visited after a year! I chose the hamburger, and it seemed like the sauce had become slightly richer than before. There were also pork menu options, and despite being thick-cut, they were tender and delicious. The side vegetables were tasty, especially the potatoes, which had that unmistakable Hokkaido flavor. The interior of the restaurant was clean, with spacious table distances and no distractions from the surroundings. The staff's service was also good. You can overlook the plains from the rooftop.

2022.11.16 (Wed) Revisited【Late Autumn Hokkaido Trip 2022 Day 4-4】We visited "Ikeda Wine Castle" in Obihiro, which we hadn't been to in 8 years. We arrived around 3:30 PM. The weather had cleared up while we were traveling, and it was now a beautiful Tokachi sunny day♪ The combination of the deep blue sky and the Tokachi plains was stunning♡ During the time we hadn't visited, "Ikeda Wine Castle" had undergone a major renovation. (Reopened on June 20, 2020!) Not only were the exhibits inside the castle updated, but the shopping area was also made more organized and beautiful, creating a fun space. Although we were interested in trying the wine, we had more traveling ahead, so we just checked out the selection this time. ● Ikeda beef wine stew 864 yen ● Yamayuki grape candy 324 yen, and other souvenirs were purchased. Since we hadn't found a chance to use it, we decided to use the Hokkaido support coupon here. The Yamayuki grape candy had a strong fruity flavor and was very delicious. Thank you for the meal.

During my lunch break on the way to work, I decided to visit Ikeda Wine Castle! It's been about 15 years since I last visited. From the restaurant here, you can enjoy a magnificent view of the Tokachi Plain. The weather is nice today, so it feels great. I can't believe I forgot to take a photo of this beautiful scenery... I regret it. Since I'm working, alcohol is a no-go! Too bad! I ordered the beef curry at the Wine Castle. It looks elegant. It's a curry made by slowly simmering Tokachi beef shank meat in red wine. I will enjoy the tender beef shank meat curry with rice. It's a sophisticated dish. This curry is like the classic of Western-style curry. They say curry is a drink, but... I savored this curry slowly. Thank you for the meal.

If I had more time, I would have liked to have lunch here as well, but due to the bus schedule, I can only stay for just under an hour, so I opted for a wine tasting only. Ikeda mainly focuses on red wines, so I tried the 900 yen tasting set of the three major red wines. Since it was not busy, they also brought out the bottles for me to take pictures and gave me various explanations. Japanese wines in general are light. I think I liked Seimai the best. Yamasachi has an attractive spicy aroma, but is still light. Kiyomi, on the other hand, I found to be the lightest and least interesting, but it turned out to be the most expensive, which surprised me.

Ikedawine Castle is quite a unique name, isn't it? When you approach it, it really looks like a castle. Inside, there are lots of wines on display, as well as clay pots and still pots, it's quite interesting. I think I'll try the paid tasting. One of the famous ones is the red wine variety called Seimi Seimu Yamako, but I prefer sparkling wine. I tried the Plum Sparkling White for 500 yen. It's a blend of Kerner, Pinot Noir, and Chardonnay. They serve it in a tasting glass, which is quite small. It's rare to see that. It says it goes well with oysters, and it's a delicious sparkling wine. It even says it has won awards, I like that. It has a refreshing citrus aroma, but also a mature taste and yeast aroma, like champagne. It says it was the first in Japan to do the secondary fermentation in the bottle, that's impressive. But it also mentions that nowadays it's done by machines, which makes sense. The building looks cool from the front, like a castle, but from the back, it looks normal.

I stopped by Wine Castle in Ikeda on my way from Obihiro to Kushiro. I was planning to have some wine, so it was convenient to access by train. Unfortunately, there were no coin lockers at the station, but the staff kindly stored my luggage for 400 yen. The access to the castle was easy, just follow the signs up the hill. The wine tasting was enjoyable, but I highly recommend dining at the restaurant with a great view. The quality of the meat and the cooking skills were amazing. I tried the pork this time, but I would love to try the beef next time. I recommend going there on an empty stomach!

At Ikeda Wine Castle, we purchased the "Two of Us Passport" for 1400 yen, which included a special offer of one person getting a 750 yen discount on Tokachi wine (Yamako) with the second person free. We also ordered seasonal potage soup, pizza, pasta, and grape juice, all of which had rich flavors and were delicious.

Next up after vegetables is wine (laughs). We head to Ikeda Town to visit the "Ikeda Wine Castle," officially known as the "Ikeda Town Grape and Grape Wine Research Institute." Our goal here is the "Town Residents' Wine." Previously known as the "Town Residents' Return Wine," it was a rare wine that only Ikeda Town residents could buy. Now renamed as the "Town Residents' Wine," it is available in both Rosé and White varieties. The total cost for "Town Residents' White Wine," "Town Residents' Rosé," and "Town Residents Rouge Machibito Kitaru" came to 3,758 yen (tax included). The "White" wine is a first for me, and I didn't realize it was a limited edition rare wine. This year, 24,000 bottles were produced and released starting from March 8th. If it sells out, it will be out of stock until January to March next year. I didn't know that... (sweat). Last year, there was also a "Town Residents' Niagara" released. Information is indeed valuable... Being able to drink wine made from local grapes at this price, thanks to being for town residents, is GREAT! The "Town Residents Rouge" is a wine made from grapes grown by Ikeda Town residents, 100% grape content, bottled without filtration or pasteurization. It seems you can also buy it online, but purchasing it on-site and hearing the product explanation is truly special. If you have the chance to visit, why not treat yourself to a bottle as a reward?

Changed plans due to bad weather during a trip to Hokkaido. Ended up at a different restaurant and it was the right decision. Surprisingly delicious dishes with good value for money. Sometimes unexpected choices turn out to be the best. Enjoyed the trip, thank you for the meal.

In May 2022, I enjoyed the Tokachi Shiro wine, Seiorosamu, which is a dry wine. I immediately had it for a nightcap and it had a great fruity aroma. The acidity was just right, making it a very delicious and fruity dry wine. Tokachi wine is so charming!

Unfortunately, it was raining, but I visited the towering Wine Castle and observed how wine is made. I was guided upstairs to the observation deck with a cozy atmosphere, and couldn't resist ordering Grape Juice and Grape Parfait - both were incredibly rich! The soft serve ice cream was also very creamy, and I could feel the quality of the ingredients. As I looked at the road stretching straight below me, I couldn't help but feel the essence of Hokkaido. I bought wine and pork curry with Raclette cheese as souvenirs, and when I ate them at home, closing my eyes made me feel like I was experiencing the summer breeze blowing across vast grasslands, or maybe I didn't feel that way at all (just kidding).

Ikeda Town's leading tourist attraction. About 30 years ago, I had a very satisfying experience eating the "Whole Cow Course" at this restaurant. This time, when I went nearby for train photography, I decided to stop by. It was around 3:40 pm on a holiday. "Ikeda Wine Castle" is located on a hill (river terrace?) southeast of JR Ikeda Station, overlooking the Tokachi Plain, creating a very pleasant atmosphere. The large 4-story building has a clean concrete wall exterior, almost resembling an old European castle (lol). There were parking lots scattered around the building. The interior seems to have been renovated. It looks more sophisticated than before. There is an aging room in the basement, a shopping area on the 1st floor, a museum on the 2nd floor, and a restaurant on the 4th floor. Since I didn't have much time, I only did some shopping in the shopping area. The shopping area is quite spacious. Mainly selling wine, but also food and snacks that could be good for pairing. Customers were tasting wines (free/paid), which made me quite envious. I bought "Seiorosamu White (half bottle) 1,359 yen" and "Yamasachi 2018 (half bottle) 1,514 yen" (both tax included). I enjoyed the "Seiorosamu White" nicely chilled. It has a light muscat aroma, a refreshing dry taste, and a moderate acidity. It seems versatile for various dishes. The "Yamasachi 2018" is a red wine. It should be pronounced "Yamasachi." I lightly chilled it before enjoying it. It has a light spiciness and a slightly heavier taste. It's a bit unique, but I personally like it. Next time, I would like to visit with more time and definitely try the wine tasting.

Located near Ikeda Station on the JR Nemuro Main Line is Ikeda Wine Castle. Officially known as the "Ikeda Town Grape and Wine Research Institute," it has become known by the nickname "Wine Castle" due to its appearance. The popular Tokachi wine, often bought as a souvenir, utilizes grapes grown in this region, taking advantage of the unique climate. I visited the Wine Castle after a long time, making use of the waiting time for the train. I enjoyed the Tokachi black pork grill (1900 yen), as Tokachi is known for its agricultural and dairy products, making meat dishes a common choice to accompany wine. The thick pork meat gives a sense of eating meat from the northern lands. The side dish of potatoes also adds to the Hokkaido feel. I also had the glass of wine of the day (500 yen), which happened to be Yamasachi. Yamasachi is a variety developed in this region, with a well-aged flavor. Furthermore, the dynamic landscape of Tokachi, ranging from flatlands to mountains, adds a unique touch to the experience, enhancing the deliciousness of the wine and food.

This time, we rented a car at Obihiro Airport and visited Ikeda Wine Castle via the former Kofuku Station. The top floor of the Wine Castle is an observation floor where you can enjoy the scenery below. It was just the right timing for sunset. The 4th floor is the restaurant floor where you can enjoy food, snacks, and wine. Since I was driving this time, I couldn't taste the wine, which was a bit disappointing. I decided to try the Yamazuki grape soft serve ice cream. There were various tables and sofa seats available. The fluffy soft serve ice cream had a unique grape flavor that I had never tasted before, not just sweet, but with a deep and rich taste.