Nikko, Tochigi, Japan｜Wine Bar BLESS

During our short stay in Nikko we decided to pay a visit to this wine bar that is hidden around the corner. We never expected to have such a beautiful experience at Wine Bar Bless! The place is so charming with the miniature Japanese trains and the owner is just such a sweetheart! His love of cats was just very genuine and heartfelt. He also was just the right person to introduce us to Japanese wines. We were surprised at how different but also GOOD the wines where. we even took one home to the Netherlands.

We stopped by after dinner planning to grab a quick drink but ended up having one of the best wine experiences of our entire trip. Ogawa-san was so inviting, kind, and courteous. If you're looking for unique, funky, and Japan-only wines, this place is one of 10 in all of Japan to visit, and the only one featuring a full model train set that Ogawa-san built himself. We tried 2 super different wines, followed by a third that is from a new winery. Throughout the tasting, Ogawa-san conversed with us patiently using Google translate and told us the story of the bar and how he meticulously sources all his wines from passionate and small batch Japanese wine makers (pic attached). His hopes are to bring the passion he and his colleagues share for domestic natural wines to visitors and fellow Japanese wine enthusiasts. Price was super reasonable for the ambiance, experience, and wine considering how expensive and time consuming it is to source and get these wines. If you are in the area and want a very special wine experience, make sure you stop by BLESS Wine Bar!

Lovely place to wind down after sightseeing! The owner is passionate about wines and displays his other passions (trains and cats) in a lovely fashion. Owner even gave us tips on where to make a beautiful walk around Nikko. We were surprised about how many Japanese wineries and wines there are and they all taste incredible. Definitely worth a visit!