By Wonsuh Song
In the early 2000s, when I came to Japan as a student, late autumn always signaled the arrival of Beaujolais Nouveau. Japanese TV cameras would rush to airports to film crates being unloaded, as if welcoming a celebrity. The idea of tasting the “first wine of the year,” combined with Japan’s long-held admiration for French culture, turned the event into a seasonal ritual.
But the landscape today looks vastly different. Japanese media now report that the golden age of Beaujolais Nouveau is effectively over. Imports, which peaked at 1.04 million cases in 2004, have fallen to about one-seventh of that figure this year. Major importers such as Kirin, Asahi, and Sapporo have withdrawn from the market, leaving Suntory as the sole major player.
This shift does not signal a decline in wine consumption overall. Rather, it reflects the fading of enthusiasm for a specific seasonal product. Japanese consumers have diversified their preferences, exploring wines from new regions and supporting the growth of local wineries. The once-magical announcement—“Nouveau has arrived!”—no longer commands the power it once did.
The pandemic also changed Japan’s social rhythm. Dining out and after-work drinking have decreased, and consumption patterns have become quieter, more modest, more personal. Even with rising tourism, domestic demand feels subdued. Under such circumstances, it is unsurprising that a highly seasonal wine celebration has struggled to maintain momentum.
Yet this is not simply a story of decline. It is a sign of maturation. Japan’s wine market is entering a more diversified and sophisticated phase, where consumers seek depth rather than novelty. The fading of the Beaujolais Nouveau craze has created space for broader choices and more stable appreciation—an evolution that mirrors trends in Korea as well.
The golden age may have passed, but what remains is not emptiness. It is a quieter, richer landscape of taste.
Wonsuh Song (Ph.D.)
Lecturer, Shumei University / NKNGO Forum Representative
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