Overview

GOEN JAPAN Co., Ltd., based in Osaka, announced that its inbound experience tour developed with Katashimo Winery in Kashiwara, Osaka, has grown to welcome participants from more than 20 countries. Katashimo Winery was founded in 1914 and is the oldest winery in western Japan. After tastings, 95% of tour participants purchased wine locally, making the tour a notable success model for experience-based inbound tourism.

Turning a lesser-known side of Osaka into inbound content

Osaka is widely associated with Dotonbori, takoyaki, and Universal Studios Japan, but GOEN JAPAN focused on a very different story: a 110-year wine culture just 40 minutes from central Osaka. Katashimo Winery was selected during the 2019 G20 Osaka Summit and is home to a designated cultural property used as an aging cellar, combining history, quality, and a strong sense of place.

GOEN JAPAN shaped this local resource into English and multilingual tour content and built a route to international travelers through overseas booking platforms such as GetYourGuide and Viator. The tour has grown among wine-loving travelers from Europe, North America, and Oceania, while also attracting guests from a broad range of countries.

Result 1: ongoing clients from over 20 countries

When the tour began, international visits to Katashimo Winery were mostly occasional individual travelers. Through multilingual communication and improvements to the experience quality, it has become an international tour joined by travelers from more than 20 countries.

Word of mouth and traveler communities have helped the tour spread, with repeat visitors and referrals now accounting for 40% of bookings. Group reservations for corporate inspections and business hospitality are also increasing, helping GOEN JAPAN build continuing relationships with overseas corporate clients.

"I had no idea this side of Osaka existed. The wine and the town exceeded every expectation. When I come back to Osaka next year, I will bring friends and return here." — Participant from California, USA

Result 2: 95% of tasting participants purchase wine on site

The most notable result is the 95% purchase rate after tastings. Rather than simply offering samples, the tour carefully explains in English why the wine was made, who makes it, and why it can only be encountered here. This storytelling naturally draws out the feeling of wanting to take the wine home.

The G20 Osaka Summit selection, the story of aging in a designated cultural property, and the rarity of wine that can only be found in Osaka all work together. For travelers, the wine becomes something that carries the memory of the experience. Participants buy two to three bottles on average, contributing directly to winery sales.

"When I tasted this wine, I remembered the winemaker’s story. I knew that every time I drank it at home, I would remember today. That is why I bought three bottles without hesitation." — Participant from London, United Kingdom

Three principles behind GOEN JAPAN experience design

Communicate value through story: by carefully sharing the history, people, and local context in English, travelers discover deeper meaning in the wine.

Build around what can only be found here: G20-selected wine, a cultural-property cellar, and local ingredients become reasons to buy because they cannot be separated from the place.

Keep the relationship alive after the experience: surveys, follow-up emails, and social media communication help turn one-time visitors into repeat guests and referrers.

Tour booking page on GetYourGuide

https://www.getyourguide.com/ja-jp/osaka-l1204/osaka-winery-tour-with-wine-tasting-vineyard-walk-t972934/

About GOEN JAPAN

GOEN JAPAN plans and operates experience-based inbound tours for international visitors and provides inbound consulting for companies and tourism facilities. The company guides more than 22,000 tour guests annually and has worked with travelers from over 50 countries, delivering Japan’s appeal to the world from its base in Osaka.