Eisaku Kurokawa

Eisaku Kurokawa is the president of the Japanese import company Fushimi Wines. His dedication for German wine is strongly connected with his commitment to develop the German Wine Association in Japan, of which he has been the secretary general for many years.

In 1979, he participated at the German Wine Academy organized by the German Wine Institute. The impressive tour in Germany motivated him and other participants to found, in 1983, the German Wine Association Japan, with Mr. Mamoru Koga as chairman. They first started educational activities to spread the knowledge of German wine in Japan. In 1986, they launched the first German wine contest with the support of winegrowers from the Mosel and Rheinland-Pfalz, at which wine connoisseurs could demonstrate their knowledge of German wine.

After its successful introduction, the contest was soon expanded to 14 cities from the north to the south of Japan and from 2002, awarded contestants who passed the exam the title of German Weinkenner.

Since 1991, they have organised German Wine Festivals and other tasting events across Japan and established April 28th as “German Wine Day” in Japan. Eisaku Kurokawa has played an enormous role in the development of a positive image of German wine in Japan and is still active as a consultant of the German Wine Association Japan and continues to enlighten and spread the word on German wine.