The origins of sake are unclear; however, the earliest written reference to the use of alcohol in Japan is recorded in the Book of Wei, of the records of three kingdoms. This 3rd-century Chinese text speaks of Japanese drinking and dancing. Sake is also mentioned several times in the Kojiki, Japan's first written history, compiled in 712. For a little more information A brief history of Sake. Although viticulture has a long history in Japan, wine production using locally produced grapes only began with Western culture's adoption during the Meiji Restoration in the second half of the 19th century. In Japan, the leading regions for wine production are Yamanashi, Nagano and Hokkaidō. In Yamanashi, the leading wine region is the Koshu Valley, which centres around Koshu and is home to 70 wineries.
