Motomachi, Yokohama - Nestled on a quiet street behind the main stretch of Yokohama's Motomachi shopping district lies a hidden jewel for wine aficionados. We visited with proprietors Michael and Tomomi Scott of Tomei's to see what the fuss was all about.The concept for a coop-style tasting room was born back in 1999 while Michael was still living in California. Four years later he an Tomomi moved to Japan and in May of 2005 they opened their doors and introduced a new tasting format to the general Japanese public. Michael was determined to offer locals a new way to sample and purchase wine that was a departure from the normal considerations of price and bottle design. The wine itself should be the focal point and allowing customers an opportunity to try before they buy became the lynchpin of his strategy.There are usually more than 30 different individual wines on offer in the tasting room from 14 different wineries. Patrons have the option of ordering by the glass or bottle which gives them the freedom to explore different varieties and allowing them to choose what suits their taste best. Given the warm reception of the local community, "support food" as Michael calls it debuted on their menu soon after opening to both enhance the wine tasting experience and fortify those that wish to stay for more than just a casual tasting. Click here to read more!Tomei's - A California Wine Experience in Yokohama 4-161 Motomachi, Naka-Ku, YokohamaPhone: 045-212-5446Open Wed-Fri 16:00~24:00, Sat-Sun 13:00~24:00Closed Mon and Tue© 2008 The Black Ship - All rights reserved