The History of Winemaking in Yamanashi, Japan

This first podcast on Japan's unique wine scene focuses on the history of wine in the island nation. It starts by looking at evidence of ancient grape fermentation by Japan's Jōmon people (14,000 BCE to 1,000 BCE), and then moves on to the origin story of Japan's indigenous grape variety, Kōshū. Next, we'll follow two young men, Ryuken Tsuchiya (1858-1940) and Masanari Takano (1852-1923), on their journey to France to learn the art of winemaking. After that, we'll learn about the geology and climate of Japan's premier winegrowing region, Yamanashi. Finally, we'll learn more about Yamanashi's Kōshū wines.