Winemaking in Japan has a long but difficult history. At first glance, there's the auspicious fact that Japan lies at a similar latitude to sunny, dry California. But here, unlike California, the rainy season strikes during the early summer flowering, and recurrent typhoons batter vineyards just prior to harvest. These conditions render grape cultivation in Japan a difficult and sometimes quixotic undertaking.
In response to these challenges, growers have developed unique vineyard systems and rot-resistant varietals. To win consumers for wine made in Japan, marketers have also attempted to play their part -- with a slew of wacky ideas including a wine theme park, a wine onsen, and even a wine aged underwater.
In recent years, serious winemakers have refocused their attention on Koshu, a grape with distant European origins. Because it has been cultivated here since the eighth century, however, it is now considered native to Japan. A trip to Yamanashi, Japan's "Napa Valley," reveals the state of Japanese winemaking today.