When one thinks of Yamanashi Prefecture, grapes and wine immediately come to mind as representative products of the prefecture. Yamanashi Prefecture is the leading prefecture in grape and wine production, harvesting approximately 41,700 tons of grapes each year. Moreover, with 89 wineries, Yamanashi Prefecture is the country’s top producer of wine made with domestically grown grapes. These wineries make approximately 30% of the nation’s overall production of domestic wine.
As part of iCLA’s iEXPerience Program, students had the opportunity to engage in this key agricultural industry through a visit to Monde Winery’s vineyard, Monde Farm, located in Akeno, Hokuto City. The program combined academic learning with hands-on field work. The iEXPerience Program at iCLA are programs that take place during the semester where students can visit culturally or historically important places around the prefecture with the aim for students to deepen their understanding of Yamanashi Prefecture and Japan. Students can experience arts or cultural activities with guidance from local experts in the field or professors specializing in the subject.
Participating students joined a lecture with Professor Ryo Furuya of Yamanashi Gakuin University’s Faculty of Business Administration. The lecture provided an overview of Yamanashi Prefecture’s agricultural output, highlighting products such as grapes, peaches, plums, Fujinosuke Salmon, and Koshu Wine Beef. Students also examined nationwide agricultural trends, including the factors influencing the inflation of rice prices. The lecture equipped students with the understanding of Yamanashi’s agricultural industry and its trends and challenges before heading to the vineyard.
Located just an hour’s drive from the Yamanashi Gakuin University campus, Monde Farm is in Akeno, Hokuto City. The area has optimal conditions for growing grapes, benefiting from abundant sunlight, low amounts of rainfall, and good soil conditions. Guided by staff at Monde Farm, students learned about the precision of grape cultivation. iCLA students harvested grapes alongside Professor Furuya’s seminar students in the Faculty of Business Administration, so they got an opportunity to meet new friends and exchange laughter and language.
The variety of grape that was harvested was “Shinano Riesling”, which are grown at the vineyard’s highest elevation and used for wine production. Working down the row of grape vines, the students harvested the grapes and carefully inspected the cluster to cut off shriveled or damaged fruit. This ensured only the best grapes were selected for wine production. Through this process, they learned about the thorough care and the high standards for quality placed on the products. By the end of the day, the students collectively harvested a total of 300 kilograms of grapes.
Through the informative lecture by Professor Ryo Furuya and meeting the professionals at Monde Farm, students were able to apply their classroom knowledge to real-world practice in the vineyard.
“I met some really nice people from the Faculty of Business Administration and it was such a great experience. I also got to practise my Japanese, so I’m very pleased! Very fun and fulfilling!” – Daniella
“My favorite part of the field trip was looking at the scenery and picking the grapes. I learned that a lot of work goes into making a bottle of wine, and farming is a tough job.” – Layla
Links
Experiencing Tradition: Students Learn Japanese Tea Ceremony and Flower Arrangement on Campus
Students Practice Zen Mindfulness at Buddhist Temples
iCLA Students Tour Kofu City Hall and Learn Disaster Preparedness
From Vine to Glass: Exploring Yamanashi’s Wine Industry
Exploring Kofu’s Historical Temples and Haiku Art