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A morning scene in front of Kawaguchiko Station and a leaflet of JTB Tourist Base Kawaguchiko, located in the town of Kawaguchiko in Yamanashi Prefecture (https://touristbase.jp/en/).

A morning scene of Kawaguchiko Station with Mount Fuji and a leaflet of JTB Tourist Base Kawaguchiko, Fujikawaguchiko-town, Yamanashi, 12/23/2023

This is another popular photo-shooting spot among the foreign tourists. It looks as if the store had a Mount-Fuji roof or were wearing a Mount-Fuji hut.

Also, refer to the articles on the Pagoda Fuji (February 9, 2021 https://ymmt.etsuo.tokyo/2021/02/ & August 3, 2023 https://ymmt.yamanashietsuo.net/2023/08/page/2/), the Power-Line Fuji (August 3 & 4, 2023 https://ymmt.yamanashietsuo.net/2023/08/) and the Lavender Fuji (July 12, 2023 https://ymmt.yamanashietsuo.net/2023/07/).

The permanent exhibition room for Masaaki Sato collections has been set in the Main Store Gallery of Kikyoya Confectionery Company. Some of his paintings and the Big Apple have been displayed in the room. Also, refer to the article The Big Apple No. 45 on June 1, 2022 (https://ymmt.etsuo.tokyo/2022/06/).

The Big Apple by Masaki Sato, Cafe Gallery, Kikyoya Kofu Main Store, Kofu-city, Yamanashi, 12/20/2023

A tour to the Château Mercian Katsunuma Winery and Miyakoen was conducted on December 16, 2023. The Katsunuma Winery, the Wine Museum, Iwaimura Vineyard and Miyakoen are located in the Katsunuma-town district, the city of Koshu, in Yamanashi Prefecture. Miyakoen was the living quarter of the first winery of the Miyazaki Wine Company formed by Kotaro Miyazaki.

https://www.chateaumercian.com/en/index.html, https://japan-wine-culture.jp/en/story/, https://www.yamanashi-kankou.jp/english/uncover/miyakoen.html, https://www.city.koshu.yamanashi.jp/map/info/2021011400281/; https://japan-wine-culture.jp/special/koshu/miyakouen.html

Château Mercian Katsunuma Winery, Katsunuma, Koshu, Yamanashi, 12/16/2023

Miyakoen, Katsunuma, Koshu, Yamanashi, 12/16/2023

Kami-no-Michi, “the road of god” in Miho Pine Forest is covered with the boardwalk; therefore, the roots of the pine trees are not been trampled on by visitors. That may be the reason why the pine trees have been living so long. Furthermore, it is surprising to know that there are a lot of supporting groups to protect the pine forest.

https://exploreshizuoka.jp/en/blog/miho-no-matsubara-experiencing-the-sacred-mt-fuji-and-the-original-landscape-of-japan-steeped-in-legend/; https://otono.site/miho-no-matsubara/jp/kaminomichi.html; https://shizuoka.hellonavi.jp/tourist-attractions/central/mihonomatsubara2021; https://miho-no-matsubara.jp/support_organization_page

(Also, refer to the article on December 9, 2023)

A picture in the sign board of the sightseeing bus parking lot, the pine trees and Mount Fuji, the third generation of Hagoromo-no-Matsu (Robe of Feathers-Pine Tree), kids and a ship, Haguruma Shrine, and the ship

Miho, Shimizu-ward, Shizuoka-city, Shizuoka Prefecture, 12/14/2023

Koshu, thought to be derived from a cross-breeding of Vitis vinifera L. and V. davidii Foex, is the most popular indigenous cultivar for wine production in Japan (2, 3).  Koshu seems to be 70% V. vinifera and the remaining 30% is derived from the Chinese wild species of V. davidii or a closely related species (2, 3).  The Koshu wine tested had high contents of 4-vinylphenol, likely to be responsible for the chemical smell, 2-Methoxy-4-vinylphenol, likely to be the source for the smoky aroma, β-damascenone, whose aroma is similar to that of apple compote, and 3-Mercaptohexan-1-ol (3MH), whose aroma is similar to those of grapefruit and passion fruit (6).  Furthermore, the environmental stresses enhanced the biosynthesis of two flavor precursors of 3MH, [S-(3-hexan-1-ol)-glutathione and S-(3-hexan-1-ol)-L-cysteine], in grapevine (6).  In the case of the amino acid composition, Koshu wine specifically contained glutamine compared to Chardonnay wine and higher concentration of proline than Chardonnay wine (9).  These findings may be useful for the selection of suitable cultivation conditions and the improvement of the quality of Koshu grapes and wine (1, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 10, 11).

1. The potential aroma and flavor compounds in Vitis sp. cv. Koshu and V. vinifera L. cv. Chardonnay under different environmental conditions, S. M. Bahena-Garrido et. al., J. Science Food & Agriculture, Vol. 99 (4), pp. 1926-1937 (2019). https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/jsfa.9389
2. Genetic Analysis of East Asian Grape Cultivars Suggests Hybridization with Wild Vitis, N. Goto-Yamamoto et. al., PLoS ONE, 10(10) 1371 (2015). https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0140841; https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article/file?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0140841&type=printable
3. Searching for the origin of Koshu grapes (in Japanese), Report of National Research Institute of Brewing, N. Goto, (2015). https://www.nrib.go.jp/sake/nrib/pdf/NRIBNo27.pdf
4. Terminology of wine aroma evaluation, N. Goto, J. Japan Assc. Odor Environment, Vol. 44 (6), pp. 390-396 (2013). https://www.jstage.jst.go.jp/article/jao/44/6/44_390/_article/-char/en; https://www.jstage.jst.go.jp/article/jao/44/6/44_390/_pdf/-char/en
5. Quality Characteristic of ‘Koshu’ Grape Cultivated under Espalier Training System and ‘Koshu’ Wine, A. Misawa et al., J. ASEV Japan, Vol. 24 (3), pp. 145-152 (2013). https://asevjpn.jp/web/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/vol24_-no3_02.pdf
6. New Aroma of Koshu Wine, H. Kobayashi, J. ASEV Japan, Vol. 24 (1), pp. 17-23 (2013). https://asevjpn.jp/web/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/vol24_-no1_04.pdf
7. How to maximize the aroma of Koshu wine? (in Japanese), H. Kobayashi, J. Seibutsukogaku, Vol. 89 (12), pp. 728-731 (2011). https://www.sbj.or.jp/wp-content/uploads/file/sbj/8912/8912_tokushu_4.pdf
8. Studies on the technology of viticulture and winemaking for higher qualitative Koshu wine (in Japanese), M. Komatsu et.al., Report of the Yamanashi Prefectural Industrial Technology Center, No. 23 (2009). https://www.pref.yamanashi.jp/documents/42318/report_h20_08.pdf
9. Characteristics of Amino Acid Compositions of Koshu and Chardonnay Wines, T. Miki and T. Shinohara, J. Brew. Soc. Japan, Vol. 103 (12), pp. 954-958 (2008). https://agriknowledge.affrc.go.jp/RN/2010770027.pdf
10. Using Wine Yeast Mutants with Reduced Amino Acid Uptake for the Production of Koshu Wine Containing Higher Amino Acid Levels, M. Kishimoto and M. Sodeyama, J. Brew. Soc. Japan, Vol. 98 (3), pp. 210-216 (2003). https://www.jstage.jst.go.jp/article/jbrewsocjapan1988/98/3/98_3_210/_pdf
11. Modification of a Standardized System of Wine Aroma Terminology, A. C. Noble et.al., Am. J. Enol. Vitic., Vol. 38 (2), pp. 143-146 (1987). https://www.ajevonline.org/content/38/2/143; https://www.worldwidechocolate.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/wine-aroma-wheel.pdf

Located in the Katsunuma region, Shirayuri Winery is a medium size-wine maker in Yamanashi Prefecture. Katsunuma is the major wine and grape production region in Japan. The company’s logo L’ORIENT is a French word for Orient. (https://shirayuriwine.com/; https://www.koshuvalley.com/wineries/list/lorient-wine)

Cultivars (varieties): Koshu (Vitis vinifera and V. davidii cultivar Koshu), Muscat Bailey A [(Vitis labruscana cv. Bailey) and (Vitis vinifera cv. Muscat Hamburg)], Chardonnay (Vitis vinifera cv. Chardonnay)

Wine Barrels, Shirayuri Winery, Katsunuma, Koshu, Yamanashi, 12/07/2023

Overhead Trellis, Muscat Bailey A, Shirayuri Winery, Katsunuma, Koshu, Yamanashi, 12/07/2023

Espalier Training System, Chardonnay, Shirayuri Winery, Katsunuma, Koshu, Yamanashi, 12/07/2023

Overhead Trellis, Koshu, Shirayuri Winery, Katsunuma, Koshu, Yamanashi, 12/07/2023

At the Entrance, Muscat Bailey A, Shirayuri Winery, Katsunuma, Koshu, Yamanashi, 12/07/2023

Daizenji (DaizenTemple), known as “Grape Temple,” is located at the hillside in the town of Katsunuma, the city of Koshu, in Yamanashi Prefecture.   The temple belongs to the Chisan sect of Japanese Shingon Buddhism (https://daizenji.org). Also, please refer to the article on June 8th, 2021 (https://etsuo.tokyo/2021/06/).

Daizen Temple, Koshu, Yamanashi, 12/07/2023

Located on an expansive open hill, Fuefukidawa Fruit Park offers sweeping views overlooking the Kofu Basin and Mount Fuji. The city of Yamanashi is located next to the city of Koshu in the eastern region of Yamanashi Prefecture. The area is known for its fruit and wine production.  Fuefukigawa Fruit Park is a sprawling park that is full of natural scenery with the variety of fruits and flowers grown in Yamanashi Prefecture.

(https://fuefukigawafp.co.jp; https://www.gltjp.com/en/directory/item/11892/)

The Exhibition of the History of Japan Wine _ Its Birth and Development, has been held at the park until March 31, 2024.

(https://fuefukigawafp.co.jp/facility/fruit_museu/; https://www.nrib.go.jp/English/sake/pdf/WineNo02_en.pdf)

Inside the dome, Fuefukigawa Fruit Park, Yamanashi-city, Yamanashi, 12/07/2023

Winepress and Bottle Capping Machene, Fuefukigawa Fruit Park, Yamanashi-city, Yamanashi, 12/07/2023

Chinese quince (Pseudocydonia sinensis), Fuefukigawa Fruit Park, Yamanashi-city, Yamanashi, 12/07/2023

Added

Views of Mount Fuji from the observation deck, Fuefukigawa Fruit Park, Yamanashi-city, Yamanashi, 12/10/2023

Views of the Fuefukigawa Fruit Park from the Manriki district, Yamanashi-city, Yamanashi, 12/10/2023

Miho Pine Forest is a scenic area in the Miho Peninsula located in Shimizu-ward, the city of Shizuoka, in Shizuoka Prefecture. It is known for its beautiful pine trees grown along the beach in Suruga Bay with a view of Mount Fuji on clear days. From Miho Shrine to the beach, there is a stretch of the pine trees over 500m. It is called Kami-no-Michi, “the road of god.” The pine trees are grown both sides of the stretch and they are huge being about 200-300 years old. This forest area is the place for the legend “Hagoromo (Robe of Feathers)” and also served as the scene for the Noh play titled “Hagoromo.”

https://miho-no-matsubara.jp/lang/en; https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Miho_no_Matsubara

Miho Pine Forest and Mount Fuji, Shimizu-ward, Shizuoka-city, Shizuoka, 11/29 & 12/05/2023