Takeru Kokubo, author of the hit bestseller with over 100,000 copies sold, "Wine Ichinensei" (Wine for First Graders), established the wine brewery "FUNABASHI COQ WINERY" in September 2021.
An "urban winery" within walking distance of a train station is a first for Chiba Prefecture.
With the desire to revitalize Funabashi and Chiba Prefecture through the power of wine, a project was launched on the crowdfunding platform "CAMPFIRE" on Friday, December 10, 2021.
Here are the details.
Revitalizing Chiba Prefecture with Wine
Mr. Kokubo established the winery in Funabashi City, Chiba Prefecture, driven by the thoughts that "I want to revitalize Funabashi, the town where I was born and raised" and "I want to energize the restaurants and eateries in Chiba Prefecture that have been exhausted by the COVID-19 pandemic."
Looking ahead, under the theme of "wine not just for making products, but for creating experiences," he hopes to plan various initiatives that can contribute to community development and make wine feel more approachable.
He shared that this wine offering project was also launched out of a desire to have more people learn about the winery and to revitalize Chiba Prefecture and Funabashi through the power of wine.
His strong passion to help Chiba Prefecture with wine—after it suffered severe damage from typhoons two years in a row, followed by the shock of the pandemic—truly shines through.
About "FUNABASHI COQ WINERY"
From operating his restaurant "Wine & Meat COQ DINER" to authoring the book "Illustrated: Wine Ichinensei," Mr. Kokubo has continued to actively reach out to audiences who previously had no interest in wine.
Amid this journey, in September 2021, a winery was established within walking distance of Funabashi Station to make wine feel even more accessible. *"FUNABASHI COQ WINERY" is the third winery in Chiba Prefecture.
In the future, beyond producing wine, plans include hosting meet-and-greets between grape growers and winery fans, as well as organizing events and workshops at wine shops and wine bars.
He hopes many people will visit and enjoy wonderful times here in Funabashi.
About the Returns
This project is currently running on the crowdfunding platform "CAMPFIRE."
The returns will include shipments of their first vintage wines.
Two types of inaugural "first vintage wines" are being prepared—red and white—made from Nagano-grown grapes: "Koshu Blanc" (white) and "Black Queen Rouge" (red).
By the way, there are 6 support tiers in total:
- (1) 1,500 yen: FUNABASHI COQ WINERY Thank-You Email
- (2) 1,500 yen: 1 FUNABASHI COQ WINERY Original T-shirt
- (3) 10,000 yen: First Vintage Advance Sale Wine (750 mL) 1 Red & 1 White (2 Bottles Total) Set
+ 1 Original T-shirt - (4) 25,000 yen: First Vintage Advance Sale Wine (750 mL) 3 Reds & 3 Whites (6 Bottles Total) Set
+ 1 Original T-shirt - (5) 45,000 yen: First Vintage Advance Sale Wine (750 mL) 6 Reds & 6 Whites (12 Bottles Total) Set
+ 1 Original T-shirt - (6) 【Support Price】 100,000 yen
First Vintage Advance Sale Wine (750 mL) 6 Reds & 6 Whites (12 Bottles Total) Set
+ 2 Original T-shirts
If you are interested, why not check out the crowdfunding page?
An Era Where "Urban Wineries" Connect Wine and People!
Wine is typically seen as a product of nature-rich rural regions.
That image is gradually shifting with the rise of "urban wineries."
However, one must not forget that these "urban wineries" are not merely riding a trend or creating temporary buzz—they are founded on the sincere desire to "connect people through wine."
If you are a fan of Japanese wine, why not take a look at the crowdfunding campaign for "FUNABASHI COQ WINERY"?
Details
【Crowdfunding Overview】
＜Platform＞
CAMPFIRE
＜Project URL＞
https://camp-fire.jp/projects/view/522533
FUNABASHI COQ WINERY