The cultivation of wine grapes within the grounds of Shiojiri Station by the Shiojiri City Tourism Association has started again this year.
The varieties cultivated inside Shiojiri Station are "Merlot" and "Niagara."
It is attracting attention as the only station in Japan where "wine grapes" are grown.
Grape Trellises Inside the Station!
Shiojiri City is one of Japan's leading wine-producing regions.
In 1988, grape trellises for two varieties, Merlot and Niagara, were installed on the platforms of Shiojiri Station to promote wine grapes, one of the city's key industries.
Local grape growers, wineries, JR staff, and tourism association members collaborate to cultivate the grapes.
They are harvested around autumn.
Japan's Only "Station Wine"!
The grapes inside Shiojiri Station are cultivated under the guidance of local grape growers.
Produced with a focus on quality, the grapes grown inside the station are astonishingly also used for winemaking with the cooperation of local wineries.
Limited to 120 bottles produced in 2020, the "Shiojiri Station Merlot" reportedly sold out immediately.
The only "station wine" in Japan to be released in 2021 is also likely to become a bottle that is difficult to obtain.
An Appealing Initiative That Brings the Community Together!
Late May 2021.
"Shoot thinning" to prune the buds and "training and tying" to guide the vines onto the trellises were successfully carried out for the grapes inside the station.
Incidentally, this initiative has become a hot topic, not only being featured on the website of the well-known wine magazine "Wine Spectater," but also covered by media worldwide, including Australia, Taiwan, Germany, and Russia.
It is an appealing initiative that unites Shiojiri City.
If you are a Japanese wine enthusiast, why not visit the platforms of Shiojiri Station?
References
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/tokimeguri/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/info40430583
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shiojiri_kanko/
Official Website: https://tokimeguri.jp/
Official Website Grape Trellis Page: https://tokimeguri.jp/guide/budoudana/