A Half-Century Promise in Reihoku
Even if not a single grape were to ripen, we would not use pesticides.
Mishima Farm is located in the Reihoku area of Tosa District, Kochi Prefecture, roughly at the center of Shikoku. Situated partway up the Shikoku Mountains and surrounded by mountains on all sides, it is a richly natural area where the headwaters of the Yoshino River and many tributaries flow. Forestry and agriculture thrive here because the region receives so many blessings from nature. Mountain ridges and terraced rice fields create a beautiful rural landscape. We were probably the first in Shikoku to begin growing Kyoho grapes. At the time, Kyoho cultivation itself was unusual, and failure followed failure. We traveled throughout Japan learning cultivation techniques and know-how. Those efforts eventually paid off, and today a number of Kyoho growers who followed in our footsteps can be found throughout the region. The previous generation's Kyoho cultivation had become well established locally and was progressing smoothly when, around 2004, circumstances changed dramatically.
