Grapes have been cultivated in Japan since at least the eighth century, but it was not until 1879 that the first grape wine was produced. By lucky coincidence, the location of Japan's earliest wine production, and still one of Japan's major wine producing regions, Katsunuma in Yamanashi Prefecture, is just an hour and a half … Continue reading A Winter Weekend in Wine Country
This article introduces a bit about famed military genius, Shingen Takeda, and his “domain”. Fascinating guy and fun places to visit where there are still signs of him five centuries after he lived. (Archived article – Originally published by Japan Today.)
There are five lakes skirting the northern base of Mt. Fuji, Japan's iconic highest mountain. These lakes are the result of rivers dammed by lava flowing from the Fuji volcano in eruptions of centuries past. Today they are all popular recreation areas. Lake Kawaguchi (a/k/a Kawaguchi-ko) is the northernmost of these lakes, and the second … Continue reading Looking for Seven Lucky Gods at One of the Fuji Five Lakes
The valleys and mountains north of Mt. Fuji are full of remnants of the lives of some of Japan's earliest inhabitants--the Jomon hunters and gatherers of Japan's pre-agricultural period (traditionally dated between 14,000 and 300 BCE). But archaeologists have had to dig for it. Archaeology has only been undertaken in Japan for about 150 years, a … Continue reading Shakado Museum of Jomon Culture – really digging back in time
This article introduces Shosenkyo, a dramatic gorge located just north of Kofu in Yamanashi Prefecture. (Archived article - originally published by Japan Today)
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