A History of Koshu

The Koshu grape is indigenous to Japan and has been traditionally grown as table grapes in the Katsunuma area, located 100km west of Tokyo. Although Koshu has existed since the 8th Century, the grape variety didn’t gain popularity until the Edo Period (1600-1867), when grapes were considered a delicacy for the Tokugawa Shogunate.

Many varieties of grapes are now all over the world, but the only one suited for wine initially appeared in the Middle East (near the Caspian Sea) where it traveled to Europe and flourished before the last Ice Age. During the Ice Age, the vast majority of species of flora and fauna in Europe became extinct but vinifera was one of the few vines that managed to exist and flourish after the glaciers receded. Miraculously, according to historical records, vinifera appeared as Koshu in Japan during the 8th Century where it was cultivated as a table delicacy and not used for wine. During the Edo Period (17th-19th Century) the Shogun established hegemony in the Tokyo area moving the seat of government from Kyoto and vast vineyards were planted three days journey to the west in Yamanashi and carried by hand to the Tokugawa Castle.

Grapes that were grown in the Katsunuma region were delivered to the castle in Edo (Tokyo) via the Koshu road (Koshu-kaido) that connected the two main roads of Japan. The Koshu grapes were grown in this region because of its proximity to Edo (old Tokyo), not because the area was necessarily suitable for grape growing. Only the exceptional grapes were delivered to the Shogun, while surplus grapes were sold in Akihabara (which is the current technology district) and the Kanda Fruit market where they were sold to the common people. After the Meiji Restoration (1868) the new government sent a mission to Paris at about the time of the Paris Exposition and brought back the first technology for winemaking and the industry started in the village of Katsunuma.

Since then, winemaking flourished but the quality was poor and was sold domestically to those who could not afford sake. After the Second World War many Japanese wineries began to experiment with both European and non-vinifera varietals. Subsequently, varieties and quantities of table grapes increased, however, from the 1980s the import duties on foreign wines were drastically reduced and domestic wines, unable to compete on both quality and price, saw their market share reduced from 40-20%.

Over the past 50 years, as the number of delectable table grape varieties became introduced to Japan, the production of Koshu declined. The Koshu varietal needs to be preserved because it is the only known grape varietal that has historical significance to Japan. By creating this wine, we can introduce a new market for Koshu.