Koshu, the wine of the rains (Japan)

In the Land of the Rising Sun, the mountainous region of Yamanashi conceals a veritable treasure. According to legend, the miraculous seed arrived in the archipelago in the 8th century in the bags of a Buddhist priest freshly arrived from China… The koshu, a unique varietal and exclusively Japanese, has molded the landscape ever since, perched two meters above the ground on huge pergolas at the foot of Mount Fuji. Here, more than anywhere else, they are aware of the threat from a sleeping volcano: each harvest becomes a minor miracle. So they grow wine as they pray: ritual and ancient beliefs blend with traditional winegrowing techniques. In a few days they will celebrate the end of the harvest with a big festival at the Shinto shrine, with an unrivalled view over the sacred mountain. All the residents of the region will come to honor Mount Fuji and its divinities, who have allowed the land to prosper.