From 24 February through 3 March, the Graduate School of Agriculture (GSA) held a study tour, "Wine Business Development in Japan and Southern France", for 14 graduate students and four faculty from Montpellier SupAgro, France. The weeklong tour was organized as a Wild & Wise Collaborative Learning Program supported by Kyoto University, focusing on exploring Japan's wine industry, food culture, and tourism.
GSA and Montpellier SupAgro have maintained a strong research and education partnership over the past several years, with an academic exchange and cooperation agreement in place since 2015.
The tour kicked off in Kyoto with participants watching Japanese traditional cultural performances, followed on the next day by a courtesy visit to Kyoto University and a cooking session supported by the prefecture of Kyoto, featuring bara-sushi . The group next visited the Amanohashidate and Tamba Wineries, both located within the prefecture, and then learned about Japanese corporate culture and technologies at the "Biwako E-Harbor" development and production site of Horiba Ltd, recognized in Montpellier as a leading manufacturer of measurement and analysis instruments.
The fourth and fifth days were spent in Yamanashi, a long distance away from Kyoto. With visits to the University of Yamanashi's Institute of Enology and Viticulture, Chuo Budoshu Co, Ltd, and Kirin Distillery Company, Limited, the excursion offered opportunities to explore viticulture and winemaking under Japan's unique climatic conditions, and to experience the country's distinct wine and beverage cultures.
The final field trip of the program, held the following day, covered Katashimo Winery (Kashiwara, Osaka), founded more than 100 years ago, and Gekkeikan Okura Sake Museum (Fushimi, Kyoto). In Fushimi, with support from the prefecture, the students attended a seminar on local history and obanzai , a typical form of Kyoto cuisine, gaining insights into the interconnections among the alcoholic beverage industry, food culture, and locality. The final day featured a workshop to discuss challenges and possible solutions for the Japanese wine business.
Participants also had opportunities to meet and develop friendships with the KyotoU students who had earlier visited Montpellier SupAgro as part of an international exchange/fieldwork course.
Learning about winemaking and local cuisine at Amanohashidate Winery, Kyoto
Exploring Japanese technology and corporate culture at Horiba Biwako E-Harbor, Shiga
Learning about winemaking at Chuo Budoshu Co, Ltd, Yamanashi
At Katashimo Winery, Osaka: Gaining insight into the interconnections among viticulture, enology, and locality
Workshop discussion on challenges facing the Japanese wine business
Related link
- Wild & Wise Collaborative Learning Programs (2018-2019)
https://www.kyoto-u.ac.jp/en/education-campus/education_and_admissions/non-degree-programs/international-education-initiatives/2018-2019.html
