The rain stopped as our high-speed train from Tokyo entered into Yamanashi Prefecture’s Kofu Basin. Changing to a local train at Kofu station, we continued northwest to Nirasaki, where we were greeted by the soft-spoken Mr Shigekazu Misawa, the fourth-generation proprietor of Grace Wine. He personally drove us on a quiet Sunday morning up the winding hills to his family vineyards 700 metres above sea level.
When we arrived at the vantage point, Mount Fuji remained hidden behind the clouds. Yet the towering mountains surrounding us rose high all around us, creating a natural rain barrier. Indeed, the Akeno site is said to enjoy the longest sunshine hours in Japan.
