Close to Mount Fuji
By David Ellis
Close to Mount Fuji Jan 18, 2022
Episode 35: Half-Day Walking Tour of Japanese Wineries | Japanese Wine
If you want to learn more about the half-day walking tour of Japanese wineries, just follow the link:
http://closetomountfuji.com/2018/03/07/half-day-walking-tour-of-japanese-wineries/
The Battle of Koshu-Katsunuma (Example Only)
This is just an example podcast.
Japan’s Premier Wine-Producing Region
On the sixth day of March, 1868, the famous 300-strong samurai corps known as Shinsengumi, engaged a pro-imperial force 10 times its size at the battle of Koshu-Katsunuma. The members of Shinsengumi were loyal to the last Tokugawa Shogun, Yoshinobu. Yoshinobu wanted to maintain the status quo in Japan by keeping the country closed to outside influence and trade. Unfortunately for Shinsengumi, they were not on the right side of history. The overwhelming force of the pro-imperial combatants won the day, while 179 members of Shinsengumi were either killed or wounded. This battle is seen as decisive in the Boshin Civil War of 1868-1869.
Why is this bit of history important? As it turns out, the defeat of the forces loyal to the last Shogun at the battle of Koshu-Katsunuma was a necessary step for the modernization of Japan. Although I sympathize with the members of Shinsengumi, a force that lived by the samurai code of Bushido, their defeat helped usher in rapid change for Japan. One of these changes meant that ordinary Japanese citizens could freely travel to foreign lands, and in the 1870s, two young men from Katsunuma did just that.
They travelled to France to learn the art of winemaking, and the rest is history. Now, some 150 years after the battle of Koshu Katsunuma, the area surrounding the historic battle site is producing fine wines that beg the attention of the rest of the world.
Episode 34: Welcome to the Underground Cellar (Château Mercian's Katsunuma Winery Tour Excerpt)
以下は、山梨県勝沼町にあるシャトー・メルシャンワイナリーのツアーから抜粋したAI音声ポッドキャストの英語テキストです。AI音声ツアー、またはAI音声ポッドキャスト作成の詳細については、下記までご連絡ください。
http://closetomountfuji.com/enquiries/
Welcome to the Underground Cellar
The smell of oak-aged wine is absolutely Devine! It’s a heady mixture of evaporating wine from the 500 to 600 barrels stored here. Château Mercian ages 90% of its wines in French oak, which is generally accepted as being the best as it is highly aromatic. These complex aromas result from the fact that the most sought after oak only grows in a few regions of France, where the soil is poor in nutrients, not too moist, and contains no iron. The oak’s fine porosity is a result of it growing extremely slowly in the ‘poor’ soil. The winery also uses American oak for about 10% of its wines. American oak is also very aromatic and has proven to be well adapted to maturing red wines with an intense palate. Its sweet coconut aroma goes very well with our Muscat Bailey A red wines and some of our Chardonnays. These barrels can be used for up to 10 years. The first 2 years of use results in the very best wines. Each year we add about 100 new barrels and we keep a total of about 1000 of these barrels all together. White wines are oak-aged up to 6 months, while the reds age anywhere from 15 months to as long as 30.
The ideal temperature of this cellar is 19 degrees Celsius, so it is necessary to run a cooling system in the summer months. In addition, we keep the humidity at around 70%. Anything less than 70% humidity will cause the wine to evaporate too quickly.
If you look closely at the lids of the barrels, some have MT or MTL+ (Medium Toast/Medium Toast Long +) indicated on them. Toasting the insides of the barrels gives a vanilla, chocolate, roasted almond or caramel aroma to the wines. In fact, we can order 7 different levels of toasting from the manufacturers to suit our exacting specifications. There are also lids made from cherry and acacia! These lids give a slightly different aroma and flavor to our wines.
Episode 33: Myouren Waterfall | Forest Bathing | Hiking in Japan
If you want to learn more about Myouren Waterfall, just follow the link:
http://closetomountfuji.com/2016/07/19/myouren-waterfall/
Episode 32: Himuro Shrine | Forest Bathing | Hiking in Japan
If you want to learn more about Himuro Shrine, just follow the link:
http://closetomountfuji.com/2016/07/19/himuro-shrine/
Episode 31: The Rhythm of Rural Life in Yamanashi, Japan | Cherry Blossoms
If you want to learn more about Mitama Onsen, just follow the link:
http://closetomountfuji.com/2017/04/10/the-rhythm-of-rural-life-in-yamanashi-japan/
Episode 30: Daizen-ji, Budo-dera (Temple of Grapes) | Japanese Wine
If you want to learn more about Daizen-ji Temple, just follow the link:
http://closetomountfuji.com/2017/05/13/daizen-ji-budo-dera-temple-of-grapes/
Episode 29: Japan’s Premier Wine-Producing Region | Japanese Wine
If you want to learn more about MGVs Winery, just follow the link:
http://closetomountfuji.com/2017/04/24/japans-premier-wine-producing-region/
Episode 28: Lake Shibireko | Forest Bathing
If you want to learn more about Lake Shibireko, just follow the link:
http://closetomountfuji.com/2017/05/22/lake-shibireko/
Episode 27: Chureito Pagoda | Mount Fuji
If you want to learn more about Chureito Pagoda, just follow the link:
http://closetomountfuji.com/2017/11/19/chureito-pagoda/
Episode 26: The Tax Collector’s Home | Samurai
If you want to learn more about the Ando-Family home, just follow the link:
http://closetomountfuji.com/2017/12/10/the-tax-collectors-home/
Episode 25: The Dogs of Kamijo Village | Japanese Architecture | Beautiful Japanese Villages
If you want to learn more about Kamijo Village, just follow the link:
http://closetomountfuji.com/2018/10/22/the-dogs-of-kamijo-village/
Episode 24: Japanese Comfort Food in Yamanashi | Japanese Cuisine
If you want to learn more about making hōtō, just follow the link:
http://closetomountfuji.com/2018/07/18/japanese-comfort-food-in-yamanashi/
Episode 23: Forest Bathing in Japan
If you want to learn more about forest bathing in Yamanashi, Japan, just follow the link:
http://closetomountfuji.com/2018/11/14/forest-bathing-in-japan/
Episode 22: The Nezu Memorial Museum | Japanese Architecture
If you want to learn more about the Nezu Memorial Museum, just follow the link:
http://closetomountfuji.com/2019/01/17/nezu-memorial-museum/
Episode 21: Making Wine the 19th-Century Way | Japanese Wine
If you want to learn more about making stone-tank wine, just follow the link:
http://closetomountfuji.com/2018/09/17/making-wine-the-19th-century-way/
Episode 20: Oyashiki (Persimmon Village) | Japanese Architecture
If you want to learn more about Oyashiki, just follow the link:
http://closetomountfuji.com/2016/10/29/oyashiki-persimmon-village/
Episode 19: Jikkoku Oyanagawa Gorge | Forest Bathing
If you want to learn more about Jikkoku Oyanagawa Gorge, just follow the link:
https://closetomountfuji.com/2017/11/17/jikkoku-oyanagawa-gorge/
Episode 18: Cycling in Japan | Yamanashi’s Fruits Line
If you want to learn more about Yamanashi’s Fruits Line, just follow the link:
http://closetomountfuji.com/2019/04/08/cycling-in-japan-yamanashis-fruits-line/
Episode 17: Renting a Car in Yamanashi, Japan
If you want to learn more about renting a car in Yamanashi, Japan, just follow the link:
https://closetomountfuji.com/2017/02/08/renting-a-car-in-yamanashi/
Episode 16: Expanding Inbound Tourism in Japan
If you want to learn more about expanding inbound tourism in Japan, just follow the link:
https://closetomountfuji.com/2020/01/02/expanding-inbound-tourism-in-japan/
Episode 15: Japan’s Unique Wines | Koshu & Muscat Bailey A | Japanese Wine
This podcast is a brief introduction to two unique wines being produced in Yamanashi, Japan. For more information about Japan’s wine scene, please visit the following website:
https://closetomountfuji.com/2018/04/07/full-day-walking-tour-of-japanese-wineries/
http://closetomountfuji.com/2020/03/08/full-day-walking-tour-of-japanese-wineries-the-sequel/
Episode 14: Return to Akasawa Village | Japanese Architecture | Beautiful Japanese Villages
If you want to learn more about Akasawa Village, just follow the link:
http://closetomountfuji.com/2016/10/10/return-to-akasawa-village/
Episode 13: Miso Masterclass in Shimobe Onsen | Japanese Cuisine
If you want to learn more about making miso, just follow the link:
http://closetomountfuji.com/2017/02/18/miso-masterclass-in-shimobe-onsen/
Episode 12: Mt. Minobu to Mt. Shichimen Pilgrimage (Stage 2) | Forest Bathing | Hiking in Japan
If you want to learn more about the Mount Minobu to Mount Shichimen Pilgrimage (Stage 2), just follow the link:
http://closetomountfuji.com/2017/05/24/mt-minobu-to-mt-shichimen-pilgrimage-stage-two/
Episode 11: Mt. Minobu to Mt. Shichimen Pilgrimage (Stage 1) | Forest Bathing | Hiking in Japan
If you want to learn more about the Mount Minobu to Mount Shichimen Pilgrimage (Stage 1), just follow the link:
http://closetomountfuji.com/2017/04/16/mt-minobu-to-mt-shichimen-pilgrimage-stage-one/
Episode 10: Unrivaled Tradition at Nishiyama Onsen Keiunkan | World’s Oldest Hot Spring Hotel
If you would like to learn more about Nishiyama Onsen Keiunkan, just follow the link:
http://closetomountfuji.com/2016/12/22/unrivaled-tradition-at-nishiyama-onsen-keiunkan/
Episode 9: Shichiken Sake Brewery | Japanese Sake
If you want to learn more about Shichiken Sake Brewery, just follow the link:
http://closetomountfuji.com/2016/10/03/shichiken-sake-brewery/
Episode 8: Erin-ji Temple | Japanese Gardens | Takeda Shingen| Nightingale Floors
If you want to learn more about Erin-ji Temple, just follow the link:
http://closetomountfuji.com/2016/10/28/erin-ji-temple/
Episode 7: Suntory Hakushu Whisky Distillery | Japanese Whisky
If you want to learn more about Suntory Hakushu Whisky Distillery, just follow the link:
https://closetomountfuji.com/2017/02/13/suntory-hakushu-whisky-distillery/
Episode 6: Château Mercian & Miyakoen | Japanese Wine
If you want to learn more about Château Mercian & Miyakoen, just follow the link:
http://closetomountfuji.com/2018/10/18/chateau-mercian-miyakoen/
Episode 5: Japanese Sake: Blessed by Mount Fuji
If you want to learn more about Mount Fuji’s Sake, just follow the link:
https://closetomountfuji.com/2020/08/02/japanese-sake-blessed-by-mount-fuji/
Episode 4: The Itchiku Kubota Art Museum | Kimono Gallery
If you want to learn more about the Itchiku Kubota Art Museum, just follow the link:
http://closetomountfuji.com/2017/11/14/the-itchiku-kubota-art-museum/
Episode 3: The Majesty of Jomon Pottery | Prehistoric Japan | Stone-Age Art
If you want to learn more about Jomon pottery, just follow the link:
https://closetomountfuji.com/2020/10/18/the-majesty-of-jomon-pottery/
Episode 2: Full-Day Walking Tour of Japanese Wineries: The Sequel | Japanese Wine
If you want to learn more about this self-guided walking tour, just follow the link:
https://closetomountfuji.com/2020/03/08/full-day-walking-tour-of-japanese-wineries-the-sequel/
Episode 1: Full-Day Walking Tour of Japanese Wineries | Japanese Wine
If you want to learn more about this self-guided walking tour, just follow the link:
https://closetomountfuji.com/2018/04/07/full-day-walking-tour-of-japanese-wineries/