So, a week or so ago, I went on an MWR trip (Morale, Welfare and Recreation). One of the most awesome things offered to us over here are these trips. There are trips every weekend. Fuji was an MWR trip. This one was a lot less physically painful: peach picking, washi making and a winery. Three separate places, which meant a lot of on and off of the bus. I went with my friend, Christine, and her daughter, Leeann, and let's just get this out of the way: the peaches and washi were just marking time for the winery.
The drive was about two hours through absolutely beautiful countryside. We went one prefecture over, from where we live (Kanagawa) to Yamanashi. Yamanashi is known for its good water, which makes good fruit. The peach orchard wasn't very big, but the peaches themselves were absolutely huge.
The growers put wax papers over every single peach to protect it from water, which could sit on the peaches' surface and make them imperfect. God forbid.
We had an hour of all you can pick and eat. Generally, buffets are delicious, but as soon as the guide (the same awesome guide as I had on Fuji, by the way) said "all you can eat peaches," I felt only confusion. Who ever heard of a peach buffet? You know how many peaches I ate in that hour? Two. Granted, they were bigger than softballs, but I still ate one peach more than most people, and that second one only out of a sense of duty. I mean, I couldn't very well just eat one of something when the offer was "all you can eat." It would have been unAmerican.
The next activity between me and the winery was washi making. Washi is Japanese paper made from the bark of the gampi tree.
Those bowls of purple liquid are the pulp for making washi and the thing in front of me is fine mesh screen with a wood frame. First you pour the pulp into the screen and gently move the screen back and forth so the water falls through the screen and the pulp is left behind. You let it rest for a bit, then repeat the process three times to make three layers. The pulp is a very weird texture. Kind of glue-like and fibrous with the viscosity of a big gob of cow snot. Yes, cow snot. I grew up on a farm. I have different reference points than normal people.
After all three layers were poured, we got to draw a design in the paper. Then we went off to the gift shop. I had just begun to peruse the paper when I was informed that someone had dropped my washi on the floor and I had to go re-make it. So, I got to feel the snot twice.
Then, the main event: the Shirayuri Winery. It was a small building with large stainless steel tanks in front so not very attractive, but frankly I didn't go to a winery to judge the architecture.
First we got to taste the grapes they use for the wine. This variety actually hails from the Adirondacks. Amazing, right? I came all the way to Japan only to run smack-dab into upstate New York. Yes, you do see paper hats on the grapes, just like with the peaches. Actually, the grapes in the picture above are only half dressed. They also grow grapes to sell in the grocery store and each bunch of grapes sports a white body suit so the wind won't damage them. The wind. Which, the last time I checked was just air.
After we left the yummy, but mosquito-filled vineyard, we went inside for the tasting.
Japanese wine isn't like European wine or American wine. It's fruity and sweeter, and doesn't age well. As in, do not let it sit around for 20 years, because it will be disgusting.
I couldn't take advantage of the wine tasting as much as I would have liked. I had to drive from the base back home and everyone has a take-no-chances attitude with how crazy low the Japanese DUI limit is. What I lacked in the wine tasting, I completely obliterated with the amount of wine I brought home. I'm talking a huge amount of wine. Big bottles, little bottles, sample bottles. Expect alcohol for Christmas.
I have yet to uncork a big bottle, but the smaller bottles have been this lonely girl's best friends. Don't judge me.
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