Promotion of Koshu Wine in London
In February 2015 at a London hotel, a wine tasting event was held to further the promotion of Koshu Wine. The Wine Makers Association of Yamanashi as well as other assorted organisations which make up the “Koshu Wine EU Export Promotion Committee” held the event which this time brought 11 wineries from Yamanashi to exhibit, and was attended by around 200 sommeliers, journalist and professionals working in the wine industry.
With the backdrop of a world wide boom in Japanese food, ‘Matching Washoku‘ (matching wine to Japanese cuisine) efforts began to raise awareness of wine made from the indigenous ‘koshu’ grape which has been grown in Japan from ancient times, with the first wine tasting event in London in 2010 and an event held every year since then. As a result, the recognition of the Koshu wine brand has been heightened to the level of ‘a globally recognised wine’ according to praise given by wine advisors to the UK Royal Family. The export of Koshu wine to the UK and other EU countries was in 2010 about 2,000 bottles, with a total of 20,000 bottles exported by 2014.
This year, at the same time as holding London seminars supported by BBC food programme experts and celebrities, a new strategy was started with active promotion of the wine in Scandinavia starting in Sweden. Mr. Kida, Chairman of the Koshu Wine Committee, said that impact of PR has so far been felt to be increasing, saying “each winery is feeling the increase in trade. We want to put an emphasis on further media exposure so more people know about the Koshu wine brand”.
Wagumi – showcasing traditional goods from Japan in London
Organisations charged by the Japanese government and local authorities to help with the promotion of regional products from Japan have set up shop in London. In an effort to promote various high quality Japanese arts and crafts and in cooperation with local government supporting traditional industries, they are now targeting the expansion of overseas markets for these goods. One such example is Wagumi, in London’s OXO Tower on the South Bank, a collaborative shop and workshop for Japanese artisans to display and sell traditional goods from Japan and made on site in the workshops.
Wagumi displays a beautiful selection of collaborative design products, as well as the work of partners from Japan and Europe. The result is a varied showcase of craftsmanship and design, symbolising the essence of Japanese spirit. Products and crafts include lacquer ware, glass tableware, wood carving, fabrics, porcelain, cast iron goods, as well as many others from regions all over Japan such as Niigata, Nagano, Saga, Toyama and many others including traditional manufacturing from the capital, Tokyo.
Currently with traditional lifestyles changing and a falling population there is a fall in demand for traditional Japanese products, and as there are less and less people taking up training in these arts the industries are seeing a trend of overall decline. In order to see continued protection of these traditional regional industries, Japanese local government is increasing its support for overseas market expansion.
JLGC research trip to Finland
JLGC Assistant Director Yuki Oe and Researcher Benjamin Preece visited local government organisations in Hauho and Tuulos, Finland at the beginning of March. Their visit was hosted by the Linnaseutu Local Action Group (LAG).
The visit was to research rural development and the impact of the European Union LEADER funding programme in Finland. This is part of the JLGC’s mission to study European local governments and report on the effectiveness and results of initiatives to Japanese local authorities.
In Tuulos they visited the Linnaseutu Local Action Group office as well as a carpentry business, where the company has modern facilities refurbished from old factories by the edge of the village.
The company received start-up support from Linnaseutu Local Action Group along with funds towards employees’ salaries. Yuki and Benjamin were impressed with the carpenter’s shop where high quality products are made from domestic solid wood in the family business. The company produces windows and doors which are custom-made to meet demand for new build properties and restoration. The company also has its own branded range of ‘Oiva’ stools and ‘Happiness’ high-chairs.
They then visited community development and investment projects, such as the Old Raitin Tavern. This is a typical example of a local project and currently used as a café and lodge, the result of renovating rundown buildings, which will now be run entrepreneurs for a year.
JLGC would like to thank Juha-Matti Markkola, Sanna Sihvola, Christell Astrom, Jussi Pakari, Johanna Henttinen, Jouni Lehtonen, and everyone at Puusepanliike Hannesfor and Linnaseutu Local Action Group for their time and warm welcome.
