15 Years On: Fukushima Winery Becoming Community Hub

Tomioka, Fukushima Pref., March 13 (Jiji Press)–A winery in the town of Tomioka in Fukushima Prefecture has taken off as a place for locals to interact with each other. This spring, the winery will sell the first wine made in the town of Tomioka, located within the 20-kilometer radius of Tokyo Electric Power Company Holdings Inc.’s stricken Fukushima No. 1 nuclear power plant. Wine producer Shubun Endo, 54, had lost his house in Tomioka in the March 2011 earthquake and tsunami disaster, which triggered the nuclear accident at the power plant. He started growing grapevines 10 years ago, hoping to contribute to the revival of the northeastern prefecture. In May last year, he opened Tomioka Winery, which also has a wine shop and a restaurant. “This is becoming a place where people can talk about the town, renewing old friendships and making memories,” Endo said, happy that his place has become a hub for locals and former town residents to interact. Endo, who has lived in Central America and Australia, was always interested in wine, as it embodies the local climate and soil and reflects local food culture. Around 2007, when he was working in the construction industry, he decided to try winemaking to energize the town. But not long after, the temblor and tsunami hit the northeastern region on March 11, 2011. His newly built house was washed away, and the land became a temporary location to put waste from decontamination work. His passion for winemaking did not disappear, however. “For reconstruction, I want to create a place where people gather and where their hearts are moved,” he thought. Some locals described his plan as “reckless,” as the land had never been used for growing grapevines. There were also concerns about radioactive contamination caused by the meltdown accident. Despite such views, Endo planted his first grapevines in 2016. By 2025, he had planted 16,000 vines on 7 hectares of land. The total figure is the same as the population of Tomioka before the disaster. Money was generated through crowdfunding. Inspired by his passion, over 100 people volunteered to help with his work from the prefecture and beyond. Initially, his grapevines produced small crops. But after some lessons from a winery in the central Japan prefecture of Yamanashi, a major center for grape farming, the quality and quantity of his grapes gradually improved. By opening Tomioka Winery, he was able to create an environment in which every stage of winemaking, from grape harvesting to production, can be done in the town. Made in a town facing the Pacific Ocean, the wine is dry and slightly salty. It goes well with local seafood. His winery and restaurant have become popular among local residents and tourists. Even former residents who left the town following the disaster came back for the wine. END [Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]