COCO FARM & WINERY

Some members of the Study Group named "Travel for All" visited COCO FARM & Winery, which is located in Ashikaga City, Tochigi Prefecture, 100 km north east from Tokyo.

COCO FARM & WINERY originated from KOKOROMI GAKUEN which was founded as a residential facility for mentally disabled persons by Mr. Noboru Kawada in 1969. He used to be a teacher of a class for mentally disabled students, having conditions ranging from autism to Down syndrome. He thought they should be provided with a place to work in, and then he and his students cultivated the steep slope on the hillside and planted many vines. Not all the students could work well, but Mr. Kawada said, "We need some people just in charge of being blown by the breeze in the vineyard. Let them enjoy the time." Some of the workers drove away the crows all day. Some cleared away the undergrowth in the vineyard. Even under the sun in the midsummer, they worked very hard, untiringly. They looked as if they didn't know what getting tired was.

In due time, they began to produce wine at the foot of the mountain. This was in 1984. Here again they continued working even at night, clearing all the processes using their hands. They wanted to produce better wine and Mr. Kawada called on an American technical expert Mr. Bruce Gutlove to guide them. This American technician made a contract for six months in the beginning, and still he has been here for more than twenty years.

Their wine has been highly evaluated and their dry sparkling wine was recommended and used at the official dinner in the Okinawa Summit.

Ms. Chieko Ikegami, the Director and the daughter of the founder Mr. Kawada, kindly showed us around the vineyard and the winery.

On top of the hill

First she took us to the top of the hill where we could command not only a bird's-eye view of the total layout of the vineyard, winery, the dormitory, and the shops and restaurants, but we also had a view of Ashikaga City, the Nikko Mountain range and Mt. Fuji.


The panoramic view of COCO FARM



Vineyard

 I was very much impressed by the widely spread vineyard on a steep slope of the mountain, knowing about the students in the old days. Now they have grown up or become much older after having worked so hard and tirelessly together with their teacher Mr. Kawada.

I found a graveyard a little down below where Mr. Kawada and his beloved workers or colleagues are sleeping peacefully. I recall the saying about the ideal principle of welfare, "From the cradle to the grave". Mr. Kawada has practiced this in his KOKOROMI GAKUEN. People working here are independent, though with disabilities, and live very peacefully and happily, knowing they are producing something by themselves and contributing something to society.

Wine barrels

All of the facilities of the winery are not automated, but are operated by human hands. Workers allotted a certain machine pay deep attention and manipulate it very carefully. The wine produced here is all hand-made, and even the corking of the bottle is done by a skilled worker's hand.

The cork

Kampai

At lunch time, we enjoyed wonderful French cuisine, of course with nice wine. I felt the taste of wine here was 'melt in my mouth' because of the warm human hand.

Additionally speaking, all the facilities here are barrier-free and my friend in a wheelchair didn't have any difficulties getting around. They have their own Home Page as follows:

http://www.cocowine.com/

Just try to visit it !! I'm sure you will be very impressed.