TOCHIGI, Tochigi Prefecture–Motoki Iwasaki holds an enology certificate from the French government, an honor bestowed on very few Japanese.

It means Iwasaki knows his wine.

But rather than devote years to working at famous vineyards in France, the 38-year-old returned to Japan to become a winemaker.

His goal was to breathe new life into the Ohira district here where he grew up with a product made locally. Ohira is a leading grape production area in the northern Kanto region.

The winemaker, the third son of five, was born into a grape-growing family.

But he had no interest in the family business and had his sights set on joining an international organization.

He went on to study at Tokyo University of Foreign Studies, majoring in English.

A turning point came when he was in college and a friend introduced him to a winemaker in South Africa, which ignited a fascination for wine and its myriad tastes and aromas.

After graduating, he joined a wine trading firm, which gave him the opportunity to interact with wine producers in Japan. He decided that wine was the way to go.

THE FRENCH CONNECTION

Iwasaki went to France in 2017 when he was 30, even though he knew nobody there and couldn’t speak French.

He picked up the language along the way, working for wine producers across the country.

“I had to learn everything from scratch because I didn’t help my family at all growing up, even though I was born into a family of winemakers,” he said.

About three years went by before Iwasaki decided to formally learn the art of winemaking.

Aspiring winemakers in France have their pick of publicly run winemaking schools.

After finishing a one-year course, Iwasaki transferred to the University of Burgundy, one of the country’s most prestigious winemaking schools.

He was then accepted into the graduate school, which takes only a small number of high achievers.

“You can understand the flow of winemaking by working hands-on, but I figured I wouldn’t be able to create the kind of wine I wanted to make unless I understood why some processes were necessary,” he said.

WORLD-CLASS QUALITY

To qualify as an enologist, a student must complete a dedicated course offered at five universities in France.

According to Iwasaki, just over 20 Japanese wine aficiandos are certified as enologists.

Certification meant he could work at a famed winery in France.

But he had made up his mind to return to his hometown.

“There were already Japanese people working at wineries in France, and the job can be done without me,” he said. “I’m the only one who can bring Japanese wine to a world-class level (here).”

After he returned home in July 2024, Iwasaki used a grape variety unique to Japan known as Muscat Bailey A to produce his first wine.

It received rave reviews from representatives of the restaurant and liquor industries at a tasting event for Japanese wine that he organized in France.

“Like French grapes, it has a fruity aroma and a refreshing characteristic. It is less astringent and has a gentle mouthfeel, so it goes well with Japanese cuisine and other delicacies,” he said. “I was certain that it would be sought-after by customers across the world.”

He produced 900 bottles of red wine and 200 bottles of rose wine in May this year, using grapes harvested from his family’s vineyard and elsewhere in the Ohira district.

Of them, 24 bottles were exported at the request of restaurateurs in France and Austria.

Iwasaki sold all the wine he produced this year.

REVITALIZING THE COMMUNITY

Because the Ohira district has well-drained soil and plenty of sunlight, it is suited for grape cultivation.

But the number of producers has dwindled as age, coupled with a lack of successors, takes its toll on farmers.

There were more than 100 farming households in the district 50 years ago.

Now there are only 57, and many fields lie abandoned.

“Compared to table grapes, wine grapes require less work to control their color and size. They can be used for efficient production without human intervention,” he said.

Iwasaki currently rents a winery in Ashikaga, also in Tochigi Prefecture, to make wine.

He aims to open his own winery in the Ohira district within a few years.

His wife whom he met in France is a cook, so he is also planning to open a restaurant attached to the winery to serve dishes prepared using ingredients from the prefecture.

“I think foreign people will be interested in Ohira as it still has beautiful landscapes,” the winemaker said. “First, I want to turn wine into a tool for revitalization to create a bustling atmosphere in the community.”