Jun 18 (Japan Times) - In Yamanashi Prefecture, the top producer of wine made only from grapes grown in Japan, three cities have come together to create a plan for a wine resort.
The cities of Koshu, Fuefuki and Yamanashi, which together host some 60 wineries, are collaborating to promote the area as a resort where tourists can stay at ryokan Japanese-style inns with onsen hot springs while exploring wineries and other local attractions.
According to research by the prefecture the three neighboring cities, which make up one of Japan's biggest wine-producing regions, last year were visited by approximately 5.5 million tourists.
Of them, 70 percent only came on single-day trips. The prefecture views this as a possible opening for the cities to increase the number of overnight visitors by enticing people to stay longer.
Wineries took the first step in efforts to coax visitors to stay longer.
Koshu-based Marufuji Winery Co., which is celebrating its 127th year in business, renovated a kominka old folk house and opened it as a guesthouse in March.
