With Yamakami-san in front of Guesthouse Kura in Suzaka

「蔵の町」須坂市が長野市の東北側にある。先日に久しぶりに通ったら、あちらこちらに誇りの蔵の整備工事がされていた。須坂市はその遺産となる蔵を積極的に大事にしている様に感じた。欧米に無い、日本の江戸時代からの蔵はこの欧米人が大好きなので、嬉しい限り。

その歴史的な蔵の活性化は色んな悩みがきっとあるだろう。一つの古民家と蔵は去年に「ゲストハウスKURA」として生まれ変わった。オーナーの山上さんに顔を出して、ゲストハウスを案内してくれた。去年は成田空港の近くのゲストハウスに泊まった。その時はどれだけな人数をどれだけな狭い所で安く泊まらせるかという雰囲気だった。寝る所は２段バンクベッドだったし。須坂のゲストハウスKURAは広々した畳の部屋でお客さんが日本風で布団で眠れる。

ゲストハウスKURA:　お安くで泊まりながら古民家生活の体験も出来、なかなか魅力的な宿泊施設。

Suzaka City, situated to north and east of Nagano City, is known as 'Kura no Machi', or a town of 'Kura', meaning the old earthen-walled storehouses that were prevalent in the Edo era. On a recent trip to Suzaka, I was pleased to see so much construction activity going on to restore several of these historic Kura. For someone like me coming from a Western country, these Kura have a lot of mystique of the old Japan.

Of course, the reality is finding practical uses for these Kura is very difficult in today's world. One entrepreneur has come up with a unique application: Ms. Yamakami-san has started Guesthouse KURA in an old merchant's house with a Kura in its backyard.

Last year, I stayed at a guesthouse near Narita Airport. It was an exercise in squeezing as many people in to as small a space as possible for as cheap as possible. Sleeping quarters were tiny little bunk beds.

Guesthouse KURA maintains the inexpensive pricing, but guests sleep on futons sharing spacious tatami-mat rooms, while experiencing staying in a 100+ year old house. This is a great addition to the selection of accommodations here in Nagano Prefecture!

ゲストハウス蔵 Guesthouse Kura

Kura's entryway shoebox

The men's shared sleeping quarters

One of the gardens

The shared kitchen

Antique fire extinguisher

「本物のワインはおフランスのだな」と言う考えはもう古い。あちらこちらにワイン作りの技術が上がってきて、世界中に高級のワインが出来る様になってきた。日本では山梨県はワインで有名ですが、気候が段々と変わってきて、最近は信州で良い品質のワイン葡萄が出てきた。高い技術で高質のワインは安曇野、茅野、東御市、所々です。

先日はその一つに行きました:　須坂市の楠ワイナリー。オーストラリアでワイン作りの資格を取ってきた楠さんに会ってきました。試飲もさせて頂きました。１本２～３０００円もするワイン（５０００円野もある！)で、贅沢でした。

楠さんにどこのワインが一番の憧れ課と聞いたら、彼はどこかのワインを目指していないと、須坂の土から北信の気候で育ってくる葡萄はなりたいワインになる様に、手伝っていると仰った。

感心しました！

亀清旅館は「ワインを飲める宿」と言うふうに育って行きたいと思っております。現在は長野産の安い五一ワインとイヅツワイン、そして私の拘りでワシントン州産のカベルネサーブィニヨンを扱っています。これからは楠ワイナリーの高級長野産ワインも。お楽しみに。

It used to be that for really good wine, you had to go to France. But nowadays, wine making technology has advanced to so far that you can find the highest quality wine all over the world. Here in Japan, Yamanashi Prefecture is renown for its wine production. But as the climate changes, Nagano's grape fields are increasingly producing world class wine grapes. And a handful of local winemakers are producing wine that rivals that of France.

The other day, I visited one such winemaker, Kusonoki Winery in Suzaka, northeast of Nagano City. Kusunoki-san studied Oenology and Viticulture in Australia, and in talking with him, his enthusiasm for really good wine was evident. He graciously let me sample some of his whites and reds. That was quite a luxury, as their prices are in the 2 to 3 thousand yen range, with at least one bottle priced close to 5,000 yen.

I asked Kusunoki-san what region's wine he likes the best. He replied that he isn't trying to reproduce any one wine. Instead, growing from the nutrients in his fields here in Suzuka, in Northern Nagano's climate, his grapes know what type of wine they want to become, and he considers it his job to assist them in that process.

Quite a humble yet amazing concept!

Here at Kamesei Ryokan, we currently offer two inexpensive Nagano wines as well as one of my favorites, a Washington State cabernet savignon. But it is my hope to slowly make Kamesei Ryokan into an inn where guests can enjoy fine wine. We are looking at offering such from the Kusonoki Winery in the near future. Stay tuned!

楠ワイナリー Kusunoki Winery
Note: Kusunoki-san's blog is bilingual Japanese and English.