{"id":3436,"date":"2026-02-05T15:07:16","date_gmt":"2026-02-05T14:07:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/solo-spirits.com\/coco-farm-winery\/"},"modified":"2026-03-04T11:52:07","modified_gmt":"2026-03-04T10:52:07","slug":"coco-farm-winery","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/solo-spirits.com\/en\/coco-farm-winery\/","title":{"rendered":"COCO FARM & WINERY"},"content":{"rendered":"

A Japanese winery where wine is born from respect, inclusion, and nature<\/em><\/strong><\/h3>\n

On the hillside of Ashikaga City in Japan\u2019s Tochigi Prefecture, vines grow that carry more than just terroir. They carry a story of humanity, patience, and belief in meaningful work. COCO FARM & WINERY is a winery with an exceptional origin. Its roots go back to 1958, when a group of students with intellectual disabilities and their teacher, Noboru Kawada, planted the first vines on a steep Jurassic slope.<\/p>\n

\"coco-farm\"<\/p>\n

The beginning of a remarkable journey<\/h3>\n

It all started as a school project. The students and their teacher created a vineyard with their own hands on the hillside. Their goal was not only to grow grapes, but to develop skills, dignity, and a sense of work ethic through contact with nature. In 1969, the social welfare facility Kokoromi Gakuen was established, and vineyard work continued as part of the residents\u2019 daily lives.<\/p>\n

The vision to deepen this activity by making wine from their own grapes soon faced legal obstacles. As a social welfare institution, they were not allowed to obtain a winemaking license. The solution came with the founding of COCO FARM & WINERY Ltd. in 1980. In 1984, the winery received its license and began producing its own wines.<\/p>\n

A clear philosophy<\/h3>\n

In 1989, California wine consultant Bruce Gutlove accepted Kawada\u2019s invitation to join the project. Together they developed a clear philosophy: the quality of wine must never be determined by who makes it. Not ability, but honest effort and care define the value of a wine.<\/p>\n

This approach remains at the heart of everything \u2013 from respect for nature to appreciation for work in the vineyard and cellar, to the joy of craft. Today, the winery is led by Hideki Ishii (Head of Viticulture) and Toyoichiro Shibata (Head Winemaker), working alongside the community of Kokoromi Gakuen. Their wines have been featured at international events \u2013 from the G8 Summit in 2000 to official receptions of the Japanese government.<\/p>\n

Vineyards rooted in Jurassic bedrock<\/h3>\n

COCO FARM & WINERY cultivates about six hectares of vineyards on the hills of Ashikaga and Sano. The vines grow at altitudes between 50 and 200 meters, on slopes as steep as 42 degrees. Beneath a thin layer of soil lies a unique Jurassic bedrock \u2013 a mix of clastic rocks, basalt, chert, and m\u00e9langes. The vine roots penetrate deep into cracks in the rock, giving the wines a distinctive character.<\/p>\n

Due to the steep terrain, all vineyard work must be done by hand \u2013 from protecting grape clusters and removing diseased leaves to individual care for each vine. A variety of grapes are grown here, including traditional Japanese varieties such as Muscat Bailey A, Riesling Lion, and Shokoshi, as well as international ones like Petit Manseng, Norton, Albari\u00f1o, and Tannat. The winery also collaborates with growers from regions such as Hokkaido, Yamagata, Nagano, and Saitama, and uses only grapes grown entirely in Japan.<\/p>\n

Winemaking guided by nature<\/h3>\n

In the cellar, COCO FARM & WINERY relies on wild yeasts and naturally occurring lactic acid bacteria. The wine ferments at its own pace \u2013 some batches are bottled after just a few months, while others mature slowly through winter and into spring. Selected wines are aged in barrels stored in underground cellars carved into the hillside.<\/p>\n

The winery\u2019s ecological approach is present throughout the estate, from heating with pruned vine wood to hand-pumped water and composting of grape residues. Solar energy supplements the winery\u2019s needs, allowing COCO FARM & WINERY to live in harmony with nature.<\/p>\n

Wine as a fleeting proof of honest work<\/h3>\n

Founder Kawada left behind a guiding thought that continues to shape the winery:<\/p>\n

\u201cPut all your strength into something that will ultimately disappear.\u201d<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

Wine, like food, eventually vanishes \u2013 but that is exactly why it deserves our full effort. At COCO FARM & WINERY, every bottle is the result of respect, patience, and humanity. The wines are not just beverages, but quiet witnesses to a philosophy that even seemingly fleeting things deserve the very best of us.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

A Japanese winery where wine is born from respect, inclusion, and nature On the hillside of Ashikaga City in Japan\u2019s Tochigi Prefecture, vines grow that carry more than just terroir. They carry a story of humanity, patience, and belief in meaningful work. COCO FARM & WINERY is a winery with an exceptional origin. Its roots […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":3435,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"inline_featured_image":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[172],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-3436","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-winery-higlight"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nCOCO FARM & WINERY | Solo Spirits<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Discover COCO FARM & WINERY, a Japanese winery where wine is born from respect for nature, meaningful work, and a unique human story.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/solo-spirits.com\/en\/coco-farm-winery\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" 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