Located in the woodlands overlooking Toyama Bay and the Tateyama Mountains is the “SAYSFARM” winery. Did you know that the city of Himi, famous for being one of Japan’s best fishing areas, produces wine as well? – I want to grow grapes for Himi wine, in Himi! – It was this thought that started the SAYSFARM winery.

Workers needed to clear the fallow land, which had lain untouched for more than 20 years, of weeds that had grown taller than themselves. The land also needed to be improved to allow better water drainage. Wine is produced in small amounts using only the grapes harvested on this 10 hectare farm.

The entrance to SAYSFARM is marked by this neat sign.

The spread out vineyards are located beyond the small hill near the entrance. About five hectares of field land is used to grow wine grapes used in making western wines such as chardonnay, cabernet sauvignon, merlot, and sauvignon blanc. Grapes for regular consumption, blueberries, western pears and various other fruits are grown in the remaining fields.

What were once badly overgrown, abandoned fields have been restored and are now part of this beautiful farm and winery. There are even goats kept on the premises to graze.

In the fall of 2011, a shopping area was opened, complete with a café and gallery. Visitors can purchase Himi’s wine and marine products among other things at the shop. The café serves dishes prepared with the locally caught fish, and apparently gets quite busy with families and couples on the weekends.

Upon exiting the café, you are met with the spectacular views of vineyards and the Sea of Japan in the distance. It can certainly be said of this winery that it has been entrusted with the dreams of Himi wines.

The winery building was completed in 2011, and it was put to good use straight away. Until this point, the wine making was done at other locations, so now that wine can be produced at the winery, expectations for future production can be met.

Luckily for me, I was allowed inside the winery building for a tour.

The pleasant silence of the basement storage room together with the aroma of wine barrels made it an indescribably relaxing place to be.

SAYSFARM has been entrusted with the dreams of one man, and the current workers have inherited those dreams and are working to achieve them. That man was Mr. Seiji Tsuri, who unfortunately never saw its completion. He passed away to cancer in June 2011, just before the winery was fully completed.

I want to convey the charm of the town of Himi. I want to make wine from Himi–
These hopes of Seiji Tsuji will surely be upheld by the workers of SAYSFARM for generations to come.

■SAYSFARM
Address:238 Yokawa, Himi City, Toyama Prefecture, Japan, 935-0061
Tel: 0766-72-8288
Fax: 0766-72-8287
Web: https://www.saysfarm.com
E-Mail: info@saysfarm.com