Episode 9: Black and White Photograph | Japanese Wine

In order to promote his wine throughout Japan, Kotaro Miyazaki invited liquor shop owners to tour local vineyards and try his wines. He promoted wine as a tonic for good health. In fact, during the Meiji period from 1868 to 1912, associations of sake produces made efforts to keep wine and beer out of liquor shops. Thus, Miyazaki and other early wine producers began to promote their wines at drug stores. You can still find alcohol in Japanese drug stores today.