Lumiere's Old Underground Fermentation Tank

Lumière Old Underground Fermentation Tanks: Japan's Oldest European-Style Wine Cellar

Hidden beneath the vineyards of Fuefuki City in Yamanashi Prefecture lies one of Japan's most remarkable cultural treasures — the Lumière Old Underground Fermentation Tanks (ルミエール旧地下発酵槽). Built in 1901 during the Meiji era, these granite stone fermentation vaults represent the oldest surviving European-style wine fermentation facility in Japan. Registered as a national Tangible Cultural Property in 1998 and recognized as a component of the Japan Heritage story "Landscape of Vineyards" in 2018, these underground chambers continue to produce wine to this day, making them a truly living piece of cultural heritage.

A Pioneering Chapter in Japanese Winemaking History

The story of the Lumière Underground Fermentation Tanks begins with the Furiya family, prominent landowners in the Minaminoro district of what is now Fuefuki City. In 1885, Tokugi Furiya founded Furiya Brewery (the predecessor of today's Lumière Corporation), taking advantage of the Koshu grapes that had been cultivated in the eastern Kofu Basin since the Edo period.

By the late 1890s, the second-generation owner, Komanosuke Furiya, envisioned a large-scale winemaking facility that could rival European operations. He personally studied European stone cellar designs and received guidance from Denbei Kamiya, the legendary entrepreneur who founded Château Kamiya in Ibaraki Prefecture and the famous Kamiya Bar in Asakusa, Tokyo. In April 1901, the underground fermentation tanks were completed — Japan's first European-style horizontal cellar wine fermentation facility.

The location was chosen with great ingenuity. The winery sits on the Kyodogawa alluvial fan at an elevation of approximately 360 meters. The sloping terrain allowed for a gravity-flow design, and the underground streams flowing through the alluvial fan provided natural cooling, keeping temperatures stable year-round — an essential condition for quality fermentation in an era before modern refrigeration.

Architectural Design and Construction

The underground fermentation tanks were constructed from precisely cut granite blocks, chosen specifically for their excellent acid resistance — a crucial property when dealing with grape juice and wine. The facility consists of ten rectangular fermentation tanks arranged side by side, connected by an underground corridor at the front.

Each individual tank measures approximately 1.65 meters in width, 3.6 meters in depth, and 2.25 meters in height, with a capacity of over 10,000 liters per tank. When all ten tanks were in operation, the facility could handle over 100,000 liters of wine in a single batch — an enormous capacity for its time.

The semi-underground design takes advantage of the sloping terrain of the alluvial fan, with the upper portion now sealed with concrete and a modern factory built above. Despite these later modifications, the original stone structure remains remarkably intact and structurally sound, a testament to the exceptional craftsmanship of its builders. The granite surfaces bear deep purple stains from over a century of grape fermentation — visible evidence of the tanks' long working history.

One of the most distinctive features of the original winemaking process was the use of bamboo "sunoко" (lattice screens) during fermentation. This combination of stone fermentation vessels and bamboo tools represents a uniquely Japanese adaptation of European winemaking techniques found nowhere else in the world.

Why the Tanks Were Designated a Cultural Property

In 1998, the Lumière Old Underground Fermentation Tanks were registered as a national Tangible Cultural Property (登録有形文化財) under the criterion of being "difficult to reproduce." This designation recognizes several aspects of their cultural and historical significance.

The tanks represent an irreplaceable physical record of Japan's early modern winemaking industry. They document the transfer of European technology to Japan during the Meiji era, when the nation was rapidly modernizing. The facility demonstrates how Japanese craftsmen adapted Western techniques to local conditions, using the natural geography of the alluvial fan and incorporating traditional Japanese materials like bamboo into a fundamentally European process.

The structure also survived the Great Kanto Earthquake of 1923, proving the exceptional durability of its construction. Its continued functionality after more than 120 years speaks to both the quality of the original engineering and the ongoing care provided by Lumière Corporation.

In 2018, the fermentation tanks gained additional recognition as a component of Japan Heritage Story #060, "Landscape of Vineyards — Koto Region, Yamanashi Prefecture," further cementing their importance in Japan's cultural landscape.

Revival: The Ishigura Wain Project

After decades of disuse following the widespread adoption of stainless steel tanks, the underground fermentation vaults were given new life in 1998 — the very same year they received their cultural property designation. When the Agency for Cultural Affairs approached Lumière about registration, the company decided not merely to preserve the tanks as a museum piece, but to revive the traditional winemaking process within them.

Staff consulted with craftsmen who remembered the original stone cellar fermentation methods, built scale models, and recreated the specialized tools needed for the process. Each September, Muscat Bailey A grapes are fermented in one of the restored tanks using methods that echo those of over a century ago. The resulting wine is sold under the name "Ishigura Wain" (石蔵和飲) — a play on words combining "ishigura" (stone cellar) with "wain" (wine).

Lumière also hosts "Ishigura Wain Brewing Experience Events," where visitors can participate in the entire process from grape harvesting to fermentation. Shinto rituals have been incorporated into the annual winemaking ceremony, creating a cultural experience that bridges Japan's ancient traditions with its modern wine industry.

Visiting the Fermentation Tanks

The underground fermentation tanks can be visited as part of Lumière Winery's guided tour program. Tours take visitors through the vineyards, the modern winemaking facility, the historic stone fermentation tanks, and the underground cellar lined with aging barrels. Reservations are required in advance.

The winery shop is open to all visitors without reservation, operating from 9:30 AM to 5:30 PM daily (closed during year-end and New Year holidays). The shop features a prepaid tasting card system that allows visitors to sample from Lumière's extensive wine lineup, with glasses starting from around 100 yen. Staff members can provide guidance in English, though the availability of English-language tours may vary — visitors are encouraged to inquire when making reservations.

The winery also houses Restaurant Zelkova, where Chef Hirota prepares refined "Yamanashi French" cuisine using locally sourced ingredients, perfectly paired with Lumière wines. The restaurant offers both lunch and dinner service, and private dining rooms are available for special occasions, including winery weddings.

Nearby Attractions

The area surrounding Lumière Winery offers a wealth of experiences for visitors. Fuefuki City is known as one of Japan's premier fruit-growing regions, with seasonal opportunities for peach picking (summer) and grape harvesting (autumn). The nearby Isawa Onsen hot spring resort area provides relaxing accommodations with alkaline spring waters renowned for their skin-softening properties.

Wine enthusiasts can explore the broader Katsunuma wine region, home to more than 80 wineries, many within walking distance of each other. Notable nearby destinations include Château Mercian's Wine Museum, housed in the oldest surviving wooden wine brewery in Japan (built in 1904), and Daizenji Temple, famous for its rare statue of Yakushi Nyorai holding a bunch of grapes.

The Fuefukigawa Fruit Park offers panoramic views of the Kofu Basin and Mt. Fuji, and has been designated one of the "New Three Great Night Views of Japan." In spring, the region transforms into a sea of pink when approximately 250,000 peach trees bloom simultaneously across the Fuefuki valley.