History Of Wine In Japan
Viticulture in Japan dates back to 718 AD. The first consumption of wine recorded in Japanese history was in the 16th century. At this time, Jesuit Missionaries from Portugal came to Japan. The leader of the mission, presented European wines as gifts to woo the goodwill of the feudal lords who ruled the Japanese residents of Kyūshū at that time.
The missionaries were accepted into the Japanese community. As the missionaries used wine in their meetings, Japanese indigenes gradually acquired a taste for imported wines made from grapes. The Japanese coined the term "chintashu," which was used to refer to the Portuguese red wine that was becoming quite popular during that period.
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