While few connoisseurs would rate Japan one of the world's great wine-producing countries, there is a thriving domestic wine industry, with several dozen major vineyards nestled in the mountains of Yamanashi Prefecture, just north of Mount Fuji. And a good place to try out the local product, and maybe discover a few favorites, is the wine-tasting cave at Budo-no-oka Center, right in the heart of Japanese wine country.

Although the overall quality isn't anywhere near the level of Australia or California, there are a few decent, or at least drinkable, wines to be found. (There are some pretty bad ones too, but fortunately there are strategically placed receptacles for dumping the rejects.) And of course it's nice being able to taste dozens of different varieties all in one sitting, saving years of trial and error in liquor shops or restaurants.

Upstairs from the cave is a souvenir shop selling wine and other local specialties - fruit wines and juices, wine-flavored candies, wine gelatin desserts, corkscrews and so on. While the wines can be hit or miss, the excellent local grape juice is probably a good bet for a souvenir/present.

Also in the general area is the Fuefukigawa Fruit Park, located a few stations west in Yamanashi City. The main attraction here is the fascinating Fruit Museum, where you can explore the history of fruit through the centuries, with particular emphasis on the role of fruit in the history of Yamanashi Prefecture. This sounds like a must-see destination for elementary school field trips, but the day I was there the Fruit Park was actually filled with adults. (Maybe they had been touring the local wineries earlier in the day and were suffering from impaired judgement.)

Perched on a high plateau above the surrounding hills, this fruit-themed complex is housed in several large geodesic domes as well as a few outdoor arbor areas. Next to the Fruit Museum is the Fruit Theater - I was expecting to see an elaborate musical production featuring giant dancing grapes and peaches, but unfortunately there was just a small movie theater showing an educational film about agriculture in Yamanashi. Above the theater is a large and steamy tropical greenhouse, and next door is the Fruit Plaza, where special events are staged. There's also a library, a large gift shop, and a "fruit restaurant"; the restaurant offered only a few fruit-flavored entrees, but they did serve "spaghetti with fruits de mer" (assorted seafood).