A Special Wine Festival, for a special wine, made by special people!

This weekend was the Co-Co Wine festival in Ashikaga, Tochigi. Luckily for us, we didn't end up in Fukashima (for once). In fact, we only got lost once in Ashikaga (which is really good considering our track record).
The Co-Co Vinyard http://www.cocowine.com/english/english.html was started about 50 years ago and is worked by people considered "under achievers" (a different way of saying that they have learning disabilities, or that they are mentaly challanged). Every fall, thousands flock to the vinyard for a day of music, food and drinking a whole lot of wine.
15 bucks will get you a commemerative wine glass (I actually got thru the entire day without breaking it) a bottle opener, two buttons and a bottle of wine.

We arrived around noon, and and soon as we got there we realized that we were late. The vinyard is on a very steep slope and eventhough some of our friends had arrived earlier in the day there was no flat spot to lay down our tarps and settle in.

Luckily about 45 minutes (and a bottle of wine later) we spotted some people leaving and we ran to steal their flat land.

This is my new boyfriend... don't be too jealous... he wouldn't let me get a matching suit!!!
Who was there??? My Shimotsuma girls, of course.
Almost everyone from the cabin weekend (including their friends and girlfriends, and wives).

My excellent friends Katie and Mona came all the way from Ami-machi... along with some guys they picked up on their way in (these girls took trains for over three hours to get to the festival).

It was guijin fever. There were tons of us out in attendance that day.

We ate lots of food (they had fried brie Mmmmmmm), drank, socialized and drank a lot more. After falling down the hill several times (I am still carrying the bruises) and meeting lots of people it was time to be on our way.

All in all... it was a beautiful autumn day. It was a bit windy, but there was no rain and I looked fabulous, even though I had wine and mudd randomly dispursed over my ensemble. I definatley want to return next year... however, I will remember to scotchguard all of my clothes before I leave the house.

Lots of Love,

the one and only me.... Jody D.