From 7 to 10 March 2022, the Graduate School of Agriculture held an online program, "Comparative Studies of Enology and Food Cultures in Japan and Southern France", as a Kyoto University Wild & Wise Collaborative Learning Program. The four-day program consisted of lectures and virtual field trips designed to promote knowledge on winemaking in Japan and southern France as well as relevant food cultures around the world and to deepen exchanges among the institutions involved.
The 175 participants included 135 students from three schools comprising L'Institut Agro: 34 from Montpellier, 40 from Dijon, and 61 from Rennes-Angers. The other 40 were from Japan and represented Kyoto University, the University of Yamanashi, Akita Prefectural University, and Meijo University.
The first day was devoted to "Fermentation Science", with lectures by L'Institut Agro's Associate Professor Ingrid Collombel and Associate Professor Yves Wache on fermented foods, human health, and human culture.
The second day featured a session on "Production & Distribution System", coordinated by Associate Professor Louis-Antoine Saisset from L'Institut Agro Montpellier and Associated Professor Haruhiko Iba from the KyotoU Graduate School of Agriculture. Here, students, two each from Japan and France, lectured on the marketing of wine and other liquors and the associated sustainability issues; they then discussed these topics with the other participants.
On day three, Professor Hisanori Tamaki from Kagoshima University and Associate Professor Aurélie Roland from L'Institut Agro discussed the differences between sake and wine in terms of the fermentation and production processes involved and the topic of wine aroma and human health. These were followed by student discussion and exchange sessions, focusing on "Beverages & Cuisine in the World", held in three separate rooms.
The final day, themed "Viticulture & Wines in Japan", presented lectures by Professor Laurent Torregrossa from L'Institut Agro and Professor Toru Okuda, director of the University of Yamanashi's Institute of Enology and Viticulture. There was also a session featuring three winery/producer representatives, who spoke with the students about possible winemaking internship opportunities in Japan.
