The other day, I poured myself some wine outside for the first time in a while.
The location is a cherry blossom viewing venue, Tsuruma Park, near the center of Nagoya.
The radio station ZIP-FM was hosting events there, and one of the highlights was a wine event called "SAKURA WINE FESTIVAL."
I was a director at ZIP-FM until I was 32 years old. For me, it was the first step into the workforce, and I think I had many valuable experiences during that time. Despite that, I've always felt like I haven't been able to give back to them.
However, this time, I learned that a "Cherry Blossom Viewing + Wine" event was being held to celebrate the end of the COVID-19 pandemic in a spectacular way. Furthermore, as the central figure at the event was the person who taught me about wine (a former radio producer), I thought this might be an opportunity to help out a little, so I volunteered to be the wine pourer.
The day was blessed with fine weather, and the event was a huge success. There were so many people there that the word "abundant" was more than appropriate.
There was always a line at the wine booth tent, and before I knew it, I had been pouring for hours. I don't usually pour that much in a row during business hours, so my arms started to get trembling halfway through. But it was a great experience to realize that there are so many people in Nagoya who enjoy wine .
However, thinking about it calmly, I realized that perhaps it was the "festive atmosphere" of the cherry blossom viewing event venue that led to so many people drinking wine.
It has long been said that many people in this region clearly distinguish between formal and informal occasions.
They're usually frugal, but they're very lively during festivals. This may be because many of them work in the manufacturing industry, but I also get the impression that many of them have a clear distinction between work and personal time.
This event was a mix of positive elements, including the sense of freedom that spring has finally arrived, free from the effects of COVID-19, the joy of being able to openly enjoy cherry blossom viewing, and the fine weather. It felt like the festival atmosphere was boosted.
And in such places, "unusual things" suit the atmosphere. The food stalls were serving stylish ethnic cuisine, pizza cooked in a stone oven, and grilled sweetfish, and people were lining up to buy things to enjoy something out of the ordinary.
I think the same is true for wine. As the people who serve it, we would like it to become a more everyday drink, but I think for many people it is still viewed as a "fashionable drink that you only drink at festivals."
However, even if that's how it starts for us, we would be very pleased if someone made a discovery and thought, "Huh? I thought this was stylish, but when I tried it, maybe it would suit me."
After all, nothing spreads without an opportunity to meet people. Creating an opportunity is important. It was a great reward to be able to realize this after pouring a lot of wine.
Alright, how about setting up a New Zealand wine booth at a festival this year?
If you have any information about this festival, please let me know. I want to pour again with my arms shaking.
