やまふじのSDGs

We would like to introduce our efforts toward the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

We are connecting the fields that have been passed down from generation to generation on this land to the next generation and the generation after that. We have made it a place where the local people can gather in peace and communion.
The daily work of the vineyard achieves good health and well-being number 3 of the SDGs, decent work and economic growth number 8 of the SDGs, gender equality number 5 of the SDGs and decent work and economic growth number 11 of the SDGs.

In no particular order, we would like to introduce some of our SDG initiatives that we take for granted.

There are so many living creatures living in our fields. There are boars, deer, snakes, bears, and of course bees. And of course there are many insects.

Some of them are not good for the vineyard, but we have been and will continue to cherish and protect the mountain environment in which they live.

Last year, a pheasant laid eggs in a corner of the vineyard, and the cute chicks hatched. The young birds, with their voracious appetites, they ate insects that were not good for the grapevines flourishing in life as they did.

Animals, birds, and of course insects are all residents of this land and have established an ecosystem here. Protecting the environment in which they can continue to live is one of our most natural and important cherished ongoing tasks.

Goal 12 of the SDGs is "Let producers and consumers act responsibly to protect the global environment and human health" (UNICEF, SDGs CLUB).

One of the goals is to "significantly reduce the release of chemicals and waste into the air, water, and soil.

This is also something we have been working on for a long time. We use cow manure from the ranch as fertilizer, and in return, the cows eat the grape skins we squeeze for our wine.

This is also something we have been working on for a long time. We use cow manure from the ranch as fertilizer, and in return, the cows eat the grape skins we squeeze for our wine.

We are also experimenting with other ways to use the squeezed skins for flavoring craft beer and for dyeing cloth.

Also, our vineyards have red, clayey soil with poor drainage. We often bury cut grape vine branches in the soil and use them to improve drainage.

Long before the SDGs goals were set, we Japanese have been striving to reduce the amount of things we throw away as much as possible, in the spirit of "mottainai.”

We have done so for generations, and will continue to do so, this natural for us.

Our grapes are certified as having zero pesticide residue by the time they are ready to eat in August every year. We can confidently feed them to our own children without washing them.

We do not produce anything we cannot or do not want our children to eat.
That is extremely important and with this in mind, we are working in the fields every day. We want to make sure that what we put in our mouths and what we grow for our bodies will always be safe and natural.

Goal 11 is "to create a town where everyone can live safely and disaster resistant.”

The Noto Peninsula Earthquake occurred on January 1, 2024. On that day, Toyama City in Toyama Prefecture, where our vineyard is located, was also hit by a large quake. Many people came to our vineyard as a shelter while evacuation orders were issued to move to higher ground.

We called out through SNS, "Please come if you are in need." We hurriedly opened a café attached to our vineyard and served curry and rice, opened the restrooms, , and provided all the blankets and bedding we could for those who were anxious, scared and traumatized from witnessing or being involved in the tragic earthquake.

When we are in trouble, we help each other. This is vitally important for us.
We hope to reduce the number of people whose lives are endangered by disasters. We also hope that women, children, and the elderly, who are in a vulnerable position in times of disaster, will be given sufficient care and comfort.

We will continue our efforts so that the vineyard can continue to be an essential haven for local residents in the event of a disaster.

Goal 5 of the SDGs is to "Achieve gender equality and develop the capabilities and expand the potential of all women and girls.

One of the major problems for women in our immediate area due to the Corona disaster from 2020 was the closure of daycare centers. Elementary schools were suddenly closed. Many women were consequently unable to go to work.

So, we opened the vineyard café to them free of charge. We looked out for the children so that they would feel safe and spent quality time with them keeping them busy and happy as best we could.

Compared to urban areas, the working environment for women in rural areas is oppressive and undeveloped, and the concept of gender roles (stereotypical gender roles) persists.

In our vineyards, we flexibly delay the start of work according to circumstances and accommodate sudden absences so that even single mothers can work freely. Otherwise, it would be difficult to work while raising children.

Everyone in the community help take care of the children, it is important to work together as needed, this is natural and right.

Women are forced to burden all nursing care, even though they have the desire and ability to work or be free in society to choose. Therefore, we give the utmost consideration to the needs of our staff who have to return home early or have to take time off unexpectedly due to being forced to start nursing care.

We also have young people in our vineyards, as well as people who have come to work after retirement. We do not want to have unreasonable restrictions placed on how they work because of their age or gender. We want to do the best we can for them, because life is difficult in society and we understand that more than many.

And now we are working on the construction of beautiful comfortable cottages as part of our efforts to promote ease of work or relaxation in the region.

We want to create winter employment in the region also. Our plan includes passion and desire to create a flourishing communal area.

We welcome and love those who are caring for or raising children. Please come and work in Toyama so we can care for you!

At Yamafuji Budouen, a certified professional clinical psychologist is on staff in the "Counselling Room Yamafuji" waiting for your needs.

Mental health care is an urgent issue in today's society, where words such as "difficulty in living" have become commonplace. We live in such a stressful society. Even now, I believe that there are many people who feel the need for someone to extend a helping hand as they are desperate for a safe place to relax and breathe freely. There are many people who still feel psychologically challenged to visit the possibility of psychosomatic medicine or a psychiatry clinic.

We want the vineyard to be a place where such people can feel at ease. They may not want to go to an uncomfortable hospital, but they would like to talk to someone, preferably a specialist in a beautiful village that promotes nature and happiness. I am sure that there are many people who feel this way. One of our missions is to help people regain their mental health, which is constantly overlooked and promoted to be overlooked. Or vineyard is staffed by professionals who are specially trained and committed to confidentiality. Please feel free to come to us for anything from deep concerns to relationship counselling, we love you all.

Our vineyard, pioneered in 1927 that's 100 years old! There are many vineyards that don't make it because of the difficulties and problems that arise!

We have a responsibility to continue this vineyard and tradition for the next 100 years, and the next 100 years after that. We are doing the things that are often taken for granted to achieve this. This is our commitment to SDGs.

There are 17 SDG goals, and so far, we have only been able to address six of them. It may only be a small effort, but we hope that by continuing to do so, our vineyard will help our beloved hometown of Toyama, Japan, and the world to continue to be a good place to live for everyone.

We will continue to do our very best and to be the most compassionate we can be towards nature and humanity.