BEIJING, Oct. 17 (Xinhuanet) -- Japan is not famous for its wines, but every autumn, its main wine-producing region, northwest of Tokyo, springs to life -- with some unique characteristics, CCTV reported Sunday.

    On the hills of Katsunuma, Japan's main wine-producing region, girls in velvet dresses crush grapes with their bare feet, re-enacting the traditional method of extracting grape juice. Winemakers believe this makes their wines taste different from their world-famous competitors.

    Kousei Ajimura said, "We are not trying to create something similar to Californian wines or French wines, we are growing grapes which are suited for the climate and as a result, we have been able to make something which goes well with Japanese food."

    Samples of the wines made at the wineries are generously distributed to the guests while they wait for their turn to tour the facilities and learn about winemaking.

    But on the other side of the valley, others are also enjoying the local wine. Farmer Masaichi Misoka's 700 pigs fight for their turn to drink, what's about, a glass of white wine every morning. Farmer Masaichi Misoka hopes to make, what he calls, "wine pork" taste better.

    And indeed, this "wine pork" goes down well with customers at the best hotels in the hot-spring resort of Enzan. A diner said, "It's not at all greasy and the meat is very tender and it doesn't smell at all."

    (CCTV.com)