Explore Osaka through Entrepreneurs Who Contributed to World Expositions
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Chuo-ku, Osaka City
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Katashimo Wine Festival Executive Committee
She is from Kashiwara City, Osaka Prefecture. After graduating from university, she joined an IT company in Tokyo—far from her hometown and agriculture—and later worked for foreign‑affiliated firms before joining Katashimo Wine Food. Founded 110 years ago to confront crises facing the region, the company’s founding spirit continues today. To demonstrate that Osaka wine meets world‑class standards, she has refined winemaking techniques and entered numerous international competitions, earning multiple awards. Since 2014 she has organized the Katashimo Wine Festival, which draws thousands of attendees. In 2021 she launched the “100‑Year Continuity Project” with local farmers, welfare facilities, and businesses to ensure the region remains a grape‑ and wine‑producing area. To raise broader awareness of the local culture, she initiated the Local Guide Project in 2023, which launched in April 2024.
We aim to create a hometown that local residents can be proud of and are constantly asking how to make that a reality. In collaboration with Osaka Prefecture, Kashiwara City, the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, other government bodies, and universities, we plan products, events, and projects. With the Expo in mind, we began preparations in 2020 by hiring multilingual foreign staff who have a deep understanding of Japanese culture and winery practices. In 2021 Osaka wine was designated GI Osaka, much to customers’ delight. Using the Expo as an opportunity to raise international awareness, we are steadily advancing projects to increase visitors, strengthen the brand of the region and GI Osaka wine, and continue promoting their appeal after the Expo concludes.