Unique Japan 'grape temple' offers wine instead of sake

Buddhist monk Tesshu Inoue walking past grapes on display at a building next to Daizenji temple, nicknamed the 'grape temple' in Katsunuma in the city of Koshu, Yamanashi prefecture. - AFP

KOSHU (AFP): At a Buddhist temple on a wooded hillside in Japan, grapes and wine bottles are given as offerings, and the head monk is also the honorary president of a vineyard cooperative.

Officially, it is known as Daizenji, but it has been nicknamed the "grape temple" because of its deep-rooted links to the history of grape production in the country.