Gifu University held the first press conference by President Hisataka Moriwaki AY 2019, on April 3.

Firstly, President spoke about Gifu University sake "Tabono haru Gizan/Kyokufu" project and its role in Gifu University's Future Vision Toward 2025. It was followed by the speeches by Professor Tomoyuki Nakagawa at the Faculty of Applied Biological Sciences, Ms. Mai Okumura, second-year student of the Graduate School of Natural Science and Technology concerning the sake program. Vice President Shuichi Nonomura (Executive Director for Academic Research and Information) then talked about the naming of sake, and Associate Professor Masayuki Yamamoto at the Faculty of Education introduced a label design.

The sake program is part of the curriculum at the Faculty of Applied Biological Sciences and students study and experience from rice planting, harvesting, applied microbiology, sake brewing, commercialization, distribution, to the aspects of health and functions. They also engaged in field work on many occasions. Gifu University started the project in 2015, and it took five years before "Gizan/Kyokufu" was finally completed.

Gifu University students did everything from rice (quality hidahomare rice) planting and harvesting, use of Gifu University underground water, to fermentation with yeast. "Gizan/Kyokufu" was brewed at a sake storehouse in Gifu, making the brand purely produced within Gifu and by the people in Gifu.

The name "Tabono haru Gizan/Kyokufu" comes from Gifu University song, "Spring full of ambitions," in hope that it will become one of the most successful university brands. The label design was created by simulating some inscriptions on bones and tortoise carapaces found in ancient China.

In the press conference, Professor Nakagawa said that he and his team faced great hardships in collecting wild yeasts best suited for Japanese sake, but finally succeeded to produce university sake brand together with the students after many trials and errors. "Less and less Japanese youth enjoy Japanese sake these days. We do hope "Gizan/Kyokufu" will be well liked by many young people as it is the very fruition of our studies at Gifu University and Gifu Prefectural Research Institute for Food Sciences." said Ms. Okumura.

Gifu University keeps on promoting cross-sectional studies beyond the boundaries of faculties and develop human resources equipped with multiple, diverse perspectives in the future.