The Institute of Enology and Viticulture was founded in 1947. At that time it was known as The Fermentation Research Center and was attached to Yamanashi Engineering Schoolﾑthe predecessor of the present Faculty of Engineering of Yamanashi University. It was the only research institution in Japan specializing in the study of fruit beverages. In 1950, as a result of reforms in the higher education system, the Center was renamed The Institute of Enology and Viticulture and it became part of the Engineering Department of Yamanashi University. Fifty years later, in the year 2000, the Institute again underwent major reorganization and it now has three research laboratories. With the aim of contributing to the wine industry in Japan, in the past year the Institute has concentrated particularly on microbiological and biochemical research relating to grapes and wines in close cooperation with the local growers and wineries. However, the Institute also maintains a global perspective, which is reflected in work that ranges from basic research making full use of cutting-edge cell- and genetic-engineering technologies to practical studies of the latest viticulture and enology techniques.