What makes Japanese fruits so special in taste, size, and texture is that fruit farmers focus on quality rather than quantity.
Being a small island country like Japan has its advantages. For instance, fruit farmers get to focus on the quality of produce rather than quantity because of how quickly fruits can be transported from farm to shelf!
Huge Grapes!
While Japan has an abundance of unique fruits such as yuzu, kobasu, and native persimmon, I was more impressed by their produce of standard global fruits.
When walking through the fruits section of a Japanese supermarket, you will be astounded by the sheer size of the fruits on the shelves.
Even convenience stores sell fruits that are abnormally big and juicy, for instance, these ripe green grapes which may as well be classified as a mini-melon at this point!
Biggest, Juiciest Peaches
Indeed, Japanese fruits tend to be more expensive than other countries, but when you consider the difference in size and quality then it can certainly be justified.
For example, this incredibly large peach cost me around 500 yen (3.35 USD) a piece, but it left me feeling far fuller and more satisfied than if I’d just eaten a couple of regular peaches.
Honestly, a peach of this magnitude and rich taste is sufficient to be considered a dessert in my books, and I wouldn’t be surprised if it was classified as junk food because of how sweet and delicious it tastes!
Incredibly Sweet Strawberries
During my time in Sapporo, I picked up this pack of strawberries from the local supermarket as I was absolutely blown away at the size of them!
Given the island of Hokkaido is considered Japan’s largest producer of farm fresh goods, it’s no surprise that it was here that I ate the best strawberries of my life.
Sweet, juicy, and succulent are the core attributes of just about any Japanese fruit you get your hands on!
So if you’re looking for a new and unique experience to add to the itinerary for your next trip to Japan, be sure to write down “Japanese fruits” as a major attraction in itself!
To learn more about life in Japan, check out my book: The Japanese Pursuit of Perfection. This book features my most profound observations of Japanese culture and society as a foreign resident. Available in e-book, paperback, and hardcover. Grab your copy today!