Japan’s Love of Fruits – Is It Worth It?
Fruits in Japan are beyond ridiculously expensive. As in $27,000 for a single melon expensive. Learn why muskmelons have crazy high prices and if it’s actually worth it.
All About Japanese Muskmelons
In the U.S., green melons in the supermarket are usually as bland as cucumbers. And that’s okay considering the average price is a few dollars. In Japan, the average price of a melon is $200, but don’t worry, it’s not bland at all. In fact, it may be one of the best fruits you’ll ever eat in your lifetime.
Japanese muskmelons are the most expensive fruit in Japan and in the world. And most will say that it’s actually worth every yen. The melon is intensely sweet and juicy to the point where it’s like eating melon candy (and that’s why their candies are so tasty).
Three reasons for why the muskmelon is so highly-priced and so deeply revered
1. Seasonality
Muskmelons are a summer fruit and they are not sold all year round. Because of their seasonality, muskmelons are more highly prized for their yearly appearance in groceries, markets, and dessert shops.
2. Gift-Giving
Since the fourteenth century, samurais were known to give tangerines and melons to shoguns, their leaders, as a sign of loyalty and appreciation. Today, gift-giving in Japan still shows appreciation, and the price means the value of the person – as in, a most worthy gift for a most worthy individual. And for the Japanese, fruit is a most luxurious gift.
3. Respecting & Appreciating the Farmers
Japanese are taught to respect the farmers and their hardworking efforts to produce food for the country. In the case of muskmelons, they dedicate their time and energy to growing absolutely perfect melons.
It all starts with the seeds grown in raised beds so that the farmers can see and control the exact amount of water each plant needs. The muskmelon plant takes about 100 days to grow in a climate-controlled environment with both air conditioning and heating.. Around day 50, the plants begin to flower and baby fruits appear.
The fruits are protected with white paper in order to prevent any blemishes. Then, as the fruit continues to grow, the farmer wears gloves to massage and polish the melons in order to stimulate growth and sweetness. In the fruit’s last stages, caps are placed on top to prevent sunburn. Such meticulous care. And it is also important to note that labor in Japan is expensive. So this entire process adds so much cost and value to the melons.
Making the Grade
After it’s grown and ready to be cut from its vines, the muskmelons are then graded according to their sugar content and perfect appearance.
There are 4 grading levels: Yuki is the lowest standard because of its slight imperfections. These melons are sold at fruit markets for more affordable prices – affordable as in below $50.
The next two levels are Shiro and Yama. Shiro accounts for about half of the season’s muskmelons.
Fuji is the highest grade as these melons are absolute perfection in both blemish-free appearance and sweetness. Only 1 in 1,000 muskmelons receive this Fuji certification.
If you have the opportunity to taste a Japanese muskmelon, you must. The best places to find them in Japan are in specialty fruit shops and department store groceries. Additionally, dessert shops love to feature muskmelon creations during the summer months, which is a great opportunity to try a bite of the melon alongside a delicious cake.
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