Whether for a weekend outing or a stop on the return journey, the Japanese engage in a very specific activity called Kudamono Gari 果物狩り or more commonly Gari 狩り meaning hunting, fruit picking. Although many Japanese are content with the fresh fruit found in the many charming supermarkets and local grocery stores, no one can resist the taste and experience of picking fruit from a tree themselves.
A brief overview
Beyond the image often associated with anime culture and futuristic, electric cities that never sleep, Japan is a country with a millennia-old culinary tradition and pride in its produce and agriculture. Although the country is a narrow island with numerous mountains and varied terrain, erratic weather, and prone to natural disasters, it abounds with wonders and fruits boasting incredible flavors.
If you are going to Japan for the first time, you will surely be surprised when you go to the local supermarket or the food corners In large shopping centers, you'll see displays of gleaming, perfectly shaped fruit, sometimes individually wrapped like little treasures. But what will surprise you most is undoubtedly the price. Indeed, vegetables, and especially fruit, are often imported from other South Asian and American countries, which makes them available at affordable prices. However, when it comes to fruit grown in Japan, the price can quickly double, or even triple.
Thus, the Japanese have long embraced fruit picking directly from a farm as an activity, a family outing, or a fun activity with friends. The goal isn't, as one might think, to save money, but rather to enjoy a playful moment surrounded by nature and the pleasure of eating the freshly picked fruit. There are about ten different fruits that can be picked, but strawberries are undoubtedly the most popular. Ichigo Gari (fruit picking) is a favorite activity for the Japanese at the beginning of the year, when the air is still cool and the cherry trees are not yet in bloom.
Everything you can eat! Tabehodai 食べ放題
The biggest advantage of going fruit picking is undoubtedly the "all you can eat" aspect. For a price ranging from 1000 yen (about 8 euros) to 3000 yen (about 25 euros), you can, for a set period (usually an hour), enter a greenhouse for strawberries or a field for clementines and eat until you're full. Just be careful not to overindulge!
For example, if you want to enjoy the famous grapes of Yamanashi Prefecture, where Mount Fuji is located, you can go to the farm Ichikoen 一古園 Or, for 2500 yen you can enjoy unlimited access to the famous Sha-in Mausukatto variety for 45 minutes, known for its sweetness and balance of sour and sweet. It is also prized for being seedless and the ease with which the grapes can be eaten, skin and all.
Opening: 2022 to 08 to 20, 2022 to 10 to 31 // http://www.ichikoen.com/
For those of you who prefer strawberries, you can go to Kyushu, more specifically to the Fukuoka prefecture farm 花立山ファーム Hanatateyama. You'll find strawberries as far as the eye can see, as well as an onsen (hot spring), blueberries, and even sweet potatoes that you can pick yourself in the autumn. It costs 1900 yen, about 15 euros, to enjoy unlimited access to four varieties of strawberries, each juicier and sweeter than the last.
Opening: 2022-12-01-2023-04-06 // http://hanatateyamafarm.com/
Seasons for enjoying fruit picking in Japan:
Reflecting the Japanese love of the seasons and the fleeting beauty of things, fruit picking is an integral part of Japanese culture. More than simply saving money by buying directly from the producer, as one might in France, fruit picking here serves as an escape, a family activity, or a romantic getaway. What better opportunity to create beautiful memories while bringing home delicious fruit?
In a future article, we will detail the phenomenon of Koyo Gari 紅葉狩り or the hunt for the changing colors of the leaves in autumn and where to see the most beautiful spots in Tokyo and throughout Japan.
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[Practical Japan] Where to pick delicious Japanese strawberries near Tokyo?
