Exceptionally juicy freshly-picked fruit in the "fruit kingdom" of Yamagata
Yamagata Prefecture is known for its cherries above all. Many other fruits are also cultivated in abundance in Yamagata, such as La France pears (western pears), grapes, watermelons, and persimmons. Please enjoy the freshly picked juicy fruits of the "fruit kingdom" of Yamagata as much as you like.
Cherries that sparkle like jewels and glow ruby red
Cherries have the flavor of early summer. The high quality "Sato Nishiki" cherry variety is known as the "red jewel" and has a taut yet soft texture. The sweetness of the chewy cherry flesh will fill your mouth. Each cherry is shiny and beautiful, and is a first-class product that is even a feast for the eyes.
Yamagata Prefecture's cherries have the largest share of Japan's domestic market! Cherry picking is offered from early June to mid-July. However, the season varies depending on the variety, so please contact the cherry-picking facility in advance.
La France pears with a rich fragrance and creamy flesh
Yamagata Prefecture has the largest harvest of La France pears in Japan. In the fruit kingdom of Yamagata, if cherries are the king, La France is the queen.
The most important aspect of fully enjoying delicious La France pears is to ascertain when they are fully ripened. Immediately after harvesting, La France pears are hard and not sweet. When they ripen and wrinkles appear around the stem, the pears are good to eat. They become much sweeter and much more delicious. You will surely be captivated by the pears' high class fragrance and smooth flesh.
Once you try Yamagata's high-grade grapes, you'll be hooked!
Yamagata is a place where grape cultivation flourishes. You can enjoy a wide variety of grapes, including the standard varieties characterized by their small size and strong sweetness.
The emerald-colored "Shine Muscat" variety is very popular because it is large, seedless, and can be eaten with the skin on! As a high-grade grape, it is also perfect for gift-giving.
The "Pione" variety that is known as the black pearl is a large grape that is very satisfying to eat. The flesh is plump and seedless, and one of its charms is that it keeps for a long time.
Superbly sweet and crisp Obanazawa summer watermelon is a must-eat in summer!
The juicy, refreshing sweetness of watermelon is indispensable to get through the hot summers in Japan. The Obanazawa summer watermelon, with its pure red ripe flesh, excellent crispness, astonishing sweetness, and abundant juice, is a top brand in Japan.
Watermelon cider, watermelon jelly, pickled watermelon, watermelon wine, and other unusual processed products are also available, so be sure to take some home as souvenirs.
A fantastic "honey-filled" apple that you must try at least once in your life
Yamagata Prefecture is an unknown production area of apples that are sweet like honey when fully ripe. The prefecture's rich topography allows such "honey-filled" apples to be grown.
Among these applies is the "Mutai Fuji" (Fuji apples grown without using a paper cover), which originated in Asahi Town, Yamagata Prefecture. The large fruit is filled with a clear honey-like core, and some people say it is the most delicious apple in Japan. It is a gem that you should try at least once in your lifetime!
Sweet and juicy Kariya pears that are surprisingly heavy!
The Kariya district of Sakata City in Yamagata Prefecture is a pear production area known only to those in the know. The pears are so sweet that some people say that once you eat them, you'll only ever want to eat Kariya pears afterwards.
The pear picking season is in September. There are two types of Kariya pears: the "Kosui," which is characterized by its sweetness, juiciness, and crisp texture, and the "Hosui," which is slightly sour. Once you try them, you will fall in love with their delicious taste and keep coming back for more.
Mellow, smooth, and elegantly sweet seedless persimmons
"Shonai persimmons" have dense flesh and high sugar content. They are characterized by being seedless and easy to eat.
Harvesting is at its peak from mid to late October, and dried persimmons are made from late autumn to early winter. Shonai persimmons are delicious fresh, but when dried, they are even sweeter and taste just like Japanese sweets. They also make perfect souvenirs.
Shonai melons have an irresistibly rich texture and mellow fragrance!
The Shonai Sand Dunes area is one of the leading melon production areas in Japan. The harvest season is from late June to early August, and the best season is from early July to late July. Harvest experiences with all-you-can-eat melons are sometimes held. Enjoy the luxury of freshly picked, juicy, high-grade melons!
Enjoy freshly picked fruit under the blue sky! Have fun picking seasonal fruit all year round
How about trying a harvest experience to enjoy juicy, fresh-picked fruit? A wide variety of fruit is grown in Yamagata Prefecture. Because the fruits have different harvest seasons, you can enjoy participating in harvest experiences throughout the year. Enjoy the taste of freshly picked fruit to the fullest in the fruit kingdom of Yamagata.