15 Japanese Fruits You Must Try In Japan

Looking for the best selection of japanese fruits? You came to the right place! Japan has for centuries been a country totally isolated from the rest of the world.

Formed by thousands of small islands that extend along the Pacific Ocean from north to south, in each of its corners you can find unique japanese fruits that have evolved to achieve the most curious characteristics.

Although today they can be enjoyed exotic fruits brought from any corner of the planet, due to the high price that Japanese fruits usually have, these are not so well known outside its borders.

Why are fruits so expensive in Japan? We solve these and many other doubts. With this compilation of typical Japanese fruits, we review the best fruits that are grown and consumed in the Japanese country.

Discover some of the rarest native asian fruits in the world, what peculiarities do they have, and why are they considered luxury fruits in their country of origin and in the rest of the world. They will surprise you!

What fruits are there in Japan? Photos!

Nashi

Also known as the Japanese pear, the nashi is one of the most popular fruits in the country, which it is usually consumed on special occasions.

It is characterized by having a tan yellow color, and a perfect rounded shape. In the supermarket they are sold wrapped one by one with protective paper, or presented in beautiful gift baskets.

They are one of the quintessential Japanese fruits, which se has been cultivated for centuries in the country. The season of nashi It is from late summer to fall.

But although the pear trees continue to bear pears for many months, the quantity of these fruits is not very abundant, making prices quite expensive.

Regarding its texture, it is something crunchier than a normal pear, since it has lower water content.

It has a thick skin, which can be removed or taken as is to make better use of its high fiber content.

The taste is mild but delicious. Especially pears grown in summer are sweeter. Take the opportunity to try them!

Kyoho

The kyoho It is another typical fruit of the country, and one of the most consumed in Japan. It is a dark grape, with such a large size and so juicy that some people mistake them for plums.

You can find them in the market with an intense blue color almost black, and also other somewhat less common varieties of green or reddish grapes.

This Japanese grape is the fruit of cross between two varieties, the grape Ishijarawase and the grape Centennial, which was made in 1937.

Since then it has continued to be cultivated in many areas of the country, especially in the mountains, recognized since 1946 as official Japanese fruit.

These are very juicy Japanese fruits, with a jelly-like flesh and hardly any seeds inside. Has somewhat thick skin, so it is usually taken peeled.

Thanks to these characteristics, the Japanese grape cultivation around the world, not as table grapes, but for the production of wines and musts.

Akebia

Much more curious is the fruit of the plant Akebia quinata (akebi). It's about a climbing shrub that has been cultivated for centuries in Japan, although it is actually a fruit native to China.

Today it is commonly found in the wild and in many gardens in rural areas. However, the Japanese love the taste of the fruit, with a juicy and sweet texture.

The fruit of the akebia is pear-shaped, with a size that can vary between 5 and 18 cm depending on the variety.

This purple fruit has a thick skin, with a green or yellowish color, which when maturing it turns bluish. The skin must be removed to gain access to the rich inner pulp.

Similar to white dragon fruit, the pulp of this fruit from Japan is gelatinous and has many small seeds scattered inside.

It is rich in vitamin C, protein, folic acid, and fiber. As for the flavor, it is slightly acidic, but with a sweet touch that is accentuated when fully ripe.

Ume

You could say that the ume It is the national fruit of Japan. The most consumed and the best known in the whole country.

The ume, also called Japanese plum or Japanese plum, it is not only taken natural, but also used to make infinity of elaborations.

It is also used as a base for all kinds of traditional Japanese drinks, such as the umeshu, or plum liqueur.

Despite being related to the plum family, the truth is that the ume Japanese looks more like apricot. It has a somewhat thicker skin, so soft, that it even has fine hairs that resemble velvet.

These grow from the beginning of summer, reached the maximum maturity during the month of September. It is on this date when they are usually eaten raw, although their flavor is not entirely sweet.

The Japanese plum is harvested while it is still green to pickle it and make the typical umeboshi.

These small canned fruits have been kept in a traditional way to be consumed throughout the year, mixing them in different foods such as stews, or to accompany rice.

Ringo

Known outside of Japan as the Fuji apple, this variety of Japanese fruits is one of the most consumed in the country, and one of the best valued worldwide.

It also comes from crossing the varieties Red Delicius Y Ralls Genet, which was made in Japan in the late 1930s, acquiring its own identity in 1962 when it began to be marketed.

What's so special about Japanese apples? Like everything they do in the Japanese country, they are apples that border on perfection.

They are lovingly cultivated on farms in Aomori Prefecture and Hirosaki City, to obtain a fruit that cold it can be kept intact for months.

They are large apples, with a very special sweet taste, crispy flesh and bright red thin skin.

In Japan they are a sales phenomenon, being available in supermarkets and neighborhood stores throughout the year.

The harvest is done from autumn to spring. But because you can store cold up to 6 monthsIn summer they are not lacking in Japanese greengrocers either.

Yubari king

The Japanese also have their own improved version of the European melon. The yubari It is a fruit that is cultivated with great care in greenhouses where they do not lack anything.

For this reason it is the most expensive fruit in Japan, and it is said that it is also the most expensive fruit in the world when it is exported outside its country of origin.

It is a top quality melon fruit of the melon hybridization Cantaloupe and the variety Earl's Favorite. Its shape is perfectly round, grown to a specific size before being released to the market.

The skin is super soft, but what is most interesting is its interior, with a beautiful orange color, typical of the French melon.

The difference is that when you buy a melon yubari, you do not play it with the flavor. You know what you are going to taste is the best melon in the world, with a sweet flavor, and a tender pulp that melts in your mouth.

Although it is a very expensive fruit, which can cost thousands of yen in Japan, there are also more affordable ones so you can indulge yourself during your vacation.

Suika

One of the typical things of Japan that it surprises a lot in social networks they are the curious square-shaped watermelons. It is considered a luxury fruit in Japan.

This is not a feature of the japanese watermelon, since in Japan watermelons are also naturally round. But what is surprising is the curious flavor of this fruit, which is called suika.

Like other tropical fruits, watermelon is another reason why you may think that fruits are expensive in this country. This is normal, since to grow watermelons it is necessary to have a large area of ​​land.

Every year very little amount of this fruit is harvested, which the Japanese love to drink in summer, but when it is time to buy fruits in Japan, their prices can be very high.

Specifically in Japan, the variety watermelon suika it has no seeds, cultivated like this since the 1930s.

This country was the pioneer in getting rid of the annoying seeds, creating a crunchy watermelon, very juicy, and with a higher sugar content, which gives it a spectacular flavor.

Hatsukoi no Kaori Ichigo

Also known as Japanese white strawberries, the name of these small fruits literally means 'essence of first love'. One of the most original names on the list.

It sounds almost like poetry, right? they are unique strawberries in the world. Of course, also the most expensive that you can find on the market.

Actually the Japanese white strawberries they taste almost the same as regular strawberries. The difference is that the meat, instead of being red, is totally white.

To achieve this peculiar color, the hybridization of a strawberry with a pineapple, so the flavor of this other fruit can also be noticed in some pieces.

In addition to achieving a very special color, with this variety of white strawberry it was intended to achieve a sweeter taste and lower acidity.

It is a very juicy fruit, which reaches a considerable size and weight, and is given as a gift in Japan wedding gift, birthdays and graduations, for the symbol of love it represents.

Momo

The peach is a fruit that has been grown in Japan for more than 2000 years.

In this country receives the adorable name of momo, and it is usually a highly valued fruit not only for its flavor, but also for its appearance.

If you are lucky enough to walk through the greengrocer section of any Japanese market or supermarket, the way to present peaches it will attract a lot of attention.

These oversized pieces, with a perfect rounded shape and lovely pink colorThey are always protected with paper to prevent their delicate skin from being damaged.

Japanese peaches they take care of themselves with great care, and only the best pieces that are perfectly shaped go on sale.

Inside they have a white or slightly yellow flesh, very juicy and with an incredible sweet taste. They have nothing to do with American peaches or European peaches.

Sakuranbo

While the sakura (Cherry flower), It is the national flower of Japan, as we have already seen, the most symbolic fruit is the plum ume.

This is because, no matter how many cherry trees that are distributed throughout the Japanese country, very few produce edible fruits. An exception is the variety cherry satonishiki.

In Japan the fruit of the cherry tree is called sakuranbo, but the only ones that can be eaten by their sweet taste are the satonishiki.

Are some very small and red fruits, which began to be cultivated in the 19th century in Yamagata prefecture.

Japanese cherries do not become as ripe as European cherries, but they do have quite a pleasant taste.

They are very cheap fruits, which are usually consumed only in season, at the beginning of summer, just when the cherry blossom ends and the juicy ones come out berries.

Kaki Fuyu

The kaki or rosewood is one of the Chinese fruits that today more are consumed all over the world.

What not many people know is that in Japan they have their own variety, the Japanese persimmon, which began to be cultivated in the 7th century from the varieties that were brought from the neighboring country.

For centuries, in this country they have already worked to improve the taste of Japanese fruits by making different mixes.

For this reason, Japanese persimmon is sweeter than other types, and is usually larger in size.

Is crunchy pulp fruit Inside it is very protected in supermarkets, and although it is not usually the most expensive in the greengrocer, the larger the piece, and the more perfect it seems, the more money the Japanese pay for it.

To test them at a reasonable price, the fall and winter season It is when they are abundant, not only in stores, but also in trees in parks and gardens throughout Japan.

Unshu mikan

The mikan is a Japanese citrus variety which was brought from China more than 400 years ago, making the Japanese country the largest producer today.

Have small tangerine look, with green skin on the outside, but some succulent segments inside, vibrant orange.

Its flavor is a mix between a tangerine and orange, since it is very sweet, but it has a little acid point that makes it different.

The Japanese love it, because they are cheap, they are very easy to peel, and also they don't have nuggets. Children tend to consume it a lot at school and also at home.

The harvest season of the mikan it is from October to January, coinciding with that of the mandarin.

Trees bear a great deal of fruit, being quite productive even when grown in smaller areas.

The Wakayama and Ehime prefectures are the ones with the largest number of trees mikan they have all over the country.

Kinkan

Also known as kumquat or orange from ChinaThese tiny citrus fruits are also native to Japan, especially from the island of Kyushu.

Although they look orange, with a lovely orange colorare so tiny that some measure only a few centimeters after being harvested.

The kinkan They are Japanese fruits that are taken whole, in a single bite and with skin. Its flavor is between sweet and bitter, with an acid touch when the fruit is not quite ripe.

The season of this fruit also coincides with that of the rest of citrus fruits, from fall to winter.

If you don't like to take it raw like that, don't worry, because in Japan they make all kinds of sweet and savory dishes with the kinkan, and they are delicious.

From sweet jams, liqueurs, even stewed meats that gain in flavor just by adding a few of these small oranges.

Yuzu

It is very strange to find in Japan the limes and lemons that we usually consume in America and Europe to season our dishes and give our drinks an original touch.

There they have their own Japanese lemon, the yuzu, a very peculiar citrus that has a unique aroma in the world.

On the outside it looks like a yellow lemon, but on the inside it has a taste between sour and bitter.

It is not usually taken raw, but it is one of the Japanese favorite flavors for soft drinks and drinks.

Be part of many typical dishes of the Japanese diet adding just a few drops of freshly squeezed yuzu.

Although this citrus usually has very little pulp inside, the shell, highly aromatic, has other uses for the Japanese.

At the height of its harvesting season, coinciding with the winter solstice, skin of yuzu to hot baths to purify the body.

This ancient fruit is attributed infinite benefits to health.

Shikuwasa

While the equivalent of lemon is yuzu, the shikuwasa it is known as the Japanese lime.

This small citrus fruit has a smaller size and a dark green peel, which maintains the same hue from when the fruit comes out until it ripens and turns orange.

It is typical of okinawa islands, being less frequent to see it in the rest of the country.

This is because the shikuwasa It is a tropical fruit that only grows in the southern islands of Japan and in much of Taiwan.

Specifically the Ogimi village It is the main producer, although the amount of fruit obtained from home harvest is so limited that it is not usually exported to very remote areas.

Although on the outside they look like a small tangerine or orange, in reality these Japanese fruits are very sour inside.

They are not taken as is, but are used to flavor drinks, to make jams with the skin, or to dress different types of dishes.

Why are Japanese fruits so expensive?

Unlike other countries in the world, Japanese fruit reaches the market exorbitant prices.

Even those that are grown in the same country are usually expensive fruits with quite prohibitive prices, whose consumption is reserved only on special occasions. or to make a gift.

Keep in mind that Japan is a very small country, and there are little farmland.

Although the land area is limited, and not all the land in the country is arable, the space destined to plant fruit trees is much smaller than that used for other crops such as rice or soybeans.

This, added to the fact that Japan is an overpopulated country, makes food quite expensive in the market.

Over the centuries, heJapanese fruit has become a luxury product, the highest quality pieces being sold in the market.

The pieces are treated with great care, choosing only those that have the perfect shape, without having been damaged, and presented in a luxurious packaging.

However, in many supermarkets in Japan it is also possible to find cheapest oriental fruit, especially when it comes to seasonal fruit that importers bring from nearby countries like China.

The price, although higher than in other countries, is not entirely abusive, allowing anyone to consume some fruit within the usual Japanese diet.

What to buy and where to buy in Japan?

Besides the Japanese fruit, there are many other amazing foods and drinks that you cannot miss during your trip to Japan.

Do not miss these other recommendations from our blog, to enjoy the more curious and delicious flavors, typical of Japanese cuisine and culture:

Where buy food and drinks in Japan at a cheaper price? Find a wide variety of typical Japanese products through these typical stores where Japanese people usually buy in their day to day:

Discover many other ideas about what to buy in japan Through our recommendations on the Alternative Japan blog, and the recommended sites to find the best value for money.

If you are a fruit lover, do not miss out on trying these curious japanese fruits during your holidays in the country of the rising sun, and live a complete experience enjoying the best local and traditional food. You'll love it!

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