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Would You Pay $800 For These Grapes?

Forget expensive jewelry or a new iPhone. In Japan, “perfect” fruit is seen as a very special gift.  

March 2021
by Tod Olson

iStockPhoto/Getty Images (Grapes); Lili White/Shutterstock.com (Tag)

Jim McMahon/Mapman ® (Globe)

    If you like really nice fruit, the Asian nation of Japan might be the place for you. Just make sure you’ve already bought your plane ticket home. You might not have any money left once you’re done shopping.

    In the capital city of Tokyo, you’ll find perfectly round cantaloupes—for $160. Or maybe you like sweet and juicy mangoes. You can try one for $400. 

    After that, you could pick out a giant strawberry. But it’ll cost you $4,000. And it’s not even dipped in chocolate!

    If you like nice fruit, you should visit Japan. Just make sure you’ve already bought your plane ticket home. You might not have any money left once you’re done shopping. 

    In the capital city of Tokyo, you’ll find perfectly round cantaloupes—for $160.

    Do you like sweet, juicy mangoes? You can try one for $400.

    Want a giant strawberry? It’ll cost you $4,000. And it’s not even dipped in chocolate!

    If you like really nice fruit, the Asian nation of Japan might be the place for you. Just make sure you’ve already bought your plane ticket home. You might not have any money left once you’re done shopping. 

    In the capital city of Tokyo, you’ll find perfectly round cantaloupes—for $160.

    If you like sweet and juicy mangoes, you can try one for $400.

    After that, you could select a giant strawberry—but it’ll cost you $4,000, and it’s not even dipped in chocolate!

A Tasty Present

imagebroker/Robin Simon/Newscom

A worker at one of Japan’s gift fruit markets.

    Welcome to the super-expensive world of Japanese gift fruit. In the United States, we bring flowers to sick friends. We give toasters to married couples. In Japan, it’s common to arrive at the hospital or a wedding with fruit. And we’re not talking about soft apples with brown spots on them.

    In Tokyo, expensive fruit shops look like jewelry stores. Inside, you’ll find shiny produce displayed in glass cases. There are grapes the size of Ping-Pong balls. There are strawberries as big as tennis balls. Some watermelons even come in heart shapes for that special someone.

    Welcome to the world of Japanese gift fruit. In the United States, we bring flowers to sick friends. We give toasters as wedding gifts. In Japan, it’s common to bring fruit to the hospital or a wedding. And we don’t mean soft apples with brown spots.

    In Tokyo, fancy fruit shops look like jewelry stores. Shiny fruit sits in glass cases. There are grapes the size of Ping-Pong balls. Strawberries are as big as tennis balls. There are even heart-shaped watermelons.

    Welcome to the super-expensive world of Japanese gift fruit. In the United States, we bring flowers to sick friends. We give toasters to married couples. In Japan, it’s common to arrive at the hospital or a wedding with fruit—and we’re not talking about soft apples with brown spots on them.

    In Tokyo, expensive fruit shops look similar to jewelry stores. Inside, you’ll find shiny produce displayed in glass cases. There are grapes the size of Ping-Pong balls and strawberries as big as tennis balls. Some watermelons even come in heart shapes for that special someone.

The Perfect Melon

    So why does a strawberry cost as much as 10 smartphones? It takes a lot of work to make perfect fruit. Crown muskmelons get little hats to keep the sun from burning them. Farmers with gloves rub the melons each day to make sure they grow evenly. 

    And watermelons don’t grow in heart shapes all by themselves. Farmers let the melons grow to a certain size. Then they’re placed in special boxes to shape them exactly right.

    Even then, only the best fruit makes it to the Tokyo stores. Ruby Roman grapes can sell for $800 a bunch. But they have to weigh at least 20 grams each. Their juice has to contain 18 percent sugar or more. 

    And how about those crown melons? They’re each given a grade for shape and color. Only 1 in 1,000 earn the highest grade. 

    That’s OK. It means you don’t have to be a millionaire to eat strawberry shortcake. There’s plenty of fruit left over for ordinary grocery stores. But you won’t find any heart-shaped melons there.

    If you want that perfect Valentine’s Day gift, be prepared to pay. 

    So why does a strawberry cost as much as 10 smartphones? Making perfect fruit takes work. Crown muskmelons get little hats to keep the sun from burning them. Farmers with gloves rub the melons every day to make sure they grow evenly.

    And watermelons don’t grow in heart shapes without help. Farmers let the melons grow to a certain size. Then they’re placed in special boxes to shape them.

    Even then, only the best fruit makes it to the Tokyo stores. Ruby Roman grapes can sell for $800 a bunch. But they must weigh at least 20 grams each. Their juice must contain 18 percent sugar or more.

    And how about those crown melons? They’re each given a grade for shape and color. Only 1 in 1,000 earn the highest grade.

    That’s OK. It means you don’t have to be rich to eat strawberry shortcake. There’s plenty of fruit left for regular grocery stores. But they don’t have any heart-shaped melons.

    If you want one of those, start saving up.

    So why does a strawberry cost as much as 10 smartphones? It takes an incredible amount of work to produce perfect fruit. Crown muskmelons get little hats to prevent the sun from burning them. Farmers with gloves rub the melons each day to make sure they grow evenly.

    And, of course, watermelons don’t grow in heart shapes naturally. After the melons reach a certain size, farmers place them in special boxes to shape them exactly right.

    Even then, only the very best fruit makes it to the Tokyo stores. Ruby Roman grapes can sell for $800 a bunch—but they have to weigh at least 20 grams each, and their juice has to contain 18 percent sugar or more.

    And how about those crown melons? They’re each given a grade for shape and color. Only 1 in 1,000 earn the highest grade.

    That’s OK. It means you don’t have to be a millionaire to eat strawberry shortcake. There’s plenty of fruit left over for ordinary grocery stores. But you won’t find any heart-shaped melons there.

    If you want that perfect Valentine’s Day present, be prepared to pay.

TORU YAMANAKA/AFP via Getty Images

Fancy Fruit
Farmers put watermelons in special boxes to give them their shape. 

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Writing and Editing
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Where in the World
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Food, Culture
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Nonfiction
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Article
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