Melons Cost More Than Cars In This Asian Country Here's Why

Japan is a nation of social mysteries; however for foreigners, there is probably one facet that seems most bizarre, and that is the nation’s acceptance of, and even love and admiration for, ridiculously expensive fruit. We’re taking a closer look into why Japan is willing to spend a fortune on fruit.

Head to the depachika, the large food court situated at the bottom of most department stores, and you’ll find a selection of both exotic and everyday fruits wearing price tags that are typically reserved for a Michelin star meal. You might see strawberries that go for anything between $20 (£14) up to $4,000 (£2,874) (if tennis ball sized bijin-hime strawberries are what you’re after), or pears that’ll easily set you back $12-$15 (£8.62-£10.78) each. These price tags are not a rarity here in Japan, but why?

Compared to many of its western neighbours, Japan’s attitude to fruit is far different; fruit is considered to be a luxury item, and a feature star in the nation’s extensive and often difficult to decipher gift-giving culture.

Travel site Roads and Kingdoms recently published a feature on the fascinating world of the muskmelon, also known as a cantaloupe. The particular melons featured were going for $27,000 (£19,402) each. This price tag warranted further investigation.

Historically, fruit has played a large role in the nation’s gift giving culture. During the fourteenth century, samurais would offer tangerines or melons to the shogun, their leader, as a sign of loyalty and appreciation. Today this attitude still exists; however, arguably the fruit can be seen more as a vessel of appreciation with the tagged value being the greatest symbol, rather than the piece of fruit itself. An expensive piece of fruit may sound ridiculous, but the implied value is where it gets its worth.

Another reason fruit is so expensive here in Japan is simply because it’s so perfect. Farmers spend their careers dedicated to cultivating the perfect fruits, season after season, tirelessly growing, harvesting inspecting, and altering until they create the perfect specimen.

Although many of these fruits are designed to be eaten, there’s one famous Japanese fruit that is completely ornamental, and chances are you’ve seen it before. The square watermelon. Grown in special boxes in Zentsuji (Kagawa Prefecture on Shikoku Island), these peculiar fruits are not for eating.
Cultivating the perfect fruit also takes a lot of attention. Take the muskmelons for example: just three percent of them are singled out and given little outfits. String is tied around the stems to stop them from falling over once they’ve ripened, and little hats are placed on the tops of the melons to ward against sunburn.

In order to ensure they reach their full potential, farmers also supply the melons with “melon massages” to ensure the ultimate sweetness. This labor and time doesn’t come cheap. Once the best of the best have been selected, they’re off to the market to be bought out by luxury fruit pickers and later sold for the price of a car. Typically, the fruit that doesn’t make the cut is kicked on to the regular outlets to be sold for much less.

Since you are here, we would like to share our vision for the future of travel - and the direction Culture Trip is moving in.

Culture Trip launched in 2011 with a simple yet passionate mission: to inspire people to go beyond their boundaries and experience what makes a place, its people and its culture special and meaningful — and this is still in our DNA today. We are proud that, for more than a decade, millions like you have trusted our award-winning recommendations by people who deeply understand what makes certain places and communities so special.

Increasingly we believe the world needs more meaningful, real-life connections between curious travellers keen to explore the world in a more responsible way. That is why we have intensively curated a collection of premium small-group trips as an invitation to meet and connect with new, like-minded people for once-in-a-lifetime experiences in three categories: Culture Trips, Rail Trips and Private Trips. Our Trips are suitable for both solo travelers, couples and friends who want to explore the world together.

Culture Trips are deeply immersive 5 to 16 days itineraries, that combine authentic local experiences, exciting activities and 4-5* accommodation to look forward to at the end of each day. Our Rail Trips are our most planet-friendly itineraries that invite you to take the scenic route, relax whilst getting under the skin of a destination. Our Private Trips are fully tailored itineraries, curated by our Travel Experts specifically for you, your friends or your family.

We know that many of you worry about the environmental impact of travel and are looking for ways of expanding horizons in ways that do minimal harm - and may even bring benefits. We are committed to go as far as possible in curating our trips with care for the planet. That is why all of our trips are flightless in destination, fully carbon offset - and we have ambitious plans to be net zero in the very near future.