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$650 Watermelon?! The History of Luxury Fruit in Japan
Would you pay $20 for a bunch of grapes? Or $650 for a watermelon? Many people in Japan do.
By Marin Akasaka
Watermelons are typically oval or spherical — common sense, right? Not in Japan. In Japan, watermelons come in all shapes: cubes, pyramids, and even hearts. As startling as this may be, the price of one “Pyramid Watermelon” branded with a sticker resembling Tutankhamun baffles at 100,000 Japanese yen per piece (approximately USD $633).
Although fruits as expensive as the Pyramid Watermelon are rare, luxury fruits are common in Japan. Luxury in Japan extends to an unexpected category: fruits. Japan has elevated fruit cultivation to an art form, producing some of the most expensive and sought-after fruits in the world. These are not just any fruit; they are branded, meticulously cultivated, and often presented as gifts.
The demand for luxury fruits in Japan
Back in the days in Japan, sugar was extremely hard to come by. In the case of fruits, seasonal fruits, also called “mizu-gashi” (水菓子), were highly prized luxuries that even the upper class could…
