Yummy Yamagata: Best Fruits to Try in Japan’s Fruit Kingdom

Japan is renowned for producing high quality and a rich variety of fruits. Blessed with four distinct seasons and abundant natural resources, fruits are cultivated and harvested seasonally based on the climate and geography of each region in Japan.

As you travel around Japan, you will be treated to seasonal fruits offered by different prefectures. Almost every prefecture in Japan has representative fruits that its agricultural sectors specialise in, but Yamagata Prefecture (山形県) is home to an abundance of them. 

Join us and visit Yamagata, Japan’s fruit kingdom, to savour their famous cherries, pears, grapes, and more fruity wonders. 

Yamagata: Japan’s Fruits Kingdom

Japanese cherries are called sakuranbo (さくらんぼ). | Photo by Yamagata Prefecture

Part of the Tohoku Region (東北地方), Yamagata is still a relatively unexplored prefecture that is gaining popularity as a winter destination. Well-connected to major cities in Japan, Yamagata is just an hour by plane and three hours by shinkansen (bullet train) from Tokyo. 

Yamagata has an enviable geography with lush mountains and a coastline facing the Sea of Japan. The locals enjoy fresh seafood from the ocean and agricultural products cultivated on Yamagata’s fertile lands. Yamagata is proud of its rich culinary traditions and it is home to Tsuruoka (鶴岡市), Japan’s first UNESCO “City of Gastronomy” and a hub for traditional and creative Japanese cuisine. 

Fruits play a major role in Yamagata’s food culture as the locals celebrate the changing of seasons with fresh fruits and related products. Yamagata is the fruit destination of Japan where you can savour exceptionally high quality fruit and experience fruit-picking activities. Ready to try some fresh fruits? Here’s our recommended list of must-try fruits in Yamagata. 

1. Cherries (Sakuranbo)

Premium sato nishiki cherries. | Photo by Yamagata Prefecture

Yamagata is synonymous with cherries as it is the top producer of cherries in Japan. About 70% of the cherries cultivated in Japan are from Yamagata. The harvest season of cherries is from May to mid-July, in which June is the recommended season for cherry-picking.

The most famous cherries in Yamagata the premium sato nishiki (佐藤錦) cherries. The queen of cherries, sato nishiki is known as “red jewel” because of its outstanding characteristics: bright shiny red colour, smooth and firm texture, and intoxicating sweetness with a tinge of sourness. 

Premium Japanese cherries from Yamagata. | Photo by Yamagata Prefecture

Sato nishiki cherries take two to three times longer than normal cherries to be harvested and produced. Cherries need lots of sunshine to grow well so farmers have to monitor the weather conditions diligently and even prune the branches to ensure that the cherries receive sufficient Vitamin D. 

This luxurious fruit is treasured by the locals and are frequently given as gifts. In 2023, Yamagata cherries achieved a record-breaking price–¥1.3 million for 500g of cherries–in a wholesale auction in Tokyo. This shows the high demand for premium Yamagata cherries so if you have a chance to visit Yamagata, you must indulge in these precious red gems.

2. La France Pears (Nashi)

La France pears | Photo by Yamagata Prefecture

There is a popular saying in Yamagata that while cherries are the “King of Fruits”, La France pears are the “Queen of Fruits”. Have you tried La France pears? La France pears (ラフランス 梨) are incredibly juicy, filled with juicy pulp, and have a sweet melt-in-your-mouth taste.

Also called “butter pear”, La France pears originate from France, as its name indicates, and these pears flourish in Yamagata because of the prefecture’s climate and landscape are perfect for growing them. 

Yamagata produces over 80% of La France pears in Japan. The conditions for cultivating La France pear are very precise. Only a selected group of pears can be classified as La France pears if they meet the strict requirements. 

The harvest period of La France pears is from October to December. The trees have to be pruned regularly so that the fruits can soak in plenty of sunlight. It is important to ensure that the pears are harvested at the right time so that the pears can ripen. The pears are perfectly ripened to be eaten when wrinkles appear around the stem and the stem begins to wilt.

3. Grapes (Budo)

Yamagata grapes | Photo by Yamagata Prefecture

Ranked the third prefecture that produces the highest volume of grapes in Japan, Yamagata enjoys a strong reputation for producing a diverse variety of grapes, which are used to make not just confectionery and jams, but also turned into wine. Yamagata grapes are available throughout the year and the best months to enjoy top quality grapes are between summer and autumn—August to October. 

Some key factors provide the best conditions for growing grapes in Yamagata: long hours of sunshine, consistent temperature difference between day and night, and dry climate when the grapes mature. 

Yamagata is the top producer of Delaware grapes that taste as sweet as honey syrup with an excellent balance of sweetness and acidity. Other popular types of grapes like Shine Muscat, luscious green and seedless grapes, and the dark purple Pione grapes that have a dense sweet profile. 

4. Strawberries (Ichigo)

Yamagata otome gokoro strawberries | Photo by Yamagata Prefecture

Did you know there are more than 300 varieties of strawberries in Japan? Japan is in love with strawberries so it is not surprising that Japanese people consume more strawberries than any other country. Japan’s top strawberry-growing areas include Fukuoka, Kumamoto, Tochigi, and Shizuoka. 

Yamagata is also one of the contenders in strawberries production and it produces a special type of strawberries called otome gokoro (おとめ心), which is translated to mean “young lady’s heart”. Otome gokoro strawberries are planted in the months from September to October and harvested in spring and summer. 

Otome gokoro strawberries are glossy red and the juicy fruit embodies an impressive harmony of sweetness and tartness. The sweetness of the strawberries is the result of careful agricultural methods. An interesting part of the cultivation process is when honey bees pollinate the crops close to harvesting time. 

5. Persimmons (Kaki)

Yamagata Shonai Persimmons | Photo by Yamagata Prefecture

A Yamagata specialty, Shonai persimmons (庄内柿) are grown in the Shonai area situated in the north-western region of the prefecture. Shonai persimmons are seedless and celebrated for their mellow sweet flavour. 

Persimmons are harvested in October and dried persimmons are produced from late autumn to early winter. Persimmons are enjoyed as fresh fruits and also as dried fruits. Dried persimmons taste even sweeter and they make a great snack. Dried persimmons are used commonly in desserts. 

Persimmons are good for your body as they contain vitamin C, potassium, and rich fibers. Shonai persimmons are a type of astringent persimmons so they contain tannins that possess antioxidant properties. 

More Fruits and Fruit-Picking

While not mentioned in full detail this list, other Yamagata fruits that you should look out for when in Japan are its peaches, blueberries, and melons.

A fun way to enjoy fruits in Yamagata is to try fruit-picking to experience the journey of bringing fresh fruits to our homes. Fruit-picking activities are popular, especially cherry-picking and grape-picking in farms. Book your fruit-picking session in advance when the fruits you like to eat are in season. 

Enjoy Fruits Snacks in JAPAN RAIL CLUB’s “Yummy Yamagata” Omiyage Snack Box

Experience the best of Yamagata this June with JAPAN RAIL CLUB’s exclusive Omiyage Snack Box. Entitled “Yummy Yamagata”, enjoy snacks infused with Yamagata’s famous fruits from cherries to grapes. Savour the richness of Yamagata’s natural products with snacks, including the famous souvenir “Sakuranbo Kirara” jelly which features a whole cherry, as well as “Rusk France Blueberry” which features the refreshing sourness of Yamagata blueberries.

JAPAN RAIL CLUB is extending a special promo code “YUMMY12” to you so that you can enjoy a 12% discount on 3/6/12-month Snack Subscription Plans, while receiving a monthly curation of Japanese snacks delivered to your house. Start your snack subscription today to enjoy these yummy Japanese goodies every month!