The Japanese word for fruit is 果物 kudamono. Today, let us learn about  some common fruits which you can buy at any grocery store in Japan.

Long ago in Japan, fruits were called 水菓子 mizugashi or water sweets. They were regarded as confectioneries. However, this concept changed over the years and now fruits are called 果物 kudamono or simply フルーツ furuutsu.

Japanese fruits have long maintained their reputation for being expensive. Hence, they are sometimes regarded as gifts. For example, some メロン melons are so expensive in Japan that they are considered as gifts when visiting someone in the hospital.

Some fruits like バナナ bananas and キウイ kiwis are imported into Japan. But Japan has traditionally grown and cultivated many fruits for ages. One of them is 柿 kaki or persimmon. It is considered Japan’s national fruit and during its season kaki becomes quite a topic.

Different fruits are available during different seasons in Japan. Let me introduce some Japanese fruits that you can buy at any Japanese grocery store.

 

Persimmon – Not to be confused with oyster (which is also called kaki in Japanese), 柿 kaki or persimmon holds a very special place among all other Japanese fruits. It is available from late autumn till early winter. Sweet kakis are eaten raw and bitter ones are dried for consumption.

 

Peach – 桃 momo or peach is a beloved fruit in Japan. Have you ever read the Japanese folktale called Momotaro? It is about a boy who was born from of a peach (momo). Do read it if you get the chance. Peach flavoured teas, drinks and desserts are available all year round in Japan. Homegrown peaches are available from June to September.

 

Plum – 梅 ume or the Japanese plum is one of the favourite fruits in Japan. 梅干 umeboshi or dried pickled plum is a traditional Japanese flavouring. It is an all time favourite of the Japanese people. Especially on the おにぎり onigiri shelf at a convenient store, you can always find ume flavoured rice balls (onigiri). Japanese plums are available from late spring till early summer.

 

Strawberry– They are called イチゴ ichigo in Japanese. Strawberries are very popular in Japan. Japanese strawberries are very delicious, they are served in almost every home as dessert. Ichigos are available from winter until spring.

 

Apple – Apples are called リンゴ ringo in Japanese. Aomori prefecture, in northern Japan is well known for the most popular variety of apples in Japan – the red and crispy Fuji apples. Since Fuji apples have long shelf life, they are produced in bulk quantities and also exported. Apples are more or less available throughout the year. The peak seasons for Japanese apples are autumn and winter.

 

Grape – Different varieties of ブドウ budo or grapes are available in Japan. Yamanashi in central Japan is the largest producer of grapes in the country. This prefecture is also known for producing delicious wine. Ruby Roman which first hailed from Ishikawa in 2008, is the most expensive brand in Japan. One piece of grape can cost up to 2800 yen!

 

Cherry – From late spring till early summer さくらんぼ sakuranbo or cherries are available at every Japanese grocery store. One of the local popular varieties of sakuranbo is Sato-Nishiki cherries. Yamagata prefecture in tohoku region is one of the leading producers of Japanese cherries.

 

Pear – The Japanese pear or ナシ nashi does not have a typical pear-shape. Nashi are round in shape, golden yellow in color and sandy in taste. It is an early autumn fruit. Nashis are native Japanese fruits and have been grown since ages.

 

Watermelon– スイカ suika or watermelon is a typical summer fruit in Japan. There is a popular game associated with watermelons called suikawari (where you have to blindfoldedly split open a suika). Japan has also successfully produced seedless watermelons and square shaped watermelons.

 

Orange – Mandarin oranges are known as ミカン mikan in Japanese. These winter fruits are mainly grown in Wakayama and Ehime. Some other local variants of orange, like ‘kinkan’ (can be eaten without peeling) and ‘dekopon’ (seedless oranges) are also popular in Japan.