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How often do you eat fruits? Everyday in the morning? Dessert after lunch? If you’re a foreigner and going for shopping at the supermarket, you may think that fruits here in Tokyo is quite expensive. But do you know there are “Fruit Picking” activities in Japan where you can eat a bunch of fruits for a reasonable price? It all depends on the season, different fruit picking events are offered, such as the strawberry picking during spring, peach picking in summer, grape picking during autumn and apple picking during winter. The biggest advantage of fruit picking is that you can pick as many fruit as you want at once for a cheap fee.
Here are 4 recommended fruit picking events in Japan near Tokyo and how to join these events, the payment details and the itinerary. You can see more details on each website as well.
1. Strawberry Picking (Season January~May)
Do you know that the biggest strawberry-picking place is in the Kanto region? This strawberry farm opened on 2015/January/4th and you can taste 6 different kinds of strawberry. Normally farms are located at distant areas but you can now experience this place by train with easy access from Tokyo. Strawberries from this farm are very juicy and smells like peach when strawberries are ripe so it’s very in-demand.
How to Choose the Best Strawberry?
・Strawberry hulls need to be dark green and curvy.
・Strawberry seeds need to be buried than the berry itself.
・Strawberry are glossy and the whole fruit is very red.
Farm Name: Koshigaya Ichigo Town
Address: 1-41, Mashimori, Koshigaya city, Saitama Prefecture,343-0012
TEL: 048-965-1514 (9:00-15:00 available)
Event Open Term: 2017/January/3rd~2017/May/31st
Open Hour: 10:00-15:00
How to Make Reservation:
- For Reservation, go to their mainpage in the website Ichigo Town (strawberry town)
(Needs to book 1 month to 3 hours before entering the farm). - Fill the entrance form on the website, or you can directly call the farm to book.
Fee: (45 mins all-you-can-eat)
1.Terms until 2017/April/9th
□2,100 yen/adults
□1,200 yen/kids over 3 years old
2. Terms from 2017/April/11th
□1,600 yen/adults
□1,000 yen/kids over 3 years old
Parking: 100 cars available
Access:
□By Car: 50 mins from Tokyo Station
□By Train: 1 Hour from Tokyo Station to Koshigaya Town Station
2. Peach Picking (Season June~August)
In the summer season, peach picking is the best activity to experience. In this farm, you can eat about 7 kinds of peaches that undergo organic farming system. If you have little children or babies, you have the chance to experience it in much more reasonable price.
How to Choose the Best Peach?
・Peach with strong aroma
・Peach with the perfect shape symmetry
・Peach with fuzz on the surface
Farm Name: Komaki En
Address: 600-2, Tokujiromachi, Utsunomiya city, Tochigi Prefecture,321-2116
TEL: 028-665-4813
Event Open Term: From 2017/July/End~201/August/End
Open Hour: 10:00-12:00 (L.O 11:45), 14:00-17:00 (L.O 16:45)
How to Make Reservation: No reservation allowed. Komaki En
1. Need to check by phone call for availability of the farm in advance.
Fee: (40 min all-you-can-eat)
□ 1,296 yen/adults over elementary school kids
□ 864 yen/kids over 3 years old under elementary school
□ Free/under 2 years old kids
Parking: 50 cars available
Access:
□By Car: 1 hour and 40 min from Tokyo Station
□By Train: 2 Hour 20 min from Tokyo Station to Utsunomiya Station with using additional bus.
3. Grape Picking (Season July~October)
Did you know there is a grape picking spot just in the middle of Tokyo area? You can enjoy about 6 kinds of grapes in this farm. The biggest advantage is that, it’s very convenient as it is located in the heart Tokyo. So you don’t have to plan in advance and just head to the spot when you want to.
How to Choose the Best Grape?
・Grape with dark skin color
・Grape with small cluster of grapes (high sugar content)
・Grape with brown branch (means its fully-ripened)
Farm Name: Yamazaki Budo En
Address: 1-23-7, Okamoto, Setagayaku, Tokyo,157-0076
TEL: 03-3709-6064
Event Open Term: From 2017/Aug/20~
(not fixed term yet. Will be noted on the website but around the end of July)
Open Hour: 9:00-16:00
How to Make Reservation: Call by phone and check. Yamazaki Budo En
1. Need to check by phone call availability to enter the farm in advance.
Fee: (Sell by weight)
1,600 yen/1kg~ (It changes every year so need to check the farm in advance)
Parking: No Parking.
Access:
□By Train: (Denentoshi Line) Yoga Station or Futakotamagawa Station with 20 min walk.
4. Apple Picking (Season October~November)
Do you know that this place has no time limit when it comes to picking? Also, outside food and drinks are allowed as well as bringing of pets?! This farm is a paradise in the heart of the city. Due to the very laid-back style of the farm owner, it’s very popular and famous for apple-lovers all around Japan.
How to Choose the Best Apple?
・Apple with dark color.
・Apple with smooth and textured skin.
・heavy weight in middle size. (not too big)
Farm Name: Fruit Park Hisamatsu Noen
Address: 885, Shimosaya, Kasumigaura city, Ibaraki Prefecture
TEL: 090-4019-9898
Event Open Term: From 2017/October~2017/November
Open Hour: 9:00-16:00 (L.O. 15:30)
How to Make Reservation: Call by phone and check. Fruit Park Hisamatsu Noen
1. Need to check by phone for availability for entering the farm in advance.
Fee: (There is no time limit)
□ 500 yen/adults over middle school kids
□ 400 yen/kids elementary school
□ 300 yen over 3 years old kids
Parking: 55 cars (There are other close parking area as well)
Access:
□By Car: 1 hour and 20 min from Tokyo Station
□By Train: 2 Hour 20 min from Tokyo Station to Tsuchiura Station with using taxi 10 min.
Throughout the year, it might be fun to go fruit picking for each season. You can taste heavenly fruits for each season without any limits. Freshly-picked fruits are the best!! Enjoy this activity together with your friends and family!
YAE/ Japan