Japanese fruits are high quality and also very popular in Malaysia. Fruit- picking experiences, where such fruits can be harvested and even eaten on the spot, are a must-do when in Japan. If you’re curious and want to try it out, read below to see fruit-picking spots with assistance available for foreigners that can only be found in the Tohoku region, a well-known fruit production area for tasty local fruits such as apples and peaches. We will also introduce some cafes and restaurants in the facilities and list recommended souvenirs!

 

Tohoku: a fruit kingdom known for the production of peaches, apples, and La France pears

 

 

There are a lot of fresh fruits in the Tohoku region, such as Yamagata cherries and Aomori apples. The best part is that they are sweeter due to the temperature fluctuations during the day. There are also many farms where tourists can pick fruits when they are in season.

 

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(1)    Pick in-season apples at the 
Hirosaki City Apple Park (Aomori Prefecture)

 

 

Hirosaki City Apple Park is home to thousands of apple trees of different varieties. It’s located in Hirosaki City, Aomori Prefecture, an area known for its apple production. At the educational experience garden, you can also try flower picking, fruit thinning, and fruit picking from the beginning of August to mid-November.
 

 

First-timers are rest assured that the staff will show you how to differentiate and select the tastiest apples during the apple-picking experience. The fact that they sell apples over the counter throughout the year regardless of the season is an attractive point of this park, too!

 

Fruit picking Information

Experience period: From early August to mid-November  Admission fee: Free (Apple-Picking Experience has a fee of ¥350 per 1 kg)  How to participate: Register at Ringo no ie (Apple House) in Apple Park. Experience guidance available every 30 minutes within 9 a.m. - 4 p.m.

Insider tip: 

 

Ringo no ie (Apple House) sells about 1,200 kinds of products focusing on apples. There is also an area for having light meals, serving original dishes made using apples, so it really is a facility that is dedicated to apples! The shops are also duty-free, another foreign-visitor friendly point.

Facility information

Name: Hirosaki City Apple Park  Location: 125 Terasawa, Oaza Shimizutomita, Hirosaki Operating hours: 9 a.m. - 5 p.m. (Ringo no ie [Apple House] / Former Osanai Family Residence)  Operating period: Open all year round Access: Take the Konan Bus from JR Hirosaki Station for about 20 minutes, get off at Tokiwazaka Iriguchi Bus Stop and walk for about 7 minutes Website: Hirosaki City Apple Park (English) Check the official website before you visit, as a number of tourist attractions and events in Japan could either be temporarily closed or canceled to prevent the spread of Coronavirus (COVID-19).

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(2)    Visit the largest tourist orchard in Yamagata and take social-media-worthy photos of cute parfait! OHSYO Fruits Farm (Yamagata Prefecture)

 

 

OHSYO Orchard is a tourist orchard where fruits such as cherries, grapes, peaches, and apples can be harvested. The cultivated area measures approximately 9.8 hectares and has around 1,000 cherry trees. Cherries can be harvested from mid-May to mid-July.

 

 

This scenic orchard in Tendo City is the only cherry greenhouse in Yamagata Prefecture that grows delicious varieties of cherries such as Sato Nishiki and Beni Shuho. There are many choices of harvesting plans: In addition to the standard plan (30 minutes all-you-can-eat in the garden) for ¥1,980, there is also a VIP cherry-picking plan (Sato Nishiki and more) for ¥3,800. There are also special plans where you can get souvenirs, eat all you can, have soft serve ice cream, take a dip in the hot springs, and more. From early August, peaches and grapes are ready to be picked, while apples are in season from early October. 

 

Insider tip:

 

At the designer shop and cafe Oh!Show!Cafe, which is open only during the harvesting period, original soft cream made using the flesh and juice of cherries, and seasonal fruit parfait made with cherries are available for visitors to try. However, it is limited to the mid-May to mid-July period. 

Facility Information

Name: OHSYO Fruits Farm Location: 1303 Oaza Kawarago, Tendo, Yamagata Operating hours (Shop) : 9 a.m. - 5 p.m. (as of August 2022 9 a.m. - 4 p.m.)  Operating hours (Cafe) : 9 a.m. - 4 p.m. (as of August 2022 9 a.m. - 3:30 p.m.  last order; open every day in August) Operating period: Open all year round Closed: Wednesdays Fruit picking reception hours: 8:30 a.m. - 2 p.m. (As of August 2022)  Access: Take the JR East Yamagata Shinkansen and get off at Tendo Station or Sakuranbo-Higashine Station. About 20 minutes by taxi or rental car from there.  Website: OHSYO Fruits Farm (official)

* As of August 2022, the shop and cafe will be open from August 10 to October 30. 

 

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(3)    Harvest seasonal fruits and experience making Japanese confectionery 
Gaburi Garden (Fukushima Prefecture)

 

 

Gaburi Garden in Fukushima Prefecture is a place where strawberries, cherries, peaches, melons, grapes, prunes, and apples are cultivated, and their harvesting can be experienced depending on the season. In early summer, seven types of cherries (the varieties are available depending on the season) can be harvested (for ¥1,540), with the focus being on Sato Nishiki, the king of cherries.

 

 

During the summer, you can pick seasonal peaches, mainly Hakuho, Akatsuki, and nectarine for just ¥1,210. Prunes, grapes, and apples, which are available from autumn to late autumn, are also recommended.

Facility Information

Name: Gaburi Garden  Location: 1251 Kamiyonezuka, Kitaaizumachi, Aizuwakamatsu, Fukushima Operating period: February - mid-November  Closed: no fixed dates Website: Gaburi Garden ( Japanese )

 

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