Photo Credit: Japan Guide

Fruit picking is an immensely rewarding activity at Yamanashi Prefecture—which is located near the center of Honshu, the main island of Japan. Known to the locals as ‘Japan’s Kingdom of Fruits’, this is one of the best places to enjoy delicious and sweet seasonal fruits such as strawberries, peaches and grapes.

Imagine being surrounded by towering mountains and greenery of the forests while you handpick the season’s best produce; forget those overly ripe fruits you buy in supermarkets!

As the type of fruit you can pick varies with the season, this will be a helpful guide on the Fruit Picking Seasons In Yamanashi Prefecture so you can plan to visit the farms when your favourite fruit is in season!

Photo Credit: Trip-N-Travel

STRAWBERRIES (EARLY JANUARY – MID MAY)

Love bright red and juicy strawberries? Then you have to visit Yamanashi Prefecture from early January to mid-May, where visitors get to pick plenty of sweet strawberries. And because the strawberries are cultivated such that they are grown high above the ground, it makes picking easy for people of all ages as there is no need to stoop down.

Photo Credit: FacePla.net

CHERRIES (EARLY JUNE – EARLY JULY)

The Japanese have dubbed cherries as the “Jewel of Fruits”, which means you have to try the ones in Japan for they are exceptionally delicate and sweet. In order to get to the cherries, you would have to climb up ladders to reach for the cherries on the trees. It may seem like hard work, but it is worth all the trouble!

Photo Credit: Trip101

PEACHES (LATE JUNE – LATE AUGUST)

As the biggest exporter of peaches in Japan, you can find many varieties of peaches in Yamanashi; some are juicy while others have a smooth texture. Curious about how they taste differently? You can try all the different types of peaches there for a fixed price when you visit between late June to late August.

Photo Credit: In Hamamatsu.com

BLUEBERRIES (EARLY JULY – MID AUGUST)

Fans of this sweet and sour fruit should visit Yamanashi Prefecture between early July to mid-August to pick all the blueberries they desire. A tip to tell if the blueberry is ripe: it should come in a dark bluish colour and the stem gets pulled off easily from the branch.

Photo Credit: jreast

GRAPES (EARLY AUGUST – LATE OCTOBER)

Besides peaches, Yamanashi is also one of the biggest exporters for grapes. You will be impressed with the sheer diversity of grapes they have there which differ in colour and taste. Head down to the place at different times of the year to compare the various types of grapes.

Photo Credit: Japan Monthly Web Magazine

APPLES (LATE OCTOBER – LATE NOVEMBER)

Your young ones will have a fun time picking apples off the lower branches of the trees while the adults take on the higher branches. This is a fun family activity to consider, should you be visiting Japan from late October to late November. Not only do they learn more about fruit picking, they can also look forward to munching on sweet and crisp apples!