- Buddha-shaped pear
Buddha-shaped pear
©Epov Dmitry/Shutterstock.com
Price: $9 per pear
In China, a farmer has perfected a way to grow pears in the shape of little baby Buddhas. Using the mold while the fruit is growing allows these pears to form the correct shape of the Buddha mold. Farmer Jianzhang Hao grew 10,000 of these pears in his backyard and is now selling them for $9 each. He said he got the idea for the Buddha shape from an old story about a magical Buddha-shaped fruit that would grant immortality to those who ate it. Although there are no pears, Jianzhang Hao says this pear brings good luck!
- Sekai Ichi Apple
Sekai-ichi apple on white background
Sekai-ichi apples average 1.5-2 pounds. ©MERCURY studio/Shutterstock.com
Price: $21 per apple
The Sekai Ichi apple was first cultivated in 1973 and is still considered one of the largest apple varieties. These fruits can weigh more than 2 pounds and are said to have a delicate sweetness and soft flesh. In Japan where these apples are mainly grown, the trees are pollinated by hand and the fruits are picked whole.
These apples are sought after because of their size and the difficulty of obtaining the fruit due to the time-consuming process of growing it to such a size. When the tree grows it is heavily pruned so that only the largest healthy fruit remains. Due to this process, apple growers are in short supply. Depending on the seller these apples can cost anywhere from $50 for a box to $4 for a single apple to $30 for a box.
- Sembysia cherry
Cherry, Japan, Sato Nishiki, box-container, fruit
©iStock.com/Kanechan
Price: $160 per box of 40 cherries
Inside Sembikia Fruit Shop you can find a variety of luxury fruits at surprisingly high prices. One of these expensive fruits is Sembisia Cherries at $160 for a box of 40, which is $4 per cherry! These cherries aren’t expensive for any reason, the time and care to pick and grow the perfect cherry for each box is expensive.
Each cherry must meet certain requirements before being placed in its perfect box. To do this the cherries are watched very closely as they grow and then picked when fully ripe. They should be the same size and color as the rest of the cherries in the box for maximum visual appeal.
- Boil the citrus
Boiled oranges
©MERCURY studio/Shutterstock.com
Price: $80 per 6 pack
Decapon citrus fruit is a combination of an orange and a mandarin. Like others on this list, these citrus fruits are grown and sold in Japan where you can get a six-pack for just $80. First cultivated in 1972, this perfect blend of orange and mandarin is now considered one of the best and sweetest oranges in the world.
Decoctions require a complex time-consuming cultivation process which is partly why they are so expensive. Grown in humidity and temperature-controlled glasshouses, these oranges are carefully watched and cared for until ripe. Once the citrus fruits are picked they are cured for 40 days to reduce acidity to below 1% and increase sugar levels. Due to their growing popularity, Decapone citrus is now grown and harvested in places like Brazil and South Korea.
- Square watermelon
Square watermelon isolated
The first square watermelon was successfully grown in 1975. ©Valentyn Volkov/Shutterstock.com
Price: $800 per watermelon
Another prized fruit of Japan is the square watermelon. Square watermelons are sought after for their square shape and …not much else. These fruits taste just like any regular watermelon found in the store or garden. When buying a square watermelon you may have to sacrifice taste for looks. These watermelons are sometimes cut before they are ripe to retain their plump shape.
Fruit enthusiasts looking to try a square watermelon can expect to pay between $100 and $800, depending on the seller. The price is so high because these melons can be hard to juice. Square watermelons are grown in molds to create their cube shape, but the fruit doesn’t always respond well to mold, making these fruits hard to come by. However, if you don’t want to spend hundreds of dollars on a watermelon, you can try growing your own with the help of the many guides you can find online.
- Japanese Ruby Roman Grapes
Ruby Roman grape
Ruby Roman grapes from Japan. ©annchan/Shutterstock.com
Price: $100 – $8,500 per bunch
Although grapes are a common inexpensive fruit found in grocery stores, you won’t find them in Japan’s Ishikawa Prefecture. In 1995, a group of farmers in Ishikawa, Japan began their journey to cultivate the perfect red grape. For 14 years, farmers, breeders, and researchers have worked to increase the size, color, and taste of red grapes. In 2008 they attracted media attention by debuting Ruby Roman grapes and selling a bunch for $900. Ruby Roman grapes are the most expensive grapes in the world and those looking to buy them can expect to pay at least $100 for a bunch and that’s pretty low!
When harvested, these grapes are divided into three categories: superior, special superior, and premium. Because only 24,000 clusters are harvested each year only a few clusters are classified as premium and buyers can expect to pay up to $10,000 for a single premium cluster. For one reason, these grapes are sold at such a high price. When the crops are harvested they have to meet a certain standard to be graded and sold. Perfectly round and sweet grapes brought to market sell incredibly quickly.
- Miyazaki Mango
Japan’s Miyazaki Prefecture/AM
©hungryworks/Shutterstock.com
Price: $100 – $2,000 per mango
Miyazaki mangoes are the most expensive mangoes in the world, and one of Japan’s many premium fruits. Miyazaki mangoes are called Taiyo no tamago or “egg of the sun” mangoes. They are extremely sweet tasting with 15% more sugar than regular mango. Originating in southern Japan, Miyazaki mangoes are grown exclusively in the city of Miyazaki in Kyushu Prefecture.
Their expensive price comes from the care required to grow one of these fruits. They require plenty of sunlight, rain, and a sub-tropical environment to grow. Each fruit is carefully wrapped in a net, and suspended to get plenty of sunlight and get its bright ruby-red appearance.
- Densuke Watermelon
Densuke watermelon
Perhaps the most expensive watermelon in the world, the Densuke watermelon comes from Japan. ©retirementbonus/Shutterstock.com
Price: $250 – $6,000 per watermelon
Watermelon is big, juicy, and one of the tastiest fruits and Densuke Watermelon is the best among them. Densuke watermelons come from the Japanese island of Hokkaido and can be identified by their dark green rind. Their skin is very shiny and has no markings or patterns.
Inside this fruit, you will find very few seeds and a pink interior. Their flesh is sweeter than other melons and they are also loved for their crunchy texture. Densuk melons are very difficult to grow and the trees bear very little fruit, making the price very expensive.
- Eubury King Melon
- How much does a king watermelon cost?
- What is the price of Yuberry King watermelon? The average price of a Euberry King watermelon varies greatly depending on the growing season. However, a single watermelon can average $50 to $100 in specialty shops in Japan, with many other watermelons going for much higher prices at auction.