Fukushima is a leading “fruit kingdom” in Japan. Leveraging the unique climate and topography of its mountain basin location, Fukushima City offers enjoyment of a variety of fruits each season such as cherries in early summer, peaches in mid-summer, pears and grapes in autumn, and “honey core” apples in early winter. The high variety and quality of the fruits truly supports the phrase “Fukushima City, jewelry box of fruit.” Fukushima Prefectural Road No. 5, which runs about 14 kilometers along the foothills of the Azuma Mountain Range on the west side of Fukushima City, is a road lined with tourist orchards and fruit stands that has the nickname “Fruits Line.” You can enjoy picking juicy, delicious seasonal fruits at the tourist orchards, which are popular sightseeing spots during the season that bustle with many families and tourists. Relish the freshly picked fruits!

● Cherries

● Fukushima’s cherries, which herald the beginning of the fruit season, are harvested earlier than those of other prefectures, and can be enjoyed from early June. Sato Nishiki cherries, which are harvested from mid-June, are large, very sweet, and very popular.

● Peaches

● From July to September, you can enjoy various kinds of peaches which are representative of “Fukushima City, jewelry box of fruits.” The method of growing peaches without wrapping them in bags is widely utilized, and being bathed in the blazing sunshine gives them a high sugar content and rich flavor. In particular, Akatsuki peaches, which were christened in Fukushima Prefecture and widely grown as the main peach variety in Fukushima City, are popular for their dense flesh and sweet taste.

● Pears

● Pears produced in this region are grown mainly in the Kayaba area in the western part of Fukushima City, which is an alluvial fan with good water drainage. They are known as Kayaba Nashi pears and have a history of more than 100 years since the Meiji period. The harvest begins in late August with sweet and juicy Kosui pears, followed by Toyosui pears in mid-September, and Akizuki pears in late September which are characterized by their strong sweetness and smooth texture. This means you can savor the taste of autumn in Fukushima until late October.

● Grapes

● Fukushima’s grapes, which add flavor and color to autumn, can be enjoyed from the beginning of September. The grapes appeal with their sweetness that could only be produced in Fukushima, including the large, first-rate Kyoho variety, and the large, elegantly flavored Takao seedless variety.

● Apples

● Due to the warm climate, Fukushima’s apples begin blooming earlier than in other production areas and bathe in the sun for a longer period of time before being harvested, making it possible to harvest Kinari Kanjuku Ringo (fully ripe apples). The apples are characterized by their high juice content and good harmony of sweetness and sourness. Many varieties of apples are grown, centered on the Sun Fuji which is popular as a “honey core” apple. You can thus enjoy a variety of flavors from early autumn.

A thematic journey in the Tohoku region:Fruits