Trying local fruits is something you must do when you travel in other countries.
Even though you might have a similar kind of fruits in your country, Japanese fruits are worth trying as they’re often relatively sweeter and gorgeous.
There are some areas which are famous for fruits such as Yamanashi, Nagano and Ehime etc, while every prefecture in Japan has their speciality for fruits.
Osaka is a big city where you don’t see any agricultural field when you just travel in the center, but once you step out of the city by train, you have a chance to find some local fruits ! Then what do they have ??
Grape
Osaka is a major grape-growing region. In particular, the cultivation area of Delaware, the main variety, is the third largest in Japan.
The history of grape cultivation is long, and in Kashiwara City purple grapes were planted as shade trees for houses about 300 years ago. Full-scale cultivation began in 1884, when Koshu grapes were introduced to the city, and it spread in the early 20th century.
In terms of distribution, in addition to market shipments, the prefecture has been involved in sightseeing grape picking, a pioneer of sightseeing agriculture in the prefecture, from early on.
A 45-minute train ride from Osaka Station, a 15-minute walk from the station will take you to vineyards on the slopes of the mountains, where you can enjoy grape picking from summer through early autumn.
There are eight wineries in Osaka, and the oldest existing winery in western Japan, which started winemaking using sake brewing technology, is also located in Osaka.
Don’t miss the grape desserts sold in confectioneries at this time of year !
Mandarin
The hills in the Senshu and Minami-Kawachi (south-east of Osaka) regions have long produced rich and flavorful mandarin oranges.
According to literature, the history of citrus cultivation in Osaka dates back to the end of the Kamakura period (1185-1333), but it was not until the introduction of unshu mandarins about 200 years ago that citrus cultivation on a substantial scale began to take place.
By the end of the Taisho period (1912-1926), the cultivated area in Osaka Prefecture exceeded 2,000 hectares, making it the second largest in Japan after Wakayama Prefecture. Later, it exceeded 3,000 hectares at its peak, but due to nationwide overproduction and the development of urbanization, the cultivated area is now about 700 hectares.
Mandarin farms are also about an hour from Osaka Station by train. You can walk from the station, but some farms operate a free bus service that runs during the harvest season.
Mandarin picking is available from October to November, and some farms have larger grounds than grape farms where picnics are available.
Get a bag of mandarins at the supermarket and carry one or two with you on your outings !
Fig
Because of their soft flesh, figs are difficult to preserve and transport, and are a typical suburban fruit. In Osaka, figs have been cultivated since before the Meiji era (1868-1912), mainly grown in the east and south region, They are rich in dietary fiber, and just one serving provides the daily requirement of dietary fiber.
Osaka Prefecture ranks third in the nation in terms of production, accounting for 13% of the market share!
Unfortunately, there is no place in Osaka where you can enjoy fig picking, but fig desserts are here and there from summer to early autumn. Of course they are delicious with sweet foods, but they also go absolutely well with ham and salads.
Enjoy your trip with juicy fruits !
tokie
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