How can you miss the opportunity to taste "strawberries" in Japan in spring? The sweet and sour strawberry taste is irresistible! However, this tender strawberry is not easy to preserve, and the price of shipping to other countries often doubles. Head to a Japanese supermarket, the price is kind, and it's all delicious! Let's grab a bite to eat while you're visiting Japan!
Big plump Fukuoka Ganwang strawberries!
That said, there are subtle differences in appearance, aroma, taste and texture between strawberry varieties. Like the "white strawberry" that is stirring up a buzz of conversation right now, have you heard of it? Let's take a look at what Japanese strawberry varieties are available, and you will feel more full in the next strawberry season! In addition, we must also tell everyone the secret of making strawberries more delicious!
▋How many kinds of Japanese strawberries are there in total?
According to the data announced by the Japanese Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, there are more than 300 kinds of strawberries in Japan! At present, there are nearly 50 kinds of circulation in the market. Looking at the picture below, almost every county has its own strawberry varieties, and they are constantly innovating and pursuing the ultimate delicacy.
Due to the narrow north-south terrain of Japan, there is no uniform cultivation method. Coupled with the spirit of the worker, all prefectures throughout Japan are trying to study how to cultivate delicious strawberries in accordance with the local climate and terroir. So under the benign competition, many brands have been created, and the final benefit is of course consumers!
▋Popular strawberry varieties to try! Light Snow, Gan Wang, Red Cheeks, Tochigi Maiden
Awayuki, Kumamoto Kou
In recent years, Japan has set off a wave of "white strawberries", and now you can buy noble white strawberries in general Japanese supermarkets! First of all, let's try this "light snow" from Kumamoto Prefecture, the strawberry skin has a dreamy pale pink color, and it is very amazing to eat, because there is almost no acidity, only the sweetness is retained, if you are very afraid of the sour taste of strawberries, you should like this strawberry. However, some people believe that a moderate sour taste can reflect the sweetness, so white strawberries are not as sweet as expected. Overall, "light snow" is still worth trying, especially the dreamy appearance is really photogenic!
Japanese strawberry light snow
Amao
Kano from Fukuoka is a prestigious Japanese strawberry variety. The names come from the prefix "a-ma-o-u" of the four characters of "あぎ/akai (bright red)", "まるい/marui(round)", "おおきい/ōkii (large piece)", and "うまい/umai (delicious)", which are combined in Japanese for "Ganwang". This strawberry has the most pleasing and recognizable appearance, and the appearance is fuller and larger than other varieties, quite sweet and juicy! Rich in sweetness with a little bit of sourness, it tastes very "shabu-shabu", and you can't help but open it and eat one by one!
Benhoppe and Shizukan ( Benippe)
Next up is the "red-cheeked" strawberry from Shizuoka Prefecture, which is in the shape of a standard long cone, and the causal skin and flesh are bright red and shiny, like the tender cheeks of a girl, hence the name. Red-cheeked strawberries taste sour and sweet, which is a very balanced sweet and sour strawberry, and the aroma is very strong.
TochioTome, Tochigi Ko
"Tochigi Maiden", which also has a cute name, is the largest strawberry in the Kanto region of Japan! It is easy to buy in the general supermarket. This strawberry is also longer in appearance, but slightly rounder than the red cheeks, and the skin is shiny and shiny, which is very good-looking. It tastes solid and has a light aroma and sweetness.
▋ Other common strawberry varieties
After watching the above "Light Snow", "Kano", "Red Cheeks" and "Tochigi Maiden" actually try, I will continue to introduce other strawberry varieties that are also very common in Japan!
► Chapter 姫 (あきひめ, Shizuoka Prefecture): The fruit is large and elongated and conical. After cutting, there is no cavity and the moisture is full. Almost nothing sour, sweet and refreshing. The outer skin is soft and susceptible to damage, so it should be stored carefully.
► Toyoru (とよのか, Fukuoka Prefecture): A variety commonly found in Kansai region. The aroma is strong, the sweet and sour taste is balanced, and the quality is high, until the emergence of "Ganwang" was the most productive variety in the country.
► Hoka Saga (さがほのか, Saga Prefecture): When it comes to strawberries in Kyushu, I believe most people will be the first to think of "Kano". However, I heard that locals often buy this "Saga Noori"! Due to the low acidity, it is sweeter to eat. With a little hardness, the taste is crisp.
Zhang Ji
Fragrant
Saga Hotaru
► Nüfeng (にょほう, Tochigi Prefecture): The fruit is small and has a pronounced sour and sweet taste. It is still bright red after dissection, and with a large moisture content, it is suitable for making jam or beating into strawberry milk.
► One more (もういっこ, Miyagi Prefecture): The fruit is large and full, and it is almost empty after cutting. Because of its sweet and refreshing taste, people want to eat it again! It is highly resistant to powdery mildew and is conducive to pesticide-free cultivation.
► Love Berry (アイベリー, Aichi Prefecture): A variety born in Aichi Prefecture, so it is named "Love Berry". It is characterized by a large fruit with just the right sweetness, acidity and aroma. However, due to unstable quality, most of them are wedge-shaped or heart-shaped.
► Peachberry (ももいちご)/茜娘(あかねっ娘, Tokushima Prefecture): The fruit is large and round, soft in taste, sweet and juicy. It is actually a variety called "Akane", but it is registered as a brand trademark in Tokushima Prefecture as "Peachberry".
► Asuka Ruby (アスカルビー, Nara Prefecture): A strawberry variety in Nara. Most of them are round, the outer skin is bright red, and the flesh is beautiful orange red. Solid and large, full of juice, long storage time, suitable for dessert.
► Gutohua (ことか, Nara Prefecture): A new variety that has only emerged after the Asuka Ruby for ten years. The fruit is small and the skin is hard and full of taste. The sweet and sour taste is addictive.
Kotobu
▋ Super rarity! Dreamy "White Strawberry"
As introduced earlier, "light snow", here to recommend several more rare white strawberries, in the general supermarket is more difficult to buy, may have to go to department stores or high-end fresh fruit stores to buy, the price is not cheap. If you want to send a more textured, high-end gift, you may wish to consider it!
► First Love's Fragrance (First Love の香り, Yamanashi Prefecture): MIYOSHI AGRI TECH (三好アグリック) took 20 years to successfully develop the world's first white strawberry. The color of the white and red is like a red halo on the cheeks of the first love. Because the seeds are not easy to get started, only exclusive contract farms have planting, the yield is scarce, the price remains high, and the department store sells a price of more than 400 yuan.
► Angel Fruit (Angel の実, Saga Prefecture): Karatsu City, Saga Prefecture took five years to improve successfully. Past white strawberries were small in size and soft in taste. In contrast, the "Angel Fruit" is very large, almost the size of a child's palm! According to people who have eaten it, it tastes like pineapple, and some people say that it tastes like cantaloupe, which is really a brand new strawberry variety!
► Peach (とうくん, Ibaraki Prefecture): "Like a peach, it emits a burst of sweet smell", the biggest feature is that it tastes like a peach, with a hint of coconut and caramel aroma, gorgeous and rich. It is very different from the strawberries in the general perception, and it is really difficult to imagine the taste if you have not eaten it! The color is a faint pink, the shape is rounded and the skin is deeply sunken.
▋Same scene plus: how to eat strawberries to be more delicious?
Start eating in the direction of the tip
The sweetest part of the strawberry is the pointed part. It is generally customary to eat from the tip, but in this way, the sour taste will remain in the mouth. You should start eating it in the direction of the tip head in reverse, so that it will be like eating sugar cane more and more sweetly!
Condensed milk pie? Or sugar pie?
Japanese people eat strawberries in addition to condensed milk, and I heard that some people will eat them with sugar. If the condensed milk at home is just gone, it is indeed a good way! However, the sour taste is also one of the sources of strawberry deliciousness, in fact, the original taste is very delicious!
Frozen more delicious?
After washing the strawberries slightly, they are dried, put into a sealed bag together with sugar or syrup, and put them in the freezer to make "frozen strawberries" (いちご) for long-term preservation. After that, it is convenient to eat directly, or make strawberry jam, strawberry juice, etc.!
The above provides a variety of strawberry varieties for everyone to know and know, it is really a super variety! It took all the eyes to see... If only I could eat them all one day would be so happy! There are also delicious tips from the Japanese, so try strawberries next time!