Delectable Peaches with a Juicy Flavor and Sweet Aroma from Tohoku
The Tohoku Region Is Famous for its Peach Production!
With a faint pink color and a sweet aroma, your mouth will be filled with bursting fruit juices when you take a bite. These are Japanese peaches. They are a superb fruit large in size, with a high natural sugar content.
Peaches prefer land with good drainage. In particular, peaches grown in Japan’s Tohoku region, including Fukushima and Yamagata prefectures, are known for their sweetness which results from the region’s cool temperatures.
The Juicy White Peach and the Yellow Peach with a Mango-Like Aroma
Peach varieties can be roughly categorized into two types: the white peach (Hakuto) which has a pink colored skin and firm flesh, and the yellow peach (Outou) which has a skin and flesh similar to a mango fruit.
The white peach has a distinct sweetness. This peach is quite satisfying even if eaten just as it is.
The yellow peach has a slightly firm flesh and is grown primarily for commercial canning purposes. However, an improved variety has recently been developed. With its mango-like scent and nice texture, you can enjoy eating it raw.
The Peach Harvest Season Is From June to September
The harvest season depends on the variety of peach, but peaches are usually picked from June up until September. In particular, many varieties are ripe and ready to be shipped during July and August.
Popular Peach Varieties: Akatsuki, Hakuho, and Ogon
Peaches come in countless varieties, but Akatsuki (white peach category) and Hakuho (yellow peach category) varieties often appear on the market in large volume.
Akatsuki peaches are produced in large amounts in Fukushima prefecture. They have a high natural sugar content, are juicy, and the flesh has a delicious, firm texture. Together with their gorgeous fragrance, they have a full-bodied sweetness and refreshing acidity giving this special fruit its well-balanced flavor.
Hakuho peaches are a slightly larger size, and are sweet and juicy. They have low acidity and are distinguished by their soft flesh, which leaves a melt-in-your-mouth smooth taste.
Picture courtesy of hagi/PIXTA
On the other hand, the Ogon variety which represents the yellow peach category, has a characteristic mango and pineapple-like aroma. This is a rich tasting peach, with just the right balance of sweetness and acidity.
We Recommend Eating Peaches Right After They’ve Been Picked
With their velvety-soft flesh and delicate nature, we recommend eating peaches right after they’ve been picked. If you visit a farm where you can sightsee, you can enjoy peaches when they’re the most delicious, just picked off the tree they were left to ripen until the very last moment!
