{"id":3426,"date":"2016-02-24T09:09:16","date_gmt":"2016-02-24T00:09:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/japan-gastrotourism-and-trade.com\/fruits\/en\/?p=3426"},"modified":"2020-02-26T23:06:30","modified_gmt":"2020-02-26T14:06:30","slug":"3426","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/japan-gastrotourism-and-trade.com\/fruits\/en\/2016\/02\/24\/3426\/","title":{"rendered":"About Strawberries in Gunma Prefecture"},"content":{"rendered":"<style>\n.fruits_photo{}\n.fruits_photo img{width:100%}\n.fruits_photo>div{width:49%}\n.fruits_photo .box_l{float:left}\n.fruits_photo .box_r{float:right;margin-left:2%}\n\/**\/\n.article_list_box{margin:0 -1%}\n.article_list_item{width:48%;float:left;margin:0 1% 30px}\n.single-post .single-content .article_list_item h4{margin:1em 0 .5em}\n.single-post .single-content .article_list_item ul.list-kind_cat{margin:0}\n.single-post .single-content .article_list_item ul.list-kind_cat li{padding:0;border:none}\n<\/style>\n<div class=\"clearfix fruits_photo\">\n<div class=\"box_l\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/japan-gastrotourism-and-trade.com\/fruits\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/c954a763696aca257d19e84fb1941d2d-300x225.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-3909\" \/><\/div>\n<div class=\"box_r\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/japan-gastrotourism-and-trade.com\/fruits\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/02\/b0ad7ed37ccd81ef64285012c92c39de-300x225.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-3918\" \/><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<h2>Strawberries<\/h2>\n<p><b>Yayoihime (from December to June)<\/b><br \/>\nThis variety is characterized by ruby-red color and firm flesh, which strikes the right balance between sweetness and acidity. In Japanese, &#8220;Yayoi&#8221; is the word for March. While the quality of most strawberries tends to decline after March, the Yayoihime maintains its fresh taste even in March.<br \/>\nThis is a rare type of strawberry, which mainly appears on the local market in Gunma, so don&#8217;t forget to taste it when you visit the prefecture.<\/p>\n<hr>\n<h2>Producer interview<\/h2>\n<h3>Strawberry Producer: Shigemasa Kanai<\/h3>\n<p>&#8220;Yayoihime&#8221; is a strawberry variety originating from Gunma Prefecture.<br \/>\nThis strawberry now accounts for roughly 80% of cultivation here. It has even become one of Gunma\u2019s most popular fruits.<br \/>\nRarely seen in supermarkets, two-thirds of Yayoihime strawberries are sold directly at local farms. Many young, new farmers are involved in cultivation, improving the berry&#8217;s delicious flavor through competitions.<br \/>\nWe will now introduce Mr. Shigemasa Kanai, who operates the Kanai Strawberry Garden in Takasaki. He is a successful strawberry farmer with a successful career and has even won gold at Gunma&#8217;s Strawberry Fair for three consecutive years. Kanai has also been awarded the fair&#8217;s Governor&#8217;s Prize, the highest honor, twice.<br \/>\nIn our interview, Kanai reveals the charms of strawberries and the secret behind the delicious flavor of the Yayoihime.<\/p>\n<p><b>Mr. Kanai<\/b> What is so special about strawberries? Well, it&#8217;s a winter fruit available only in small quantities. Strawberries also easy to eat without having to peel anything off. They can be enjoyed between December, to around May or June.<br \/>\nThe Yayoihime strawberry maintains its flavor the longest. I currently grow over 15 varieties, but the Yayoihime is still delicious even after March, unlike other varieties. The berry\u2019s name contains &#8220;yayoi,&#8221; referring to the third month of the Japanese calendar.<br \/>\nTherefore, I strongly recommend Yayoihime to customers.<br \/>\nThe large fruit has a sweetness balanced with refreshing acidity. Even after ripening, this strawberry stays firm and keeps for a long time. This is why they make ideal souvenirs or presents to give away. <\/p>\n<p><b>Visitors can not only purchase strawberries at Kanai Strawberry Garden, but can also go strawberry picking. Many visitors taste each variety\u2019s flavor and comment that the \u201cYayoihime is the most delicious\u2013\u2013as expected!\u201d<\/b><\/p>\n<p><b>Mr. Kanai<\/b> What\u2019s most important to us is to produce strawberries that make our customers want to eat it again. The most difficult part of strawberry farming is disease, so we try our best to not use pesticides when possible. Instead, we take measures to introduce natural enemies of pests to grow healthy strawberries without the use of these chemicals.<br \/>\nWe\u2019ve also recently introduced state-of-the-art technology for controlling the concentration of carbon dioxide in the greenhouses. By properly controlling the concentration, the strawberries grow beautifully plump and become sweet as sugar is created by photosynthesis. We\u2019ve adopted an automatic management system to thoroughly control the daily temperature, water management, and concentration of carbon dioxide.<br \/>\nWe also take particular care into the work that goes into packing the strawberries for harvesting and sorting. We identify which strawberries are delicious, harvest them, then prepare balanced shipment packaging. The most difficult part of strawberry cultivation might just be this process.<br \/>\nThe goal is to make strawberries that taste and look delicious. That\u2019s why we can\u2019t cut corners. The shipping season, which lasts until early June, is completely taken up by this process. Once the crops settle in June, the process of growing the seeds for the next season begins in full-scale.<\/p>\n<p><b>I specialize in strawberries, so I identify the good seeds and grow them myself to produce great strawberries. We take great care in quality management from when the fruit starts as a seedling,  all the way to shipment to produce strawberries that you\u2019ll want to eat again. Each and every strawberry are like jewels, attentively produced with care.<\/b><\/p>\n<p><b>Mr. Kanai<\/b> For me, strawberries that are plump and have uniform seeds are delicious. Be sure to look at its color when it\u2019s ripe. Strawberries that redden down to the stem have great flavor. I recommend eating strawberries by hulling the stem, then eating it from the top down. Strawberries are sweet at the tip, so start eating from the top, which is less sweet, towards the bottom to gradually taste the sweetness and the flavor contrast.<br \/>\nThe garden also sells smoothies made with frozen strawberries and strawberry daifuku (mochi with sweet filling) that contains an entire plump strawberry.<br \/>\nSmoothies are sold year-round, even when the strawberry season is over. There is nothing as satisfying as a strawberry smoothie in the heat of summer.<\/p>\n<p><b>Mr. Kanai\u2019s Yayoihime strawberries have won numerous prizes at the Strawberry Exhibition and are used by famous p\u00e2tissiers in the Tokyo metropolitan area. They have brought smiles to many customers.<\/b><\/p>\n<p><b>Mr. Kanai<\/b> The great thing about Gunma Prefecture is how sunny it is\u2013\u2013especially during the winter\u2013\u2013and the long daylight hours. Strawberries become very sweet with photosynthesis. This is a very suitable environment for strawberry cultivation. I hope to continue to produce strawberries with great care and deliver them to as many people as possible. Not many people dislike strawberries, right? A fruit that makes anyone smile: that\u2019s what I believe strawberries are.<\/p>\n<hr>\n<div>\n<h3>Strawberry Farm in Gunma Prefecture<\/h3>\n<div class=\"article_list_box clearfix\"><div class=\"article_list_item\"><div class=\"topPhoto\"><div><a href=\"https:\/\/japan-gastrotourism-and-trade.com\/fruits\/en\/?p=721\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/japan-gastrotourism-and-trade.com\/fruits\/en\/wp-content\/themes\/jj\/sight_image\/80102240a.jpg\"><\/a><\/div><\/div><div class=\"post-header\"><h4><a href=\"https:\/\/japan-gastrotourism-and-trade.com\/fruits\/en\/?p=721\">\u3044\u3061\u3054\u306e\u91cc<\/a><\/h4><\/div><div class=\"post-kind_cat\"><\/div><\/div><div class=\"article_list_item\"><div class=\"topPhoto\"><div><a href=\"https:\/\/japan-gastrotourism-and-trade.com\/fruits\/en\/?p=160\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/japan-gastrotourism-and-trade.com\/fruits\/en\/wp-content\/themes\/jj\/sight_image\/JF009021a.jpg\"><\/a><\/div><a class=\"cat\" href=\"\/fruits\/en\/list\/?area=37\">Gumma<\/a><\/div><div class=\"post-header\"><h4><a href=\"https:\/\/japan-gastrotourism-and-trade.com\/fruits\/en\/?p=160\">Private: Kondo Farm<\/a><\/h4><\/div><div class=\"post-kind_cat\"><ul class=\"list-kind_cat\"><li class=\"kinc_cat\"><span class=\"ico-01-01-strawberries\"><\/span><\/li><\/ul><\/div><\/div><div class=\"article_list_item\"><div class=\"topPhoto\"><div><a href=\"https:\/\/japan-gastrotourism-and-trade.com\/fruits\/en\/?p=158\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/japan-gastrotourism-and-trade.com\/fruits\/en\/wp-content\/themes\/jj\/sight_image\/JF009024a.jpg\"><\/a><\/div><a class=\"cat\" href=\"\/fruits\/en\/list\/?area=37\">Gumma<\/a><\/div><div class=\"post-header\"><h4><a href=\"https:\/\/japan-gastrotourism-and-trade.com\/fruits\/en\/?p=158\">Private: Harada Strawberry Farm<\/a><\/h4><\/div><div class=\"post-kind_cat\"><ul class=\"list-kind_cat\"><li class=\"kinc_cat\"><span class=\"ico-01-01-strawberries\"><\/span><\/li><\/ul><\/div><\/div><div class=\"article_list_item\"><div class=\"topPhoto\"><div><a href=\"https:\/\/japan-gastrotourism-and-trade.com\/fruits\/en\/2017\/04\/20\/159\/\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/japan-gastrotourism-and-trade.com\/fruits\/en\/wp-content\/themes\/jj\/sight_image\/JF009022a.jpg\"><\/a><\/div><a class=\"cat\" href=\"\/fruits\/en\/list\/?area=37\">Gumma<\/a><\/div><div class=\"post-header\"><h4><a href=\"https:\/\/japan-gastrotourism-and-trade.com\/fruits\/en\/2017\/04\/20\/159\/\">Strawberry Farm Yoichiro Orchards Ltd.<\/a><\/h4><\/div><div class=\"post-kind_cat\"><ul class=\"list-kind_cat\"><li class=\"kinc_cat\"><span class=\"ico-01-01-strawberries\"><\/span><\/li><\/ul><\/div><\/div><div class=\"article_list_item\"><div class=\"topPhoto\"><div><a href=\"https:\/\/japan-gastrotourism-and-trade.com\/fruits\/en\/?p=150\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/japan-gastrotourism-and-trade.com\/fruits\/en\/wp-content\/themes\/jj\/sight_image\/JF009160a.jpg\"><\/a><\/div><a class=\"cat\" href=\"\/fruits\/en\/list\/?area=37\">Gumma<\/a><\/div><div class=\"post-header\"><h4><a href=\"https:\/\/japan-gastrotourism-and-trade.com\/fruits\/en\/?p=150\">Private: Farm Club Nakazato Farm<\/a><\/h4><\/div><div class=\"post-kind_cat\"><ul class=\"list-kind_cat\"><li class=\"kinc_cat\"><span class=\"ico-01-01-strawberries\"><\/span><\/li><\/ul><\/div><\/div><div class=\"article_list_item\"><div class=\"topPhoto\"><div><a href=\"https:\/\/japan-gastrotourism-and-trade.com\/fruits\/en\/?p=151\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/japan-gastrotourism-and-trade.com\/fruits\/en\/wp-content\/themes\/jj\/sight_image\/JF009018a.jpg\"><\/a><\/div><a class=\"cat\" href=\"\/fruits\/en\/list\/?area=37\">Gumma<\/a><\/div><div class=\"post-header\"><h4><a href=\"https:\/\/japan-gastrotourism-and-trade.com\/fruits\/en\/?p=151\">Private: Maruyama Strawberry Farm<\/a><\/h4><\/div><div class=\"post-kind_cat\"><ul class=\"list-kind_cat\"><li class=\"kinc_cat\"><span class=\"ico-01-01-strawberries\"><\/span><\/li><\/ul><\/div><\/div><div class=\"article_list_item\"><div class=\"topPhoto\"><div><a href=\"https:\/\/japan-gastrotourism-and-trade.com\/fruits\/en\/2020\/03\/10\/155\/\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/japan-gastrotourism-and-trade.com\/fruits\/en\/wp-content\/themes\/jj\/sight_image\/JF000650a.jpg\"><\/a><\/div><a class=\"cat\" href=\"\/fruits\/en\/list\/?area=37\">Gumma<\/a><\/div><div class=\"post-header\"><h4><a href=\"https:\/\/japan-gastrotourism-and-trade.com\/fruits\/en\/2020\/03\/10\/155\/\">Kajitsutei<\/a><\/h4><\/div><div class=\"post-kind_cat\"><ul class=\"list-kind_cat\"><li class=\"kinc_cat\"><span class=\"ico-01-12-apples\"><\/span><\/li><li class=\"kinc_cat\"><span class=\"ico-01-03-cherries\"><\/span><\/li><li class=\"kinc_cat\"><span class=\"ico-01-04-peaches\"><\/span><\/li><\/ul><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<hr>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Strawberries Yayoihime (from December to June) This variety is characterized by ruby-red color and firm flesh, which strikes the right balance between sweetness and acidity. In Japanese, &#8220;Yayoi&#8221; is the word for March. While the quality of most strawberries tends to decline after March, the Yayoihime maintains its fresh taste even in March. This is a rare type of strawberry, which mainly appears on the local market in Gunma, so don&#8217;t forget to taste it when you visit the prefecture. Producer interview Strawberry Producer: Shigemasa Kanai &#8220;Yayoihime&#8221; is a strawberry variety originating from Gunma Prefecture. This strawberry now accounts for roughly 80% of cultivation here. It has even become one [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":3431,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-3426","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-1","area-37","kind_cat-01-01-strawberries"],"aioseo_notices":[],"views":6549,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/japan-gastrotourism-and-trade.com\/fruits\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3426","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/japan-gastrotourism-and-trade.com\/fruits\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/japan-gastrotourism-and-trade.com\/fruits\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/japan-gastrotourism-and-trade.com\/fruits\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/japan-gastrotourism-and-trade.com\/fruits\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3426"}],"version-history":[{"count":7,"href":"https:\/\/japan-gastrotourism-and-trade.com\/fruits\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3426\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3460,"href":"https:\/\/japan-gastrotourism-and-trade.com\/fruits\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3426\/revisions\/3460"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/japan-gastrotourism-and-trade.com\/fruits\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/3431"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/japan-gastrotourism-and-trade.com\/fruits\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3426"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/japan-gastrotourism-and-trade.com\/fruits\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=3426"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/japan-gastrotourism-and-trade.com\/fruits\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3426"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}