A few years back, there was a report that wealthy people in Russia were paying over $US800 ($1,100) for Japanese square watermelons. In Russia, that’s supposedly 300 times the price of a regular watermelon. But why square Japanese watermelons? That’s so passé!
Watermelon is a popular summer fruit in Japan. People give watermelons as gifts and play “suikawari” (スイカ割り), which is like piñata, but with a watermelon.
Depending on the size, a whole watermelon costs around ten bucks in Japan. Then, there are the luxury watermelons, which most people typically don’t buy or eat.
Square and pyramid shaped watermelon #onlyinjapan #summer #スイカ pic.twitter.com/oIH7mquWbM
— Andrea Clements (@andrea_clements) August 4, 2016
This is where watermelons get interesting, odd, and effing expensive.
Many of these watermelons took years of practice to get their shape right. They are grown in special containers or molds. The heart-shape watermelon (see below), for example, took three years to get just right. Farmers fuss over these melons, which are usually grown in very small batches.
Be aware that prices vary depending on the fruit vendor.
四角スイカ pic.twitter.com/RlDlGsIFvr
— れん (@lotus_sazanami) July 13, 2018
三越の地下で「四角スイカ」を売ってた。1個2万1600円! pic.twitter.com/lUn5sDV9ZZ
— ワクワク (@sayusayu1207) August 15, 2018
The iconic square watermelon is not a regular sight at most Japanese supermarkets. I’ve lived here 17 years, and I’ve seen only a couple over the years. The novelty melon is usually priced in the neighbourhood of $US100 ($137) each, but they can approach $US200 ($275).
一際目立つ大きなスイカがスーパーで売ってあった。
北海道月形町で作っている「ゴジラのたまご」
味はちゃんと甘くて美味しいらしい。@いとく 秋田新国道店 pic.twitter.com/LayKecV9iv
— 無免許 (@inume1213) August 14, 2018
This is a “Godzilla Egg” watermelon. It’s… very large and comes in a neat crate. I did see one of these once—maybe about ten years ago. The shape isn’t that special. Prices vary between $US68 ($93) and $US150 ($206).
近くのスーパーにあったゴジラのたまご
ゴジラのたまごって緑色なのか…(違 pic.twitter.com/JRXdrbsWZX— [-BV-]アル(コール)坊 (@al_bow17) August 15, 2018
The heart-shaped watermelon first started getting attention in 2009. There are now mini versions, too, which are priced at around $US200 ($275). Large heart-shaped watermelons can be yours for around $US350 ($481) or higher.
気を取り直して!!
ハートスイカ*(^o^)/* pic.twitter.com/TeQ51aNymK— 香織(????スイカgirl) (@kaori_yuzu2) August 8, 2016
ハートスイカ❤︎
みてると、だんだん誰かの顔に見えてくる〜???? pic.twitter.com/9RVyjSCL7p— myfeel+ (@myfeel_plus) July 28, 2016
昨日、ハートのスイカを見つけました(╹◡╹)♡
#ハート
#スイカ
#福岡
#岩田屋 pic.twitter.com/DSIB8qa4pc— mayu (@mayureechan) May 27, 2017
熊本のハートスイカが可愛い。これから値段がついて、市場に出回るとのことでした pic.twitter.com/eep1GE0SHm
— プラ子 (@purako_blog) April 22, 2018
As far as shapes go, this might be closest to the traditional round watermelons you find in Japan. It’s called a “dynamite watermelon” and is packaged to look like a bomb. Its slogan is “An explosion of delicious taste!” It’s priced at around $US70 ($96) or so, making it one of the more inexpensive watermelons.
スーパーでおいしさ爆発!ダイナマイト スイカ pic.twitter.com/Bs9MszyOwS
— かいづかわたる (@junni_800) August 9, 2016
お店にあった、ダイナマイトスイカの箱の側面が格好良かった。スイカよりも、寧ろ箱が欲しい‥。家にもこのダイナマイト置きたいゾ。#ダイナマイトスイカ #スイカ #パッケージ pic.twitter.com/7VjLHEI4qW
— nameko tomato @創作垢 (@nameko_tomato) August 1, 2015
ダイナマイトスイカがかわいい♥️
スイカ大好き❤️ pic.twitter.com/3hSjQznMPw— みぃ (@arashi_tonton) July 23, 2018
This is a pyramid watermelon that’s shaped like, wait for it, a pyramid. They’ve been around for a while (since 2004 or so), and start at around $US500 ($687).
I think now I have seen all the shapes for watermelons. (Cube, heart) And now, pyramid! I love the Tutankhamen sticker on it. Nice touch. ???? (last night at my neighborhood fruit shop) pic.twitter.com/Q8myxc8wmF
— Kiyo Yamauchi (@kiyotoshi_y) August 16, 2018
ピラミッドスイカ〜???? pic.twitter.com/8q8vcPQdLs
— かとぱん???????????? (@kato_pan_cake) August 15, 2018
Awesome 😀 RT @Raminibar: Fruit Ninja x Silent Hill 🙂 “@Tak_Fujii: Pyramid head watermelon! pic.twitter.com/HuJwgUVUll“
— Tak Fujii 藤井隆之 (@Tak_Fujii) August 9, 2013
This one costs nearly $US1,000 ($1,375)!
形にも驚いたけど
販売価格にもっと驚いた(°▽°)ピラミッドスイカ¥108,000(税込) pic.twitter.com/2Rox4UhnXZ
— 中村壽希 ◼️海苔人(のりんちゅ)◼️ (@10per1696man) July 23, 2018
Here is a watermelon that was grown to look like a calabash, which is an unusually shaped fruit.
ただいま ひょうたんスイカ だよ 日本の農家はすごいね pic.twitter.com/7CVJYHJxKv
— ふーこん (@fuucon3513) July 1, 2015
Next to the square melon, you are looking at a “jinmen suika” (人面スイカ), which literally means a “human face watermelon.”
スイカについて調べてたら『人面スイカ』って言葉が出てきて、検索したらほんとにあった???????? pic.twitter.com/76aIhCs33R
— ニャムさん (@nyamusas) May 14, 2017
The Japanese media discovered this watermelon in 2011, and it’s priced at around $US500 ($687) and up, with some of the larger melons costing over a thousand bucks! The watermelon is grown using special-shaped clips that leave imprints and create a human-like face. The price isn’t the only scary thing about this melon.
渋谷ヒカリエなう(^_−)−☆
すっごいスイカ見つけた‼
四角スイカ
ひょうたんスイカ
ハートスイカ
三角スイカ pic.twitter.com/m6vrk5Aq— akky (@jojiakky) August 13, 2012
These melons are good examples of how preoccupied Japanese can be with not only food presentation, but imbuing that presentation with a sense of playfulness.
This article was originally published on July 18, 2013. It has since been updated.
Comments
2 responses to “Japan Has More Than Just Square Watermelons”
How much does a water melon usually cost in Japan? Can packaging (the Dynamite) really at $80+ dollar to the price?
The first thing I notice is that those are some immaculate-looking melons – not many blemishes or field spots on those things. I can only assume that a lot of melons get tossed for presentability reasons when they’re growing these things, even when ignoring the shape.
Now, that doesn’t justify a $80 price tag, obviously, but I can only assume that these melons would be abnormally expensive even if they weren’t being sold for novelty.