Black Watermelon
Black Watermelon
A black jumbo watermelon produced on Japan’s northern island of Hokkaido is seen on sale for $ 5,945 at Tokyo’s Isetan department store, on Friday. The 24-pound premium “Densuke” is the biggest among the first of 65 sold as part of the season’s initial harvest. Another watermelon weighing 17 pounds fetched a record?$6,100. 1
The 17-pound premium Densuke watermelon, one of only 65 from the first harvest of the season, was purchased by a marine products dealer who said he wanted to support local agriculture, according to Kyodo News agency. The fruit is grown only on the northern island of Hokkaido. 2
The 17-pound black-skinned “Densuke” watermelon drew the unusually high price or its rare color. It is said to have an extraordinarily delicate taste and perfume. The purchase came on the heels of another record fruit auction - a pair of cantaloupes went for $23,500 last month. 4
Melons in Japan are known for their high prices. While these densuke watermelons typically sell for a couple hundred bucks, why on earth would someone pay this kind of money for one of them? The marine products dealer who bought the watermelon at this amazing price said they wanted to support the local agriculture. This is the highest price on the records to be paid for a densuke, also referred to as the black watermelon. However, it isn’t the highest price paid for melons overall. Last month, $23,500 was shelled out for a pair of Yubari cantaloupe melons! 3
The watermelon was the first of 65 sold as part of the season’s initial harvest and one of 9,000 expected for the entire year. Unseasonably warm weather in April and May helped boost sugar content and overall quality of the watermelons this year, Ohira said. 6
The famed black watermelon is claimed to taste much better than ordinary watermelons for some unknown reason. But is it true what they say about black Densuke watermelons - ‘once you go black, you never go back? 7
You know it is difficult to allow something that talks about Japanese culture in such stunning detail. It doesn’t make much sense to keep such an expensive Watermelon just sitting around. It gets easier each time you do it. 10
The biggest watermelon of the day departed for Tokyo immediately after the auction in Asahikawa city. By midafternoon Friday, the 24-pounder had traveled some 500 miles south to Isetan, an upscale department store in the capital, where it went on sale for $5,945. 9
