The ultimate guide to strawberry-picking in Japan

Having a taste of Japanese strawberries is something that tourists should not miss when visiting the country. To get the freshest and most delicious strawberries, as well as make wonderful memories for your trip, GoEMON highly recommends that you go strawberry-picking, and this article is our ultimate guide to help you get the most out of this experience! 

I. About strawberry picking 

1. When to go 

In most countries, strawberries are summer fruit. However, The case in Japan is a little different, since strawberries here are actually a winter fruit. With the application of advanced agricultural techniques, the strawberry season in Japan starts from around November to early May. Many strawberry farms will be open since the beginning of the season, but the best time to go would be from January to May. This is when the strawberries are at their ripest and sweetest. 

2. Things to keep in mind before going 

• Each strawberry farm operates differently, some will let you pick and eat the strawberries on the spot, some others let you bring them home as souvenirs, and some let you do both. Make sure to check the information carefully before going!
• Going early: It is better to go in the morning during the opening hours to be able to find the juiciest strawberries.
• Don’t pick immediately: The first thing that most people do upon entering the farm is to find and pick strawberries immediately. This means that these areas are not only more crowded but also have fewer fruits, so GoEMON recommends going a bit further into the back to have a better chance of finding good strawberries.
• Keep an eye out for small and dark, even-colored strawberries. These are usually the sweetest and juiciest ones. 
• Do not touch the strawberries you are not going to pick: This is a common rule in strawberry farms all across Japan. Touching strawberries can bruise them, as well as introduce germs and bacteria that can affect the growth, quality, and flavor of the fruits. The farms are open for a long period of time, and there will also be many more people visiting the farms to pick and have a taste of the strawberries as well. Therefore, it is important to follow the rules and protect a good environment for the strawberries to grow. 
• Only pick the ones that you can eat immediately: In this case, we are referring to ones that are already red and ripe, since those that are underipe will not taste as good and spoil easily (for those who are planning to take their harvested strawberries home). Ripe strawberries are also much more easy to pick with just a gentle tuck of your fingers. 

II. Some of the best strawberry-picking spots in Japan 

1. Senbiki Strawberry Garden (Saitama)

• Location: 5 Chome-340, Koshigaya, Saitama 343-0826, Japan
• Website: https://iko-yo.net/facilities/16532
• Entrance fee: 

From 3/1-7/4:

• Adult (Elementary students and up): 2200 yen
• Children (From 3 years old and up): 1400 yen

From 9/4- 19/5:

• Adult (Elementary students and up): 1600 yen
• Children (From 3 years old and up): 1000 yen

2. Ishii Farm (Chiba)

• Location: 516-1 Hongocho, Chiba 273-0031, Japan
• Website: https://www.jalan.net/kankou/spt_guide000000193009/

• Entrance Fee: 

Adult (Elementary students and up): Varies depending on the period, generally from 1200 yen to 2400 yen.

3. Setagaya Strawberry Farm (Tokyo)

• Location: 4 Chome-32-1 Nakamachi, Setagaya City, Tokyo 158-0091, Nhật Bản
• Phone number: +81 3-3701-5171
• Website: http://setagaya1519.wixsite.com/setagaya1519/visit_us

• Entrance Fee: 
• Adult (Middle school students and up): 3000 yen
• Children(from 2 years old to elementary school): 2500 yen

*Note: 

The entrance fee includes 30 minutes of strawberry picking and free of charge, unlimited condensed milk. 

The farm is only open on Sundays from January to early March and on Wednesdays and Sundays from mid-March to mid-June. It will close for the day as soon as the maximum capacity of customers is reached. 

4. Kunichan Farm (Saitama)

• Location: 600 Higashihongo, Kawaguchi, Saitama 334-0063, Japan
• Website: http://15no92.com/kunichan-farm/
• Opening hours: 
• Mondays and Thursdays: 10:00 -13:00
• Wednesdays, Saturdays, and Sundays: 10:00 - 15:00

• Entrance fee starting from 6/1:
• Adults (from 11 years old and up): 2530 yen
• Children (4 -10 years old): 2090 yen
• Babies (1 – 3 years old): 770 yen

*Note: The entrance fee includes 30 minutes of strawberry picking and free of charge, unlimited condensed milk. 

We hope that the article was of use to you in helping you find the perfect strawberry-picking location in Japan!

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