🗺️ Yamagata Prefecture Higashine City Orchard東根の観光果樹園

Higashine City in Yamagata Prefecture is known for its abundant production of fruit trees such as cherries and apples. The annual production of cherries is about 3,600 tons, ranking first in Japan. The representative variety of cherries, "Sato Nishiki" (佐藤錦), was also developed in Higashine City. In front of JR Sakuranbo Higashine Station, there is a statue commemorating the achievements of Mr. Eisuke Sato, who was instrumental in cultivating "Sato Nishiki." There are over 20 orchards in Higashine City, where you can enjoy cherry picking from late April to early July, peaches and grapes from August to October, and apple picking from October to December. Yamagata Prefecture boasts the highest production of Western pears, "La France" (ラ・フランス), in all of Japan, with the harvest season from October to December. However, due to the need for ethylene treatment and cold storage ripening after harvesting, fruit picking is not allowed. Ripe "La France" pears are sold at direct sales locations in the orchards. The cost of cherry picking varies depending on the currently available edible varieties and plans, with adults charged around 2,000 yen for 30 minutes. From late April to May, you can enjoy cherry picking in greenhouses. Reservations may be required depending on the rules of each orchard, so please check the official website of the Higashine City Tourism and Product Association for details in advance.

You can enjoy the fun of fruit picking, such as cherries, as the fruit season is quite long. When taking fruits abroad, they must go through plant quarantine, so please pay special attention. The shops inside the Sakuranbo Higashine Station offer a variety of products, including special products from Higashine City.