Ornamental Square Watermelons are in Japan.

Watermelon is a popular summer fruit in Japan, and many watermelons are sold side by side in supermarkets. In fact, there is a square-shaped watermelon that is grown only in Zentsuji City, Kagawa Prefecture in Japan. It is also imported to other countries, but there is actually a secret to this watermelon.

Why did they make the watermelon square?

In fact, Kagawa is not even ranked in the top five of the best watermelon producing regions. It was invented to overcome the situation in Kagawa, which was not a popular production area. The idea that a square shape would be easier to store in the refrigerator was adopted, and the square watermelon was born. As a result, it was easier to pack in boxes for delivery.

How to make it square

As we all know, watermelons are usually round. A farmer thought about how to make them square, and came up with the idea of growing them in a square plastic container. When the watermelon was not yet grown, They covered it with a square container 18 centimeters on each side and grew it in the container until it was tightly packed.

However, since they are grown in plastic containers, they sometimes get scratches, so only about 80% of the watermelons can actually be sold.

Taste not good

Because they are grown in frames that are 18 centimeters on a side, they are harvested when they are still immature. As a result, the watermelon has no sweetness at all, and to be honest, it is not very tasty. Therefore, basically no one buys watermelons for eating, and a new genre of watermelon, the ornamental watermelon, was born.

This watermelon is more susceptible to weather conditions and requires more work than normal production. For this reason, they have a limited number of deliveries.

High priced looking watermelon

This watermelon costs 10,000 yen (about $100). You can’t eat it, you can only look at it, and yet the expensive watermelon is selling unexpectedly well. In fact, the number of farmers growing the square watermelon is gradually increasing, with seven in 2019 and nine in 2020.

Many shapes, not just squares

If you apply this method of making a square watermelon, you can make various shapes of watermelons. For example, the heart shape. The heart shape is popular because it is delicious to eat. Other cute shapes, such as triangular watermelons, are coming out one after another.

Demand has been increasing

They are also available at department stores and fruit stores. Recently, the product has been attracting attention from overseas, with inquiries coming from Canada, Russia, and China. You may soon be able to get it at a supermarket near you!