[dfxm12]

But even more important than delicious flavors and meticulous care is Japan’s gift-giving culture. It is a sign of respect to give gifts for business dealings, for special occasions and social events, or when returning home after traveling (known as omiyage). High-quality, expensive fruits are a valued symbol of respect within this practice.

Ah, if it was only the thought that counted... :)

Honestly though, I wonder if there's a cottage industry around expensive gifts in Japan, if this is the case. Is it easy to market a new fruit growing technique to produce the hot new omiyage and sell it at an insane mark up? Because that seems to be what matters more than utility or thoughtfulness.

[mc32]

There are all kinds of artificially expensive fruit in japan (square watermelons, for example) but also lots of "exemplars" of the season are expensive. But also they farm expensive mostly decorative fruit: https://stickymangorice.com/2020/05/29/japan-expensive-fruit...

It's a good thing, these aren't considered pseudo-bribery or "large gifts" in Japan.

[illwrks]

Some of the cost is down to the cultivation of the plant and pruning of the less desirable fruit. As far as I'm aware the goal with some fruit is that the nutrients are funnelled to the best fruit. So a single plant produces less fruit but the quality and taste is far superior, in comparison to the west where the goal is high yield at-the sacrifice other attributes.

[mc32]

Kind of. I think you're way overstating the case. Most fruit in Japan are also produced for quantity and not for some other quality. They also avoid "ugly fruit" but there are some special markets dedicated to "ugly" fuits and veggies.

[jbay808]

For "gift-grade" fruit, like melons, that is indeed how it's done. They prune all but the best 3 candidates, then after they grow a bit more, select the best and prune the other 2 away so that the plant is producing only one high-grade fruit.

[illwrks]

Sorry yes, not all food is grown like I've suggested but a lot is.

My wife's family have a food business in Japan and they have better insight into this. The bulk of what they do is source high quality ingredients for restaurants and a fair amount of it is niche. The most memorable were edible flowers from a specific place in Japan, mushrooms from a different corner of the country, specific fish from certain markets, the best cuts of Wagyu beef.

They have a little corner shop too for the locals but in general the produce is many times more expensive than you would see in the West, however the food is delicious all year around not just when it's in season. It was a real novelty when my mother in law came to visit and was able to buy strawberries for about £4, when in Japan she's used to paying something like £30+.

[lofatdairy]

Kinda reminds me of when aristocrats used to rent fruits like pineapples to display them at parties. Not even to eat, but just as a decorative item and a symbol of wealth.