Strawberry is a popular fruit in Japan as like anywhere in the world, especially loved by young ladies. Then, considered as a winter fruit, 95% of the total production take place between November and April.
There are more than a hundred brands registered and one of them are Tochiotome and Amao. Tochiotome is a brand of Tochigi prefecture, where UNESCO World Heritage site Nikko belongs. Amao is a brand of Fukuoka prefecture in Kyushu. Tochigi is the largest producer of strawberry in Japan for nearly a half century and Fukuoka is the runners up.
How to eat strawberry in Japan? Seniors prefer to eat with sweeten condensed milk but most of the strawberries harvested in Japan are already too sweet. Then, you will find many confections which are using strawberries. Probably the most typical confection is a strawberry cake with whipped cream which you can find at any confectionery around Japan. Then, many hotels and restaurants offer strawberry menu during winter period, including afternoon tea and all-you-can- eat style buffet.