News On Japan

Watermelon weighing 80 kg wins contest in northern Japan

Sep 02 (NHK) - A contest to find the heaviest watermelon has been held in Akita Prefecture, northern Japan.

An agricultural cooperative in the city of Yokote organizes the event every year to promote its watermelons.

Seven fruits were entered in this year's competition. They were of the Carolina Cross variety, a type of jumbo watermelon grown for livestock feed.

Farmers say conditions were not ideal this season, and temperatures remained low.

But the watermelons in the contest were all huge and had to be carried on a forklift.

The winner weighed in at 80 kilograms. That's about 6.5 times the weight of the heaviest class of edible watermelons.

Yamamoto Toshio produced the prizewinning watermelon. He has been cultivating the fruit for more than 30 years. He says he is happy because his previous record was about 60 kilograms, and he will aim for more than 100 kilograms next year.

Source: Live News あきた [AKT公式]

News On Japan
POPULAR NEWS

Yomiuriland’s iconic Ferris wheel, cherished by visitors for over four decades, marked its final day of operation on Monday, as fans flocked to bid farewell to the beloved attraction and relive old memories.

Last month, Chef Kei Kobayashi, the first Asian to earn three Michelin stars in Paris, supervised dishes for the film "Grand Maison Paris." His restaurant in Paris, as well as five branded establishments in Japan, was featured in a special interview. Kobayashi proposed 20 to 30 menu items for the movie, with several dishes now being offered in Japan for a limited time, including a 5,500-yen course at his Gotemba restaurant.

Chiba's Urayasu City hosted a '20-Year Celebration' event at Tokyo DisneySea on Monday, marking the transition to adulthood for local residents.

The Tokyo Metropolitan Government has unveiled a plan to start covering up to 1.5 million yen in student loan repayments for individuals hired as teachers or technical public officials in the city starting from April this year. The initiative is expected to launch next year.

A female student wielded a hammer on Hosei University's campus in Tokyo, injuring eight students.

MEDIA CHANNELS
         

MORE Food NEWS

Last month, Chef Kei Kobayashi, the first Asian to earn three Michelin stars in Paris, supervised dishes for the film "Grand Maison Paris." His restaurant in Paris, as well as five branded establishments in Japan, was featured in a special interview. Kobayashi proposed 20 to 30 menu items for the movie, with several dishes now being offered in Japan for a limited time, including a 5,500-yen course at his Gotemba restaurant.

Known for its marbling and melt-in-your-mouth texture, wagyu, or Japanese premium meat, is one of the most luxurious in the world. This means wagyu is typically expensive, but it doesn’t have to be. (Japan by Food)

According to Teikoku Databank, the estimated cost of preparing one serving of curry rice in November reached 377 yen.

No trip to Japan is complete without a visit to a local izakaya. There, you'll find office workers gathering to refresh after a long workday with a cold glass of beer, groups of friends cheering to celebrate a special event, and travelers looking to make friends. (Japan by Food)

Naples, Rome, New York, Chicago and… Tokyo? Little do many people know, several Tokyo pizza shops are ranked among the best not only in Asia, but in the world! (Japan by Food)

In this episode on Tekniq, we witness the massive operation of catching yellowtail fish, followed by the process of slicing banana trees for fish food. (TEKNIQ)

On this episode of Anime with Alvin, we're making a homemade version of the Japanese-style Big Mac seen on Weathering with You. (Babish Culinary Universe)

Today’s Tokyo eats aren’t your average ones. They’ve gone viral on the internet, especially in Japan, but do they live up to their reputation? From cream-filled donuts to a HUGE American-inspired meat sandwich, Shizuka puts four viral spots to the test to find out if they really are delicious in real life and WORTH the hype. (Japan by Food)