According to Japan’s Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, there are currently more than 350 registered strawberry varieties in Japan. In everyday markets alone, you can encounter over 50 different types, which gives a sense of just how diverse Japan’s strawberry culture really is.

Data from the Tokyo Central Wholesale Market shows that the four most widely distributed varieties are Tochiotome, Amaou, Benihoppe, and Sagahonoka. These account for the largest share of strawberries sold in supermarkets across the country and are the ones most travelers are likely to see during their trip.

At a typical supermarket, a pack of standard strawberries usually costs around 450 to 650 yen. Popular premium varieties are priced higher, generally between 800 and 1,200 yen per pack. In upscale fruit shops and gift stores, prices can climb significantly. A gift box containing around 15 carefully selected strawberries may cost 4,000 to 5,000 yen, while specialty items such as oversized strawberries or rare white varieties can sell for 500 to 1,500 yen per berry.

Beyond the four major varieties, many lesser-known and regional strawberries occasionally appear in supermarkets and specialty shops. With so many options, it is natural to wonder which ones are truly worth trying.

One helpful resource is the Toyosu Market’s strawberry map
, which introduces 66 different varieties along with details on appearance, flesh color, and other characteristics. It is especially useful if you are visiting Japan during strawberry season or planning to try strawberry picking.

Below, we introduce some of the most popular strawberry varieties you should keep an eye out for during your stay in Japan.

Amaou is one of Japan’s most famous strawberry varieties, known for its large, round shape and rich, juicy flesh. It delivers a bold strawberry flavor with high sweetness balanced by gentle acidity. In Japanese supermarkets, a pack typically costs around 800 to 1,200 yen.
・Average sugar content: above 11%
・Average acidity: 0.5–0.6
・Main growing region: Fukuoka

Sagahonoka strawberries have a neat conical shape and are known for their large, juicy fruit. The flesh is firm and pale in color, with low acidity that allows the gentle sweetness to stand out. In Japanese supermarkets, they typically sell for around 500 to 750 yen per pack.
・Average sugar content: 10–12%
・Main growing region: Saga

Tochiotome is a smaller strawberry variety known for its bright balance of sweetness and acidity. As one of Japan’s earlier and most widely grown strawberry varieties, it is often more affordable than newer premium types. In supermarkets, a pack typically costs around 450 to 650 yen.
・Average sugar content: 9–15%
・Average acidity: 0.65–0.70
・Main growing regions: Tochigi, Aichi, and Ibaraki

Benihoppe strawberries are known for their large size and distinctive conical shape. They have a rich sweetness balanced by a gentle acidity, creating a classic strawberry flavor that many people love. In Japanese supermarkets, a pack typically costs around 450 to 550 yen.
・Average sugar content: 12–13%
・Main growing region: Shizuoka

Why are Japanese strawberries so famously sweet, and how can you choose the best ones? To find out, we spoke with Ms. Kubo, a representative from a long-established fruit specialty store in Shinjuku.

Q1) When is the best season to enjoy Japanese strawberries?
The best season depends on the variety, but generally speaking, Japanese strawberries are at their peak from December through May. At Takano, new seasonal strawberry varieties are introduced continuously up until May. On the gift floor, it is even possible to purchase premium strawberries individually, which makes it easy to sample and compare different varieties without buying an entire box.

Q2) Why are Japanese strawberries so delicious?
Japan stretches from the south to the north, and the climate varies greatly by region. Because of this, there is no single nationwide cultivation method. Instead, strawberries are carefully grown to suit each local environment, allowing farmers to bring out the best characteristics of each variety. Some strawberries are even cultivated in colder regions so they can be enjoyed during the summer months. This attention to regional conditions and variety-specific care is a big reason Japanese strawberries are so consistently high in quality.

Q3) How can you tell if a strawberry is fresh?
Look for strawberries with a bright, emerald-green cap, a firm surface, and an even, vibrant color. These are good signs that the fruit is fresh and well cared for.

Q4) Which part of the strawberry tastes the best?
The tip of the strawberry is actually the sweetest part. For the most enjoyable bite, start eating from the cap end near the stem, where the flavor is slightly tart, and finish at the tip. This way, the sweetness gradually builds and leaves the best impression at the end.

It may come as a surprise, but even in bustling Tokyo, there are farmhouses where strawberries are carefully grown. Kato Berry Farm, with a history stretching back nearly 200 years to the Edo period, cultivates two varieties of strawberries: Akihime, known for its soft texture and gentle sweetness, and Benihoppe, prized for its balanced sweet-and-tart flavor. We spoke with Boji Kato of Kato Berry Farm to learn more about what makes Tokyo-grown strawberries so special.

Q1) What are Tokyo strawberries?
They are strawberries grown right here in Tokyo. My goal was to let people living in the city enjoy truly fresh strawberries. Fully ripe, bright red strawberries, known as kanjuku, are incredibly juicy and flavorful. However, because they are so delicate, they do not keep well over long periods, which makes them unsuitable for long-distance shipping.

Q2) What are the key points in growing them?
The most important thing is time. We allow the strawberries to ripen slowly so their natural sweetness and richness can fully develop. Controlling temperature is also essential, especially during warmer seasons, when we need to keep conditions cool. We currently care for around 9,000 strawberry plants. Even though our harvest is still relatively young, we put a great deal of attention into each plant and rely on careful, hands-on cultivation methods to ensure quality.

Q3) Where can readers buy your strawberries?
They can purchase them directly at our farm. Since availability changes depending on the season and harvest conditions, we recommend checking our updates on Twitter or visiting our official website before coming.