In May 2019, two cantaloupes in Hokkaido were sold at an auction for 5 million yen, which translates to over $45,000 in US dollars.

What is it about Japanese cantaloupes that allows them to command such high prices?

In Japan, cantaloupe has an important meaning in the Japanese culture, which emphasizes gift-giving and festivities. It is not an everyday fruit, it is a symbol of luxury.

Crown cantaloupe is one of the most famous varieties of cantaloupe in Japan, and when you step into a high-end fruit stand in Tokyo, you'll see crown melons with their exclusive labels attached. These cantaloupes are produced in Shizuoka, Japan, and cost more than $200 each.

Crown cantaloupe is different from the cheap mass-produced cantaloupe you see in supermarkets, as it is grown with more care and attention.

Elevated cultivation allows farmers to precisely control the amount of water absorbed by each cantaloupe plant, and the air conditioning in the greenhouse maintains a constant temperature throughout the year.

Each cantaloupe takes 100 days to grow and can be harvested in all seasons. Depending on the season, the flavor of Crown cantaloupe varies.

On the 50th day after planting Crown Cantaloupe, the plant starts to bloom and the hardest work of planting Crown Cantaloupe begins.

To achieve a high standard of flavor and appearance, farmers have to take care of the cantaloupes by hand.

When the melon starts to get bigger, it is necessary to protect it by wrapping it in white paper. After the reticulation of the cantaloupe is formed, it is necessary to massage and polish each cantaloupe by hand with gloves on, and to avoid direct sunlight.

To keep the price and quality of Crown cantaloupes at a high level, the Shizuoka Crown Cantaloupe Company is responsible for inspecting and grading cantaloupes from over 200 farmers.

There are four grades of Crown cantaloupe, and any cantaloupe with minor blemishes is categorized as "Yuki".

The rest of the Crown cantaloupes that are intact in appearance can be categorized into three grades and yield ratios based on sugar content and appearance: 55% SHIRO, 25% YAMA, and the highest grade, 0.1% FUJI.

The taste and flavor of these Crown Cantaloupes are incredibly sweet, and there is still a huge market for such a high-priced fruit in Japan.

These cantaloupes are usually placed individually in display boxes and tied with ribbons for sale. Many consumers pay a high price to buy them as gifts for others.