According to report,
the wealthy Russian people are paying over US$800 for these Japanese
square watermelons. In Russia, that's supposedly 300 times the price of a
regular watermelon. But why square watermelons?
Watermelon is a popular summer fruit in Japan. People give watermelons as gifts and play "suikawari"
with a watermelon. Depending on the
size, a whole watermelon costs around ten bucks in Japan. Then, there
are the luxury watermelons, which most people typically don't buy or
eat.
That is why, watermelons get interesting, odd, and effing expensive. Many of these watermelons took years of practice to get their shape
right. They are grown in special containers or molds. The heart-shape
watermelon (see below), for example, took three years to get just right.
Farmers fuss over these melons, which are usually grown in very small
batches. They are supposed to taste delicious, too.
The heart-shaped watermelon first started getting attention in 2009.
There are now mini versions, too, which are priced at around $200. Large
heart-shaped watermelons can be yours for around $350.
As far as shapes go, this might be closest to the traditional round
watermelons you find in Japan. It's called a "dynamite watermelon" and
is packaged to look like a bomb. Its slogan is "An explosion of
delicious taste!" It's priced at around $70 or so, making it one of the
more inexpensive watermelons.
Next to the square melon, you are looking at a "jinmen suika",
which literally means a "human face watermelon". The Japanese media
discovered this watermelon in 2011, and it's priced at ¥50,000 and up.
These melons are good examples of how preoccupied Japanese can be with
not only food presentation, but imbuing that presentation with a sense
of playfulness.
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