The island nation of Japan takes its food very seriously or at least tries to justify the large price tag for a very polished melon and other things most people find for much less back home or on the other side of the South China Sea. The same melon here in Japan would only set me back $4-5 USD depending on the season and if I decided to go organic and get from Whole Foods no less.
Food prices are a tricky thing because most nations of the world have experienced a huge rise in them for the past few years. Japan is an island nation that has always had high standards when it comes to food. There is some food grown and raised here in the island nation but much of it needs to be imported. The cost of production and simple economics causes the simple melon here to make international headlines.
The only fruit I’m consuming is the watermelon and an occasional bowl of fresh pineapple to break up the fruit monotony. I’m not visiting Japan for the fruit. My experiences usually go beyond the meals that usually are meat free which is hard do in a country where the prevailing belief that a meal without vitamin “meat” is just wrong. There’s not much food adventure for someone like myself who doesn’t eat a whole lot of meat.
We will be moving on to China next week and the exchange will be more in favor of the USD. I’ll be able to go back to my one dragon fruit a day diet without breaking the bank. I think my first meal will be just a big bowl of dragon fruit and a side of pineapple. I’ll skip the Champdak.
For now I’ll just have to get my fruit this way.
farflungistan 