Seasonal Fruit Picking in Japan: A Year-Round Orchard Guide
Fruit picking in Japan runs through nearly the whole year, with a different harvest peaking in almost every month.12 Time your trip to the fruit, not to a single season, and an orchard visit fits trips in winter, summer, and autumn alike.
Fees, rules, and requirements can change. Confirm current details at the prefecture tourism and individual farm sites linked in References.
Overview
Japan's farm picking tourism centers on the tourist farm, or 観光農園 (kankō nōen, "farm set up for visitor picking experiences").13 These farms sell a fixed-price entry for eating on site plus separately priced take-home fruit.
The rolling calendar is the point. Heated greenhouses carry strawberries from winter into spring, stone fruit and pears fill the summer, grapes take autumn, and mandarins close the year in winter.124 Each section below names its window and its headline regions.
Scope runs farm by farm. Every fee, time limit, and booking rule in this article is the cited farm's own policy, and every season window belongs to its cited prefecture or farm page.563 Never carry one farm's terms to another farm, or one prefecture's window to the whole country.
The Year-Round Fruit Calendar
Use this calendar to pick your fruit first, then your destination. Windows below reflect operator and prefecture listings current at research time (as of 2026-03; confirm current figures with each farm or prefecture tourism site).
Winter to spring strawberries
Greenhouse 苺狩り (ichigo-gari, "strawberry picking") runs roughly December through May, making strawberries the winter and spring anchor.17 Tochigi, Japan's largest strawberry producer, markets itself as the strawberry kingdom, with prefecture-bred varieties such as とちおとめ (Tochiotome, "Tochigi maiden strawberry") alongside Skyberry and Tochi-Aika.1 The prefecture states its production has ranked first nationally for 57 consecutive years (as of 2026-03).8
Season edges vary by farm. Ichigos Yokohama Farm in Kanagawa runs late December 2025 to around June 2026 (as of its 2025-12 season page; confirm current figures with the farm).7 Fuchu Strawberry Farm in Tokyo usually schedules early January to late May, with the booking start set from berry growth (as of its booking page).5 Nagashima Farm in Mie runs mid-December to late May for 2025-26 (as of 2025-11).6 Tanakaen in Funabashi, Chiba, ran late December 2025 to the end of May 2026 (as of 2025-12).9
Summer peaches
Summer belongs to 桃狩り (momo-gari, "peach picking").10 Yamanashi's official sightseeing net places peach picking across Fuefuki, Kofu, Katsunuma, and nearby areas as part of its seasonal fruit calendar.2 Fuefuki city tourism frames itself as the peach city; read that as the city's own marketing rather than a verified national ranking.11
Miharashien in Fuefuki offers peach picking from late June to mid-August, at 1,600 yen for adults 12 and over and 1,400 yen for children 3 to 11 (as of the PORTA listing; confirm current figures with the farm).10 Peach season is short, so mid-July visits sit closest to the middle of most farms' windows.
Late summer pears
Late summer brings 梨狩り (nashi-gari, "pear picking").312 Tottori City orchards open from late August to early October, with hours, fees, and varieties varying by orchard (as of the tourism listing; confirm current figures with each orchard).3 Prefecture guidance stretches the variety range from mid-August to November, with 20th Century pears pickable from late August to late September near the Tottori Sand Dunes.13
Chiba is Japan's number-one pear producer, and Matsudo orchards run from early August to early October at a standard 750 yen per kilogram tax included for picking and direct sales (as of 2022-08 prefecture news).12 Kamagaya in Chiba offers all-you-can-eat pear picking at 1,000 yen for elementary age and up and 600 yen for age 3 and up (as of 2022-08).12
Autumn grapes
Autumn is ぶどう狩り (budō-gari, "grape picking") season.1011 Miharashien lists general grape picking from early September to late November at 1,100 yen for adults and 1,000 yen for children, plus luxury grape picking from early August to mid-October at 1,600 yen and 1,400 yen (as of the PORTA listing; confirm current figures with the farm).10 Fuefuki's grape season runs from the end of August to early November as varieties ripen in turn.11
The same farm adds apple picking from mid-October to early December at 1,100 yen for adults and 1,000 yen for children (as of the PORTA listing).10 Tochigi City holds about 60 grape farms with picking in August and September, giving Tokyo-side travelers a second grape cluster (as of the farm feature).1
Autumn apples
Autumn brings りんご狩り (ringo-gari, "apple picking"), roughly September through November at the core of the season, with early varieties from August and late ones into December depending on the farm.141516 Aomori is Japan's largest apple-producing prefecture by a wide margin, and Nagano is the other headline region.1714
Hirosaki Apple Park in Aomori grows about 80 varieties on some 2,300 trees, with picking from August 1 to mid-November (as of 2026-09; confirm current figures with the park).15 Admission is free and picked apples cost 35 yen per 100 grams, so the park works as a weigh-and-pay stop rather than a timed eating slot (as of 2026-09).15
Nagano orchards run a standard window from early September to early December, with exact dates varying by farm and variety (as of 2026-09).16 Naritaen charges 500 yen per person for a one-hour picking experience and sells take-home apples at 600 yen per kilogram (as of 2026-09; confirm current figures with the farm).18 Timed all-you-can-eat apple sessions exist at some orchards while others sell picked fruit by weight only, so confirm the format before visiting.1915
Winter mandarins
Winter closes the loop with みかん狩り (mikan-gari, "mandarin picking").4 Shizuoka grows unshū mikan across the prefecture, including Aoshima unshū and Jutarō unshū varieties.4 Harvest and shipment windows step through the cold months: gokuwase from September to October, wase from November to December, Aoshima from mid-to-late December to April, and Jutarō from February to March (as of the JA Shizuoka page).4
The prefecture's overall peak falls in January or later, with stored fruit shipping into April (as of the JA Shizuoka page).4 That makes mandarins the natural pick for New Year and late-winter trips when strawberries are priced at peak.
How Tabehodai and Mochikaeri Work
Two words run every orchard transaction. 食べ放題 (tabehōdai, "all-you-can-eat on site for a fixed fee and time") covers what you eat inside the farm within your minutes.756 持ち帰り (mochikaeri, "take-home, typically priced separately by weight") covers what leaves with you.63 This section is the canonical explanation; the companion autumn harvest article points back here instead of repeating it.
| Farm | Slot | Peak entry fee | As of | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ichigos Yokohama (Kanagawa) | Reservation-only day slot | 4,500 yen adult weekend, 4,000 yen weekday | 2025-12 | 7 |
| Fuchu (Tokyo) | 30 minutes | 3,200 yen adult weekday | booking page | 5 |
| Nagashima (Mie) | 40 minutes with condensed milk | 2,900 yen adult peak term | 2025-11 | 6 |
| Tanakaen (Chiba) | Timed rotation | 3,200 yen elementary age and up peak | 2025-12 | 9 |
Fees in this table are each farm's own current listing (as of the dates shown; confirm current figures with each farm). Late terms cost less everywhere they are published.
The all-you-can-eat time slot
A tabehodai entry buys a fixed number of minutes, commonly 30 to 40. Fuchu's weekday plan gives 30 minutes at 3,200 yen for adults and 1,900 yen for children age 3 and up (as of its booking page).5 Nagashima gives 40 minutes with condensed milk, at 2,900 yen for adults in the December 6 to May 6 peak term and 2,100 yen from May 7 (as of 2025-11).6
Tiered pricing is normal. Ichigos Yokohama charges 4,500 yen for adults on weekends and holidays against 4,000 yen on weekdays, with lower tiers for school-age children and preschoolers and free entry under age 2 (as of 2025-12).7 Tanakaen's peak pricing from December 20 to April 5 runs 3,200 yen for elementary age and up, 2,800 yen for preschoolers, and 1,600 yen for ages 2 to 3, then steps down to 2,200 yen on late-season weekdays (as of 2025-12).9
Take-home fruit priced by weight
What you eat on site and what you carry home are separate bills. Tabehodai covers eating inside the farm within your minutes; weighed take-home is priced on top.612 Matsudo's standard of 750 yen per kilogram tax included shows the shape (as of 2022-08).12 Tottori pear orchards sell picked pears by weight for take-home alongside the picking experience.313
Apples sometimes break the by-weight norm. Iwakisan Kanko Ringo-en pairs a 40-minute all-you-can-eat session with 2 souvenir apples to take home, at 1,500 yen for adults and 1,000 yen for children (as of 2026-09; confirm current figures with the farm).19 Other apple orchards price take-home fruit by count or by bag rather than by weight, so confirm whether your farm charges by weight, by piece, or by bag before you start picking.19
Take-home scales run fast with heavy fruit like pears. Decide your take-home budget before you start picking, since weighed fruit cannot go back on the tree.
Booking rules that vary by farm
Advance booking is increasingly the norm at popular farms on peak weekends, and each farm writes its own rule. Ichigos Yokohama is reservation-only, with same-day phone booking only if beds allow, and same-day admission adding 500 yen per person when available (as of 2025-12).7 Fuchu opens bookings 30 days ahead with advance card prepayment and a 100 percent day-of and no-show cancellation fee (as of its booking page).5
Nagashima requires advance reservation by phone or online from 30 days before (as of 2025-11).6 Tanakaen requires agreement to farm rules at booking, allows changes and cancellations up to 3 days before, and warns that harvests may be cancelled or rescheduled for berry growth and weather (as of 2025-12).9
Planning a Fruit-Picking Day Trip
Most orchards sit outside city centers, so treat picking as a half-day anchor inside a wider day trip rather than a full-day destination. That framing keeps transport time honest.
Getting to the orchard
Rail plus local bus or shuttle covers the famous clusters, and rental cars cover the rest. Tochigi's strawberry belt sits about an hour from Tokyo by Shinkansen.1 Fuefuki is about 90 minutes from Shinjuku by direct JR Chuo line train.11 The Tottori pear orchards on the Fukube picking road sit about 3 minutes by car from the Tottori Sand Dunes.13 Confirm each farm's access page before assuming a station is walkable, since rural stops often need a taxi or a booked shuttle.
Pairing picking with a wider itinerary
Pair the harvest with what sits next to it. Fuefuki pairs grape picking with winery visits in autumn.11 Tottori pairs pear picking with a Sand Dunes visit.13 Tochigi farm-trip plans pair strawberry picking with illuminations and processed-strawberry shopping in winter.1 One pairing per day is enough; two farm stops in one day leaves no slack for transport delays.
Picking versus premium fruit gifting
Hands-on picking and premium fruit gifting are different experiences. This article covers fruit eaten on the vine and on the tree at the farm.10 Department-store fruit parlors and boxed gift sets belong to the food and dining side of Japan travel, where presentation and grading set the price rather than your own hands. Enjoy both, but budget them as separate lines: one farm entry fee, one gift-box splurge.
Good to know
Peak weekend slots fill first
Reservation-only farms sell dated slots from about 30 days ahead, and same-day entry costs extra or may not exist at all.756 If your trip fixes you to a Saturday, book the farm the day your window opens rather than the week you travel.
Greenhouses run hot even in winter
Strawberry houses are heated for the berries, not cooled for visitors. Dress in layers you can shed, since a sunny-day greenhouse feels far warmer than the January air outside.9 Tanakaen's own guidance warns that sunny-day houses run very warm and asks for adjustable clothing (as of 2025-12).9
Late-season prices usually drop
Nagashima and Tanakaen both step prices down after the peak term, so late-season picking costs less with fewer variety choices (as of 2025-11 and 2025-12).69 Travelers who care about price over peak flavor should aim for the back half of each fruit's window.
See also
- A Family-with-Kids Japan Itinerary Framework
- A Food-Focused Japan Itinerary Framework
- How Many Things Can You Actually Do in a Day? A Realistic Pacing Framework
- Golden Week and Obon: The Domestic-Travel-Crowding Weeks to Plan Around