Square Watermelon
Today marks my 2nd year of living in Japan. And to commemorate, I have decided to write some of my own odd experiences of living in this rather crazy country.
While living in Japan may not always be pleasant, I assure you that it is always interesting.
Case in point 1: The Square Watermelon
The picture above was taken in Koriyama-shi, Fukushima, Japan
I actually thought that square watermelons were just an urban legend until I stumbled upon one in a rather popular supermarket in Koriyama-shi. They do exist.
So okay, square watermelons, great – but I mean, WHY? Seriously. With Japan’s food self-sufficiency problems and all the extra effort needed to create, must I dare say, a freak of nature, why square watermelons?
Doing a bit of research, I found out that square watermelons do have a purpose and are not just for eye candy.
Given Japan’s limited space (for everything), a farmer in Zentsuji came up with the idea of a cube-shaped watermelon for easier packing and storage. Ingenious!
That makes sense but is all the trouble worth it when you can just cut it all up and put it in a container or the easier way, just eat it all up in one sitting?
Is the square watermelon also worth dumb-founding a well known fact, taught as a kindergarten that a watermelon is supposed to be round?
Square watermelons, so are they worth it? At around 10,000 yen (approx $100) a piece, I’d still like mine round.
