TOMOMIEN

Peaches and Grapes from OkayamaThe Secret of the Deliciousness

With their fruity aroma, elegant appearance, and soft flesh bursting with sweet juice, the peaches and grapes of Okayama are truly exceptional.
Okayama is a region renowned for its thriving production of these fruits, offering a variety of cultivars and unique growing techniques. Here, we introduce the charms of peaches and grapes that will make you appreciate the deliciousness even more!

Okayama’s Peaches:  Hakutō

In Okayama, each peach is carefully grown with individual protective bags to create their signature pale complexion. These peaches are known as Hakutō (pronounce as Hah-koo-toh, means White Peaches).

Why Hakutō Peaches Are Special

  • Tender, velvety flesh reminiscent of an angel’s touch.
  • Juicy sweetness that drips with every bite.
  • An elegant, pristine white outer skin.
  • A rich and fragrant aroma.

Okayama’sGrapes

Sweet, large, and seedless, Okayama’s grapes are a treat for everyone and so easy to eat.
The secret lies in pruning branches and thinning clusters delicately by hand while “listening” to the vines. This careful attention allows us to nurture the grapes to grow sweet and large.

Why Okayama Grapes Are Special

  • Impressively large grape.
  • Abundant, sweet juice in every bite.
  • Seedless and easy to eat.
  • A range of refreshing sweetness unique to each variety.

(*Some varieties, such as Muscat of Alexandria, may have seeds.)

How to Enjoy Fresh Peaches and Grapes

Discover tips to enjoy your peaches and grapes at their peak flavor at home!
We also provide tips on "long-lasting storage methods" that are useful when purchasing in bulk as souvenirs.

Peach Details

When to Eat

Peaches ripen 1–3 days after harvest, becoming sweeter and softer. Store them in the vegetable compartment of your refrigerator. Duration varies depending on the storage conditions, but peaches are ready to eat at their best when their skin turns slightly translucent.

How to Eat

To fully enjoy their delicate sweetness and subtle tartness, avoid over-chilling them. Storing them in the vegetable compartment of the refrigerator is the best place. For perfectly ripened Hakuto, insert a knife slightly into the peel and gently pull to remove it by hand. For firmer, late-season peaches, use a knife to peel the skin.

Storage Tips

Remove the protective net and wrap each peach individually in aluminum foil. Store them in the refrigerator’s vegetable compartment, and they’ll stay fresh for 7–10 days. Handle peaches carefully, as their delicate skin can easily bruise by your fingers and nails, accelerating spoilage and affecting flavor.

Grape Details

When to Eat

Grapes do not ripen after harvest, so they are ready to eat immediately. The sweetness will not increase by letting them sit for a few days.

How to Eat

To enjoy their balanced sweetness and tartness, avoid over-chilling them. Storing them in the vegetable compartment of the refrigerator is the best place. Wash grapes gently under running water and let them drain before serving.
Pione Grapes: Place an individual grape in your mouth, gently bite, and the skin will peel away easily, leaving the juicy flesh. Remove the skin and enjoy the flesh!
Shine Muscat: Eat these grapes whole, including the skin, for a crisp texture and refreshing flavor.

Storage Tips

For whole bunches, trim the top of the stem slightly, wrap the cut end with damp paper towel, and cover the paper towel with aluminum foil before refrigerating. There is no need to cover the bunch of grapes since grape itself do not lose moisture.
For individual grapes, cut them each from the main-stem with some stem remaining attached and arrange them in a single layer in a container lined with a paper towel. Cover with more paper towels before sealing the air tight container and storing in the refrigerator.
Both methods can keep grapes fresh for about 7 days.

Hakutō PeachesThe Secret of the Deliciousness

How Peaches Are Grown

From late March, peach farmers begin thinning out the numerous buds on their trees, leaving only a select few to concentrate nutrients into the remaining fruit. Although this reduces the overall yield, this process ensures that the peaches are sweeter and larger.

After blooming, the farmers inspect the tree’s condition and repeatedly thin out the young fruit to achieve the perfect balance.
Each peach is then wrapped in a bag, protecting it from pests and scratches while preventing direct sunlight, which helps maintain its soft, pale color. While peaches are traditionally pink or red, in Okayama, they are cultivated to have a white exterior, earning them the name Hakutō (Haku-white, To-peach).
This labor-intensive process is entirely done by hand, requiring meticulous care to deliver the finest peaches for your enjoyment.

Varieties of Peaches

The harvest period for each peach variety lasts only about two weeks.
At our orchard, we cultivate 23 varieties of white peaches, each reaching peak ripeness one after another from late June to late August. The flavors of the peaches vary subtly depending on the variety, and we hope you’ll enjoy exploring the diverse tastes of our white peaches.

  • Please note that specific varieties cannot be selected for peach picking. On the day of your visit, we will guide you to the peach trees that are at their optimal ripeness for harvesting.

Wase: Early Season (Late June–Early July)

Small but intensely sweet peaches with a reddish hue.

Varieties:
Hanayome, Takei Hakuhō, etc.

Nakate: Mid-Season (Early July–Mid July)

Beautiful and aromatic peaches with refined sweetness.

Varieties:
Hikawa Hakuhō, Kanōiwa Hakutō, Hakuhō, etc.

Nakate Kohan: Mid-Season (Late July)

Soft, meltingly sweet peaches with a luxurious taste.

Varieties:
Shimizu Hakutō, Hakuhō, Yume Hakutō, etc.

Okute: Late Season (Early August–Mid August)

Large peaches with a firm texture and high sugar content. Need to use a knife to peel due to the firmness.

Varieties:
Hakurei, Yume Hakutō, Akizora, Hakushū, Hakukō, etc.

GrapesThe Secret to Their Sweetness

How Grapes Are Grown

Each grape is large, and the entire bunch has a beautifully balanced shape. How do the farmers make it happen? They listen to the vines.

Farmers carefully select which clusters to grow while removing excess buds, stems, and some individual grapes at the right time to ensure the remaining grapes receive concentrated nutrients.
In Okayama, grape flowers are dipped into a special solution to grow seedless grapes (except for specific varieties). To protect the grapes from sun damage, individual bunches are bagged, requiring significant labor but ensuring a premium product for you to enjoy.

Popular Varieties

Each grape variety offers a unique taste and color.
Our orchard offers 2 popular variety of grapes.

Pione (Late August–Mid September)

Large, seedless grapes with a rich, sweet flavor. Their balance of sweetness and tartness is juicy and refreshing without being overwhelming.

Shine Muscat (Early September–Late September)

Large, seedless, and easy to eat with their edible skin. These grapes are sweet with minimal tartness, offering a crisp texture and fresh juiciness.