Chocolate-dipped strawberries are always a winner. In Japan, strawberry-producing regions are engaged in a battle for brand recognition and consumer loyalty.
Image: Abbie Tanner / Unsplash
Miho Matsuzaki
Major strawberry production regions are in fierce competition to promote their brand of strawberries. With domestic consumption of the fruit declining, they are competing to develop new varieties while sparing no effort for brand recognition among urban consumers.
Tochigi Prefecture, known as the "strawberry kingdom," has co-operated with Ibaraki, Shizuoka and other prefectures to hold events for consumers. Meanwhile, Fukuoka Prefecture, which produces high-end strawberries, has held a flashy promotional event in Tokyo's Ginza district. The situation is beginning to look like an all-out strawberry war.
As part of the Yokohama Strawberry Festival, which started February 5 and will end March 1, various production areas collaborated at an event from February 21-23. Prior to its opening, the director of the Tochigi prefectural government's agricultural policy department spoke in front of participating representatives. "We may usually be rivals, but let's work together during these three days to sell strawberries and increase strawberry consumption in Japan," he said.
The popular strawberry festival attracted about 580,000 visitors last year. Tochigi Prefecture brought its flagship Tochiaika strawberry, aiming to increase its name recognition among consumers through food samples and direct sales. "The Yokohama Red Brick Warehouse looks great in photos, and we hope that people will talk about Tochiaika on social media," a prefectural government official said.
Visitors line up to buy strawberries from various regions at the Yokohama Red Brick Warehouse in Yokohama on February 21.
Image: The Yomiuri Shimbun
Visitors took photos of parfaits and crepes containing strawberries from various regions, including Saitama Prefecture's Amarin variety, and compared them with each other. "I came because I wanted to eat sweet strawberries," said a 36-year-old nurse from Noda, Chiba Prefecture, who visited the event with her family. "I didn't know there were so many varieties," she added.
Domestic strawberry consumption has declined to about 40% of 30 years ago due to factors including the diversification of consumption. Due to this, Tochigi Prefecture called on the nation's top 10 strawberry-producing prefectures and created a "national strawberry council" in 2025. It aims to increase domestic strawberry consumption by having production areas work together.
Tochiotome strawberries that were the flagship of the prefecture for nearly 30 years have been replaced by Tochiaika, which is sweeter and firmer. The Tochiaika variety has been successful in terms of production with 90% of strawberry fields in the prefecture being used to grow them. However, it is still not well known among consumers, as evidenced at the festival in Yokohama. Some visitors said things like, "Isn't Tochigi Prefecture known for its Tochiotome strawberries?"
From January to mid-March this year, the Tochigi prefectural government is holding sample tasting and sales events at major train station buildings, supermarkets and airports in the Tokyo metropolitan area and the Kansai region. The prefecture has also offered special menu items such as salads and cakes using Tochiaika strawberries. The prefecture has asked influencers and producers of the fruit to help spread the word about Tochiaika strawberries via social media.
On the other hand, Fukuoka Prefecture, the production centre of Amaou strawberries, is vying to become the "strawberry kingdom".
"The competition to develop new varieties is intensifying," Fukuoka Governor Seitaro Hattori stressed at an event at the Ginza Six commercial complex in Ginza in late January. "The Amaou variety has been called the 'king' for being the highest-priced strawberry for 21 years in a row. Now, we want to make it an 'emperor.'"
The event was held to promote "Hakata Amaou premium," the highest grade Amaou strawberries strictly selected for their sugar content of 11 degrees or higher. Aiming to turn the already established Amaou brand into a premier brand, only about 200 boxes are to be sold at department stores in the Tokyo metropolitan area for more than 10,000 yen (R1 033) each.
About 100 people participated in the event, including restaurant owners and influencers who were served colourful dishes and cakes using Amaou strawberries. Toshihiko Yoroizuka, a popular patissier invited to the event, said: "Amaou strawberries have a very good balance of sweetness and sourness. While popular strawberry varieties change every 20 years or so, Amaou has maintained its throne for a long time."
Strawberries are now at their peak for this season.
“This is like a strawberry war. Our biggest rival should be Tochigi Prefecture,” Hattori said to reporters during the event.