In this first installment of Domingo's month-long collaboration with towns and cities in Hokkaido, we take a closer look at the town of Abira!
For four weeks, we will provide you with information on how to enjoy the town and its specialties.

This time, we will introduce "Asahi Melon" produced by Oiwake Asahi Melon Cooperative.
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What is "Asahi Melon"?

The Asahi Melon is one of Hokkaido's most famous melons, produced in the Oiwake district of the town of Anpei.

Courtesy of JA Tomakomai Regional

The melon is a net type red flesh melon with a mesh pattern on the skin, and its high sugar content is the result of the difference in temperatures unique to the town of Anhira, proper temperature control by the growers, and the creation of optimal soil for melons based on volcanic ash soil with good drainage.

History of Asahi Melon

The Asahi Melon began in 1964, when three farmers in the Asahi district of the former Oiwake Town, a mountainous area in the middle of a mountainous region, started to grow a new crop.

The high quality of Asahi melons is the result of over 50 years of research and continuous improvement efforts. Currently, 25 growers are producing Asahi Melons with great care.

They produce three varieties, Lupia Red, Tiara, and Red 113, which are suited to the climate of Anhira Town, so that visitors can enjoy delicious Asahi Melons from May to October, a long period of time.
Lupia Red is shipped from mid-May to around mid-August, Tiara from early July to mid-August, and Red 113 from mid-August to October.

The one we are offering in this giveaway campaign is "Lupia Red. The skin has a fine, beautiful mesh, and the fruit is firm and relatively long-lived.

Asahi Melon's commitment to quality

The greatest feature of the Asahi Melon is its sweetness.

The number of melons grown is limited to four per plant, and melons with a sugar content of less than 14 degrees cannot be shipped.

Only high-quality melons that have passed the strict screening process are sold as "Asahi Melons.

The producers themselves act as "chief inspectors" to ensure fair and impartial inspections, and this makes them even more enthusiastic about their production.

Producers themselves performing the "Oni no Chosa" (devil's inspection).

The quality of Asahi melons is very high and they have grown to become a brand-name melon because the growers have been consistent from sowing the seeds to sorting.

Asahi Melons at their best

Asahi melons are at their best when the tips of the vines are wilted!

Asahi melons at their best

If you refrigerate them too much, you will not be able to taste the sweetness, so it is recommended to put them in the refrigerator about 2 hours before eating!

Please check the website for more information!

Satofuru