Protected local food
Higashine Cherries
東根さくらんぼ
Higashine in Yamagata is the birthplace of Sato Nishiki, Japan's most prized cherry variety. Its cherries are big, with a fine balance of sweet and sour.
Key facts
- Registered as a protected name
- 21 April 2017
- Region
- Tohoku
- Official name in Japanese
- 東根さくらんぼ
- Official area (in Japanese)
- 山形県東根市及び隣接市町の一部
Birthplace of Sato Nishiki
Sato Nishiki, the top cherry variety in Japan, was first grown in Higashine, Yamagata. The climate and soil suit cherries, and growers follow strict rules on how they grow and grade the fruit, so the cherries are large and balance sweetness with a little acidity.
Higashine grows more cherries than anywhere else in Japan, and the whole area uses them to bring visitors to town.
Good to know
- Cherries are an early summer fruit. Many farms in Yamagata open for cherry picking in season.
- Also from Yamagata: La France pears and Yonezawa Beef.
Questions travellers ask
What is Sato Nishiki?
Japan's most prized cherry variety, first grown in Higashine. It's large and sweet with a little acidity.
Where is Higashine?
A city in central Yamagata Prefecture, in northern Honshu.
Where it comes from
More protected foods from the same area
Crafts from the same area
Heritage stories from the same area
Sources
We checked the facts on this page against these sources.