Japanese grapes attract record price

A single bunch of grapes has sold in Japan for a record breaking price of ¥1 million (£5,300).

The ¥1m bunch of grapes. Photo: Japan Agricultural Cooperative Ishikawa Office

The 700 gram bunch of the country’s prized Ruby Roman grapes, a speciality of Ishikawa Prefecture, contained 26 berries, which are prized in Japan for their large size and sweetness.

At this week’s auction to mark the start of the harvest, Masayuki Hirai, head chef at the Hotel Nikko Kanazawa, almost doubled last year’s top bid – itself a record at the time – to buy the grapes.

As reported by the Japanese Times, he explained his high bid by the prospect of increased tourism in the region thanks to a recently extended train line. “With the opening of the Hokuriku Shinkansen Line, I was told to win the bidding at any cost,” said Hirai.

While this price sets a record for grapes, it falls some way short of the top bid for fruit this year in Japan, where a pair of prized Yubari melons from Hokkaido recently sold for ¥1.5m (£7,945).