Tochiotome (Japanese strawberry variety)
A perfect balance of sweetness and tartness—Tochigi’s celebrated strawberry variety

About Tochiotome (Japanese strawberry variety)

Tochigi Prefecture is known as Japan’s strawberry kingdom and has ranked first in strawberry harvests for more than half a century. Among its varieties, Tochiotome is the country’s leading strawberry by production volume. This celebrated Tochigi strawberry is popular throughout Japan for its well-balanced sweetness and tartness. Its quality is attributed to the fertile Kanto Plain, clear water, long winter hours of sunshine, and wide temperature differences between summer and winter and between day and night.

Registered as a variety in 1996, Tochiotome was bred by crossing ‘Kurume 49’ and ‘Tochinomine.’ Its vivid red color, large, well-shaped berries, and sweet, juicy flesh make it a classic strawberry.

Tochiotome is rich in vitamin C, with about twice the amount found in mandarins or grapefruit. It also contains folate, a B vitamin, and anthocyanins, a type of polyphenol—nutrients that may appeal to people mindful of beauty and health.

Tochigi serves many sweets made with Tochiotome. Shortcakes, parfaits, tarts, and other desserts showcase its sweet-tart flavor. Local cafés and patisseries often offer limited-time items made generously with fresh Tochiotome.

Tea and champagne pair well with Tochiotome sweets. The fragrant aroma of tea and the refreshing bubbles of champagne bring out the strawberries’ sweet-tart flavor.

Tochigi Prefecture launched the Strawberry Kingdom Tochigi Certification Exam in 2019. Why not take the challenge and test your knowledge of Japan’s strawberry kingdom?

Related videos

Reviews