Japan’s Sweet Obanazawa Watermelons Now in Season; This Year’s Crop Even Sweeter Due to Lack of Rain

Obanazawa watermelons are sorted at a facility before being shipped early Thursday morning in Oishida, Yamagata Prefecture — one of the nation’s leading producers of the summer delicacy. The Obanazawa brand is cultivated in Obanazawa, Murayama and Oishida in the prefecture, where there is a large temperature difference between day and night. Already known for its high sugar content, the fruit is said to be even sweeter this year due to the lack of rain. About 12,350 tons are expected to be shipped across Japan by early September.