In recent years, Saitama Prefecture s original strawberry varieties, Amarin, Kaorin, and Benitama, have been gaining popularity! At the National Strawberry Championship and Christmas Championship sponsored by the Japan Vegetable Sommelier Association, Saitama producers have won the highest gold award five times in a row. Saitama Prefecture is the only prefecture in Japan to be recognized as the premium strawberry producing prefecture for producing the most delicious strawberries.

As the boundaries between mountains and villages become increasingly blurred, the "battle against birds and wild animals" at farms is becoming more severe every year. In a Tabechoku survey, 76.9% of respondents reported experiencing bird and animal damage this year, and 39.2% reported experiencing more damage than usual. The frequency and scale of damage ranged from 2 to 10%.

Naganuma Orchard, located in the hills of Kaminoyama City, Yamagata Prefecture, produces La France apples. Its run by a mother and daughter trio. Located on a mountain slope, the orchard has long been vulnerable to bear and monkey attacks, but the situation has changed dramatically in recent years. "In the past, bears would come here about once a year. However, in the last two or three years, bear sightings have become more frequent...

The TabeChoku Apple Grand Prix 2025 is an event that aims to promote the appeal of apples and the efforts of producers.It recognizes producers across Japan who cultivate particularly high-quality apples.This time, 70 apples were submitted from growing areas across the country, and the entries were judged by researchers and producers with extensive apple knowledge.