Kesennuma strawberries: the sweetness of ripe strawberries, only available locally produced

Kesennuma is surrounded by rich nature and is home to a wealth of freshly caught seafood and mountain produce.
This time, we will introduce Kesennuma strawberries, which are well known for their deliciousness among Kesennuma locals.
There were several strawberry farms in the Hashikami district of Kesennuma before the disaster, and strawberries were distributed mainly locally. This time we spoke with Takuya Miura, who started farming in 2010.

After entering society, Miura worked for a company, but as his father was a shiitake farmer, he had always planned to take over the farming business. However, he didn't really like shiitake mushrooms. His father suggested, "In that case, why don't you try strawberry farming instead?" This prompted him to visit various farms, and he discovered the appeal of strawberry farming.

Three months after completing the training period and finally starting their careers as strawberry farmers, the Great East Japan Earthquake occurred. Although their home narrowly escaped flooding, all of the newly built strawberry greenhouses were washed away by the tsunami. Of the 20 strawberry farmers in the Hashikami district, only two remained after the earthquake. It seems that many farmers were forced to quit farming altogether as a result of the disaster.
"At that time, I was only 27 years old and had never had a harvest, so I had no intention of quitting farming. I thought to myself that I would continue farming strawberries no matter how many years it took," recalls Miura. With the help of his customers and those around him, he was able to restart farming in 2012, one of the earliest times in the prefecture. After that, young people followed Miura's lead and started new strawberry farms, and now there are about 10 strawberry farms in the area.

Kesennuma strawberries are harvested close to the point where they are consumed, when they are at their sweetest. Strawberries are easily damaged, so they are often harvested while they are still a little green, taking into account transportation time. However, Kesennuma strawberries are shipped almost exclusively within Kesennuma city, meaning that they can be shipped while they are as nutritious as possible.
Kesennuma strawberries are also called "winter strawberries" and are harvested from late November to early (or mid) June. Kesennuma is on the Pacific coast and receives long hours of sunlight even in winter, making it ideal for growing strawberries harvested in winter. Also, it takes longer for the fruit to ripen in winter than in summer, so the fruit has more time to absorb nutrients, which makes them sweeter.

By the way, the variety that Miura is growing is "Tochiotome," which has a good balance of sweetness and sourness. The fruit is firm and has a glossy appearance, making it a variety that is suitable for sweets.
"First of all, I want to grow strawberries that are loved by the locals. I would be happy if people would come from far away to eat Kesennuma strawberries," says Miura. Miura's strawberries are also used in popular sweets in Kesennuma city, such as the "Strawberry Bavarian Cream" at Cafe Mambo and the "Strawberry Daifuku" at Confectionery Isami-ya (limited time only), and the number of people visiting from far away to try these sweets is increasing every year.
During the harvest season, they can be purchased almost every day at the farmer's market "JA Nakayoshi" in Kesennuma City, so if you're a local, be sure to check it out.

Kesennuma strawberry

Harvest time

Late November to early June (sales at JA and supermarkets from late January to May)

Characteristics of taste

Ripe and sweet

Where to buy

JA Saikako, city supermarket

Producer

Takuya Miura, strawberry farmer in Hashikami district