It is named ”Momo Ichigo” because it is a peach-like strawberry. (In Japanese, ”momo” means peach and ”ichigo” means strawberry.)
The name is simple, but it definitely captures the features of this large, juicy and sweet strawberry. The strawberries are more than three times larger than the average strawberry. This is possible because they limit the number grown on each plant. Usually a plant bears 20 to 30 berries, but the ”Momo Ichigo” plant only has four to five berries, and the rest are nipped when the plant begins to flower.
This allows the nutrients to be concentrated in the remaining berries, making them large and very sweet.
Working together as a village to establish branding for their produce
”Momo Ichigo” is produced only in Sanagochi Village in Tokushima Prefecture. It is also restricted to the 28 farms which have cleared the strict conditions set for cultivation. Because it has a very short harvesting season, the strawberries are very difficult to get, making them a rare gem.
Sanagochi Village has an abundance of nature and is active in farming ”sudachi” (citrus sudachi) and ”mikan” (mandarin orange) as well. The entire village is actively engaged in agriculture, and have developed many local specialties such as ”Daifuku Mikan” and ”Daruma Kiwi” in addition to ”Momo Ichigo”. Each variety is produced in a very limited area, restricting the number that is available, and have become popular as ”brand fruit”. ”Daifuku Mikan” is a mandarin orange which is extremely sweet like a Japanese confectionary called ”daifuku”. ”Daruma Kiwi” on the other hand is popular for its large size. The naming of these items is also quite catchy.
