About
Ishihara Farm, perched atop a mountain in Okayama, is a renowned local farm celebrated for its exquisite fruits. This destination attracts visitors from all parts of japan, as it's a great place to learn about the intricate process of harvesting Okayama's prized fruits, which are considered some of the most expensive in Japan. It's most famous for it's grapes, especially the Shine Muscat which is one of the most expensive and delicious fruits in the region.
Key Info
*Learn more about my Key Information methadology here.
Cost
A bit expensive as you'll need to pay an entrance fee, as well for the fruits that you select. I paid about 7,000 yen for three bunches of grapes.
Accessibility
Due to the farm's remote mountaintop location, public transportation is limited, so renting a car is highly recommended.
Uniqueness
Overall, I'd say it's an exclusive way to experience some of Japan's most tatiest fruits! Thanks to the employees, there's a lot of things you can learn about the harvesting process and fruits that you otherwise wouldn't have known.
My Experience
During my road trip in Okayama, I wanted to try some of the region's renowned fruits, known to be among the tastiest in Japan. The area's warm climate, ample water sources, and abundant sunshine create an ideal environment for fruit cultivation. Seeking a local experience, my friend suggested that the best way to enjoy the fruits was through fruit picking. A local specifically recommended Ishihara Farm, and since grapes were in season, it turned out to be a perfect match.
To start off, you'll need to book a reservation, which you can do here. https://ifarm.jp/yoyaku/shop/1 . Note that different seasons have different fruits, so you might be picking pears or perssimons rather than grapes!
Apart from a reserveration, you'll most likely need a car. Getting there was quite the challenge to say the least. The farm is perched on the top of a mountain, and it's quite far from the nearest city. Just make sure to take this into account! There may be public transportation but i'm not 100% sure.
After arriving, you check in at the farm and they'll reward you with two stickers to mark your attendance. From that point on, the fun begins!
To get started, the participants and I boarded the back of a 4x4 truck at the top of a hill and was driven down to the base of the mountain, where the grape and other fruit plantations are located.
Once there, I entered the plantations. Before picking, a farm employee shared the farm's history and introduced us to the different types of grapes available for harvesting that day, Shine Muscat, MomoTaro and Pione. You get a tasting basket with the different grapes so that can try which one you like best! The employee also talked about how each grape variety has its own recommended way to enjoy it, some are best eaten with the skin, while others are not, which is something I wouldn't have known beforehand!
After learning about the grapes and sampling some, we had the opportunity to harvest our own. In small groups, we moved from one grape plantation to another, free to pick the batches that appealed to us most.
Once we finished harvesting, we were driven back up the hill in the truck, where our grapes were weighed for payment. The bill was expensive though as I seemingly had picked grapes that were more heavy, I ended up spending 7000 yen on just grapes!
Nevertheless, I found it a fantastic experience to learn about the harvesting process and gain insight into the life of a farmer. It was enjoyable, and despite the steep price, the cultural richness and smoothness of the experience made it worth it!
