A pair of cantaloupes from Yubari, Hokkaido, fetched a whopping 2 million yen (over $16,000 USD) at the first auction of the season at the Sapporo Central Wholesale Market.
The price paid by Marui Imai Inc, a Sapporo based department store, has broken the previous record of 800,000 yen.
The two melons were on display at Marui Imai’s flagship outlet; priced at 1 million yen apiece. A spokesman said that the cantaloupes were more for publicity in celebration of their 135th anniversary instead of profit [via Japantimes].
Yubari melons are known for their high quality and sweet taste. The melons are popular summer gifts in Japan; an average Yubari melon could cost $50-100 USD.
Giving gifts to corporate partners and clients is a traditional Japanese custom; it’s usually done twice a year in mid-winter and in mid-summer.
[Update] The record was broken again in 2008 for 2.5 million yen.
Tags:
Asian Culture and Traditions,
Asian Food and Restaurants,
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Hokkaido Circuit,
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Japanese Food and Restaurants,
Marui Imai Inc,
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Sorachi Subprefecture,
Super Expensive Food,
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Yubari City
Piccadilly Circus, a famous road junction, popular hangout place, and iconic tourist spot in London.
Most tourists probably don’t know the name of the symbolic fountain though… it’s officially named the Shaftesbury Monument Memorial Fountain, or Shaftesbury Memorial in short.
The winged-nude statue on top has a name too… Angel of Christian Charity, popularly known as Eros after the mythical Greek God of Love.
Piccadilly Circus is a busy place; surrounded by theatres, shops, malls, hotels, restaurants, pubs and endless traffic. The neon signboards in the area are quite a scene at night; probably not as splendid as New York’s Time Square, but spectacular nonetheless.
When I visited London a few years earlier there were lots of pizzerias and kebab stores around, but only a few of them remained in the area. I still managed to grab a pizza nearby, but disappointingly it wasn’t as good as it used to be.
London & UK travelogue
Previous: St James Park, London, UK
Next: Trafalgar Square and Nelson’s Column, London, UK
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St James’s Park is the oldest of the Royal Parks in London, located just beside the Buckingham Palace. I’m in love with the park (and the connected Green Park) since my first visit in 2001; and Londoners seemed to be really fond of it too.
Scenery from the Blue Bridge
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Botanical Gardens and Parks,
England,
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Rumours are flying around that Chinese starlet Liu Yifei is close to getting a role in Hollywood movie Mummy 3: Curse of the Dragon.
Liu is set to make her Hollywood debut with Forbidden Kingdom, currently in filming alongside action superstars Jackie Chan and Jet Li. If she does get the Mummy role as rumoured, 2008 will definitely be a big year for the young actress.
[Update] Another Chinese starlet Isabella Leong got the role instead.
First destination during my UK trip in October 2005, the Buckingham Palace.
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Random footages of rising star Erika Toda, presumably during the filming of drama series Nobuta wo Produce and movie Death Note in 2005/2006.
[Video via Trax006655@Youtube]
K-drama If In Love, Like Them, starring pop diva Lee Hyori, is suspended indefinitely for violation of Korean broadcasting guidelines.
The drama is penalised for inappropriate product placement and overused of Hyori’s songs as soundtrack. The drama will not be allowed to rebroadcast in Korea, and the show (producers) are required to make a public apology.
The drama, also titled Perhaps Love, is about two cancer patients who met each other in hospital and developed a relationship.
Despite the ban in its homeland, the drama is expected to recoup some of its investments with the popularity of its main cast (which includes actors Lee Dong-gun and Jung Joon-ho) in foreign countries.
Lee Hyori series
Next: Lee Hyori – Scolded music video
Arrived at Kuala Lumpur International Airport in early morning of October 5, 2005; taking a free ride to the airport as my brother was working nearby. Destination… to visit my sister in London and embark on a 19-days Europe trip together.
KLIA was much busier than a few years ago; reminded me that I hadn’t been travelling overseas (except neighbouring Singapore) for almost five years… quite a long break for a self-proclaimed travel enthusiast lol.
Flight departed at 11 am; and after 11 hours of movies, sleep, food and toilet visits, the plane touched down safely at Heathrow Airport in London evening.
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