A black jumbo watermelon auctioned in northern Japan fetched a record 650,000 yen (US$6,100) Friday, making it the most expensive watermelon ever sold in the country… and possibly the world.

Expensive Densuke watermelon

The 8-kilogram premium Densuke watermelon, grown only on the northern island of Hokkaido, was purchased by a marine products dealer who said he wanted to support local agriculture, according to Kyodo News agency.

In a country where melons are a luxury item commonly given as gifts, the watermelon’s hefty price tag follows another jaw-dropping auction last month, where a pair of Yubari cantaloupe melons sold for a record 2.5 million yen (US$23,500).

“It’s a watermelon, but it’s not the same,” said Kazuyoshi Ohira, a spokesman for the Tohma Agricultural Cooperative in Hokkaido. “It has a different level of sweetness.” [Mainichi]


6 Responses to “$6,100 for a Densuke black watermelon”

  1. #1. Emilie on June 8th, 2008

    Again, someone spending thousands of dollars on a useless item. It’s not like they can keep it forever. Why don’t they give that money to charity instead?!?!?! Stupid rich people!

  2. #2. bb on June 8th, 2008

    i saw this on the news!
    there are still some more that will be sold to people…not for $6100, but still a high price.

  3. #3. Yein Jee on June 8th, 2008

    Emilie… rich people got too many money to spend. It’s not fair saying that they should spend all their extra money to charity (would be nice though)… chances are some of these rich folks are doing more charitable work than most people despite their regular splurghing.

  4. #4. kyon on June 11th, 2008

    total madness….. i won’t spend $61 on a watermelon, can’t even imagine for $6100.

  5. #5. USD920 for a bunch of premium grapes in Japan | YeinJee's Asian Journal on August 13th, 2008

    [...] Check out some expensive melons as well… the Yubari melons and the Densuke watermelons. [...]

  6. #6. honghonghong on December 11th, 2008

    Maybe these are holy watermelon…..who knows.


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