Obara will apply for a new Guinness World Record for the most leaves on a clover stem, currently held by none other than Obara himself since 2002. He also made headlines last year with a 21-leaf clover which he didn’t apply for a record.

Meanwhile, a pair of Yubari melons were auctioned for 500,000 yen (US$5,200) at Sapporo Central Wholesale Market… seems expensive, but it’s far below the record 2.5 million yen fetched in 2008 or the previous record of 2 million yen in 2007.

Yubari melons are popular summer gifts in Japan; buyers would flock to the market for the prestige of winning the very first melons of the year.

Yubari official Kaoru Hirano seems happy with the deflated price though, saying that the previous records were giving misconception that the Yubari melons were too expensive for average folks.

[clover image from Kyodo][melon news via MSNBC]

56-leaf clover and cheaper Yubari melons in Japan from YeinJee's Asian Journal

Stanley Ho and his winning piece
(Image via Xinhuanet)

Macau casino mogul Stanley Ho was the highest bidder for the 1.08-kg white truffle. The tycoon was also the highest bidder for last year’s largest truffle, a 1.5-kg piece that fetched a record $330,000.

Truffle is a precious ingredient in Italian and French gourmet for its pungent aroma and taste. White truffle is considered the best truffle; a kilogram of normal size white truffle could cost over $5000.

A total of $284k were raised from this auction event, with a few smaller truffle being sold as well. The money will be donated to selected charities in the cities that held the synchronised auction.

Read the rest of this post »

Giant truffle sold for USD200k from YeinJee's Asian Journal

These expensive grapes are a new variety called the Ruby Roman; nurtured by the Kaga Fruit Land in Ishikawa. It’s said to be the largest grapes in Japan, about 3cm in diameter. The average price for the Ruby Romans at Monday’s auction was about 27,000 yen ($248) per bunch. [via Nikkei]

The Ruby Roman grapes (Image from Rubyroman and Chunichi)

Check out some other expensive Japanese fruits… the Yubari cantaloupes and the Densuke watermelons.

USD920 for a bunch of premium grapes in Japan from YeinJee's Asian Journal

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]

$6,100 for a Densuke black watermelon from YeinJee's Asian Journal

Yubari melons are known for their high quality and sweet taste, and are popular summer gifts in Japan; an average Yubari melon could cost USD50-100.

Giving gifts to corporate partners and clients is a traditional Japanese business custom. It’s usually done twice a year in mid-winter and again in mid-summer.

USD23,800 for a pair of Yubari melons from YeinJee's Asian Journal

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 [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 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.

$16,000 USD for a pair of Yubari melons from YeinJee's Asian Journal