Arakawa Peaches: Farm Stands, Mail Order and Season

Overview

Arakawa peaches are a brand fruit grown in Momoyama, Kinokawa City, whose well-drained soil and mild climate make it the leading peach district of Wakayama — itself the top producer in western Japan. Cultivation here is said to date to 1782, and generations of breeding have shaped today's fruit. 'Arakawa peach' is a trademark covering many varieties grown in the district, which is why the season is unusually long: roughly mid-June to mid-August.

Early varieties like Hanayome and Momoyama Hakuho open the season in June, giving way to Hakuho and, in high summer, Shimizu Hakuto and Kawanakajima Hakuto — Hakuho and Shimizu Hakuto being the mainstays. The article maps recommended farm stands, among them the JA Kinosato Momoyama Speciality Center and the Arakawa Daiichi Peach Growers' stand marked by a giant peach-shaped sign, plus Toto-an, a grower-run sweets shop famous for peach gelato and parfaits. It also lists popular mail-order picks — juicy Hakuho, firm large-fruited Kawanakajima Hakuto, and sweet, low-acid Hikawa Hakuho — and notes that the peaches feature among Kinokawa City's furusato-nozei thank-you gifts.