Gamagori Orange Park: A day of Fruit-Picking in Gamagori, Japan
Welcome to Gamagori Orange Park
Nestled in the mountains of Gamagori in Aichi Prefecture is where you can find the oasis that is the Gamagori Orange Park. Loved by locals and tourists, this park boasts of fun-filled activities making it a one-stop destination for a much-needed getaway.
Asari Kamambushi Gozen, our lunch at Gamagori’s restaurant. Itadakimasu!
We arrived at the Gamagori Orange Park to have lunch. Known for their fruit farms, the park also houses a spacious in-house restaurant that can accommodate 1000 people at a time, perfect for those who plan to visit in big groups. We had their specialty Asari Kamambushi Gozen (¥ 1,296), a set meal that consists of Asari Kamameshi (steamed rice with clams), Sanma Kabayaki (Pacific saury fish broiled in sweet sauce), Gamagori udon, eggplant and Huki, mentai sardine, and vegetables. It was my first time to try these kinds of food and it was truly filling.
The Greenhouse, where the sunberries are housed
After lunch, we took a 5-minute coaster ride to their Strawberry Farm. We went to Japan in December, so there were only a number of red strawberries to be picked. When we arrived, the farm caretaker each gave us a tub of condensed milk where we can dip our freshly-picked strawberries (called Sun-berry Gamagori) in. It was also my first time to pick strawberries by myself, and I found out that it was fairly easy: just hold the fruit, bend the stem a bit, and pull. The Greenhouse is wide enough for all of us to choose our own spot, so we went to where the redder and ripened ones bloomed.
These bright red strawberries are the sweetest I’ve ever tasted!
Prior to my experience in Gamagori, I was not a fan of eating strawberries. But right after I got to taste these ones, I knew that I was going to pick and eat more. The strawberries were indeed delicious, and I’m not kidding when I say that these are the sweetest-tasting strawberries I’ve ever had in my lifetime. There are actually two types of strawberries grown in Gamagori: the Akihime and Yumenoka. Akihime is the sweet type without any hint of sourness, while the latter has a balance of sweet and tart. Based on what I tried, I picked the Akihime type which was sweet.
When dipped in condensed milk, it makes the strawberries more flavorful. It’s no wonder why Gamagori strawberries are very popular in Japan. It was the perfect fruity dessert after a filling meal.
Gamagori Orange Park bursting with fruits in season!
We made a quick stop to the Orange Park where all the trees were bursting with oranges ready to be picked. Gamagori Orange Park is one of the largest in Japan, which explains the bountiful harvest of oranges that are distributed to markets around the country. These are oranges are also being used to make orange-based products such as juices and jams.
If you’re looking to buy souvenirs to bring home, Gamagori Orange Park has a shop where you can buy their fresh fruit produces such as strawberries and oranges. You’ll also find cute stuffed toys and collectibles for the kids.
Apart from orange and strawberries, Gamagori Orange Park also offers grape and melon-picking. Check out the following dates to place a reservation!
Strawberry-picking Season: January to May
Grape-picking Season: May to October
Orange-picking Season: October to December
Melon-picking Season: June to September
*Reservations are required at least one week prior to visiting this park.
Details:
Address: 1-93 Ogurimi, Seida-Cho, Gamagori-Shi, Aichi, Japan
Contact: 0533-68-2321
Operating Hours: 9 am to 5 pm daily
Website: http://www.orepa.jp/
Email: mail@orepa.jp
Available Facilities: Restaurant, Souvenir Shop, Escalator, Multipurpose toilet, free use of Parking lot
How to get here: Gamagori Orange Park is just 15 minutes away from JR Gamagori Station. If using private vehicles, it’s just 5 minutes from the Otowa-Gamagori Interchange on Tomei Expressway
Written by Jastine Valeriano
