Japanese Are Off Their Melons

Today I visited Midtown Tokyo, a new upmarket mall in the ritzy neighborhood of Roppongi. It opened just a week ago, so it's brand spanking new, and really ritzy. You all have upmarket malls where you live, so I won't bore you with the details. I'll focus on Sun Fruits.

Now I've spent perhaps a little too much of this blog on fruit and fruit prices and poop (there is a causal relationship), but this will be hard to beat.


Sun Fruits looks more like a jewelry store than a fruit shop. There is security and salespeople in suits will help you decide which fruit is right for you. I didn't actually see anyone chat with the check-out chicks, who only seem to be there to package the fruit you and your sales assistant decide on.

The fruit is well-presented on glass shelves. There is a refrigerator at the back of the store where the expensive fruit is stored. This is locked, but your sales assistant is more than happy to unlock it once you have made your selection.


Now I thought I had hit the jackpot when I found this mango that you can take home for the princely sum of $180 US (or $221 Aus). The thing is, I expect mangos to be fairly fragrant and this was not. Of course I was not able to squeeze it and shove it under my nose for a really close sniff. Oh, I tried, but the sales woman (in suit, mid-40s, friendly but stern, probably with a hidden katana under her skirt) made it clear I wasn't to touch.




Then I ventured back to the refrigerator and saw what must be the ultimate. A melon. A rock melon. A common cantaloupe that will cost you a buck or two at most, coming in at $352 US ($431 Aus). Here it is. Click on the pic to take a look at the price label of 42,000 Yen if you have any doubts:



Take another moment to think about what you could spend $352US on. A really nice pair of shoes. A weekend away. Your gas bill for half the year. A small TV. Groceries for a couple of weeks.

What's amazing is that there was an empty case next to it, indicating someone had bought one. Now of course people can spend money on whatever they want, but when anyone complains about how Americans and Australians waste money on stupid things, I can offer up the $352 Japanese cantaloupe in our defense. Sorry to sound small-minded, but I just find it obscene.

If there is a more expensive melon in this city, I don't want to know about it, so you can feel confident this ends my outrageously over-priced fruit monologue.