Yamagata Cherries

**Cherry picking technique:** Sato-Nishiki cherries bruise easily; use thumb and forefinger to grasp the stem close to the branch and twist gently upward — the cherry releases cleanly. Do not pull downward (damages branch). The sweetest cherries are highest in the tree where sun exposure is maximum; farms provide stepladders. The traditional Japanese approach is to select cherries deliberately and savor each one slowly rather than speed-eating to maximize volume. **Variety timing:** Different cherry varieties ripen sequentially. Early season (late May-early June): Sato-Nishiki. Mid-season (mid-June): Benishuhou (larger, even sweeter). Late season (late June-early July): Napoleon cherries (firmer, more acidic). If visiting mid-June, you can pick multiple varieties. **Gift cherry purchasing:** Farms sell premium gift boxes of hand-selected cherries (¥3,000-10,000 depending on grade and box size). The top-grade boxes (特秀, tokushu) contain flawless 3L-size cherries with perfect coloring and stems attached — these are Japanese gift standards for business associates and important occasions. If purchasing for personal eating rather than gifting, ask for B-grade (¥1,000-1,500 per kg) — identical flavor, minor cosmetic imperfections. **Season-end bargains:** Final week of cherry season (early July), farms sell cherries at 50% discount to clear remaining inventory before trees finish. Quality is still excellent; just smaller selection. Check farm Facebook pages for end-of-season announcements.