This year, I visited the Yubari Melon direct sales store "Peeple" in Yubari City in search of the Yubari Melon, which is currently in season. Unfortunately, it was not for myself but as a gift for a business associate outside the region. The Yubari Melon has two types of selection criteria: "Kyosen" and "Kosen" (this is a national standard, not just for Yubari Melons). They are graded based on sugar content, size, etc. "Kyosen" is like the approval of the agricultural cooperative, further divided into "Special Excellent, Excellent, Good, Fair." "Kyosen" melons have a Hokkaido-shaped seal, with "Special Excellent" in wooden boxes and the rest in white boxes for shipping. On the other hand, "Kosen" melons have an oval seal and brown boxes, slightly cheaper. Some melons with high sugar content may be classified as "Kosen" based on appearance criteria. I purchased a "Kyosen Excellent" melon. "Special Excellent" melons are hard to come by, so I settled for "Excellent," but even those are in short supply this year due to the cold weather during Golden Week. The price has also increased, from around 4,500 yen per melon last year to just under 6,000 yen this year. If the weather is affecting the harvest, then it's understandable. I hope to visit again next year.

I visited the Yubari Melon direct sales store "Pierple" in Yubari City, known for its delicious Yubari Melons. In addition to melons, they also sell vegetables and fruits, and according to their Twitter, they also offer melon smoothies. There is a restaurant next to the direct sales store, but it seems to be closed at the moment. I decided to send Yubari Melons to my business partners in the Chugoku region of Japan because I wanted to share the deliciousness. Yubari Melons have two types, "Kyosen" and "Kosen," which are graded based on sugar content and size. The "Kyosen" melons have the Co-op's approval and are further divided into "Tokushu," "Shu," "Yu," and "Ryo" grades. The melons are shipped in white boxes with a Hokkaido-shaped seal. On the other hand, "Kosen" melons have an oval seal and brown boxes, and are slightly cheaper. I bought the recommended "Kyosen Shu 4 pieces (8kg)" for 18,000 yen (excluding shipping). There was also a 5-piece option for the same price, but larger melons tend to be more appreciated. The taste, however, may differ. I also bought some nostalgic "Gooseberries" for 300 yen, which used to grow wild in the area. Back at work, my colleagues didn't enjoy the Gooseberries as much, but I savored them myself.

After finishing lunch with friends and sending them off to Chitose Station, I had some time to spare before my evening appointment in Chitose. I decided to wander around and thought about getting some dessert. I headed towards an ice cream shop, but it was extremely crowded, so I made a U-turn in the parking lot. As I was heading to another shop, I saw a blue sign pointing towards "Yubari." Ah, yes, Chitose and Yubari are close by. Oh, Yubari means melons at this time of year! Better than ice cream, right? Another U-turn. I remembered a shop I had seen on Twitter and used my GPS to find it. Although I have been to Hokkaido many times, this was my first time in Yubari. As my car entered the Yubari area, I saw rows of seemingly abandoned apartment buildings that I had seen on the news. However, there were melon flags and signs leading to the roadside station, brightening up the desolate roads. The shop I was looking for was in the opposite direction of the roadside station. When I arrived, I was surprised to see many cars parked and a decent number of people inside the shop. I entered the shop with my mask on, and the sweet, slightly musky scent of melons filled my mask. I complimented the nice smell to the staff, and they replied, "Really? I guess I'm used to it and don't notice anymore." They were friendly. They told me various things about Yubari melons and I ended up buying two for myself. After paying, I decided to also buy a cut melon. It was cold and refreshing, and when I took a bite, it was fragrant and delicious. I was given some cherry tomatoes to eat on the way back, and they also brought out some pickled melon, which was delicious. It was pickled by a local grandmother, and it had a satisfying crunch and perfect saltiness. The melons I ordered arrived quickly, and while they may not have been the best melons, they were incredibly delicious and a little luxury for me. It was so tasty!

Yubari melon smoothie! Apparently you can only taste it here. Feeling lucky! Delicious!

I came to Yubari, so of course I had to eat this. There is a cafe-like place on the second floor, but it is closed. There are tables and chairs in the direct sales area on the first floor where you can eat. There are delivery slips on the table, but... A 1/4 cut of cold Yubari melon for 500 yen. The perfectly ripe melon was absolutely delicious. It was a great memory of the trip. It's located between the Coal Museum and the Yellow Handkerchief Square, so it might be a good place for a quick break. Thank you for the meal.

Arrived at Chitose Airport in the morning! Rented a car and headed straight to Yubari Melon Road. Visited a few places and decided to buy melons from Piipuru. The staff recommended melons from a local farmer. Bought 5 Yubari melons and had one cut on the spot. The fully ripe Yubari melon was delicious and fragrant. It was a cold day, so the melon was nicely chilled without needing a refrigerator. Shared some with friends and the car smelled wonderful with the scent of melon. The melons were super ripe and tasty!

I went to Yubari City. It's the Yubari Melon direct sales store, Pi~puru, located near the Kanoya Station. This shop was listed as a yakiniku restaurant on Tabelog. I visited to check the facts and also to buy some ripe melons. I drove there again this time. The parking lot is next to the shop. Most customers park in front of the shop... it's peaceful in Yubari. The Yubari Melon direct sales outlets are scattered from the southern Momijiyama area to the historic coal village area. No matter where you buy, it's not all the same, dear. There are reasons why some melons are cheap and some are expensive. This shop strikes a perfect balance, so I buy for gifts, home consumption, dividing the purchase every year. Yubari melons are broadly divided into Kyosen (white box) and Kosen (brown box), with Kyosen being of higher grade. But that's not to say Kosen melons are bad. There are farmers who grow delicious Kosen melons that can rival Kyosen melons. It might be worth aiming for these dark horse melons. Catchy special sale melons are displayed in the store. The stock of these may vary depending on the season and weather, so please check in advance. If you're lucky to find them in stock, it's quite lucky. The price is less than a quarter of what it would be in Sapporo... However, many of them are best eaten on the day you buy them. As you go further back, the luxury level increases. Yubari melons are ranked as Tokushu (Special) → Shu (Excellent) → Yu (Superior) → Ryo (Good). This ranking is based on appearance (how the net is placed), sugar content, etc. Since it's a fruit, time and price are closely related. I strongly recommend buying proper melons by actually visiting the direct sales outlet. Especially for gifts or when the person ordering doesn't specify, I think it's important. Now, about the main topic of the yakiniku restaurant, they were closed due to being busy with melons. It's run by an elderly couple at the direct sales outlet. It's understandable. This time, I'll leave an off-use review. For tourists, bikers on tours, choosing melons that never disappoint can be done here. I've seen a lot, but in the end, it's always here for me (^^♪ I enjoyed it very much this time too. Thank you very much.