For many people, the winter season means snow, skiing, hot cocoa and other cold-weather activities. For some, it means time to enjoy some of Japan's delicious strawberries.
Every year around this time, crowds flock to the countryside for strawberry picking on farms and in greenhouses, where for a one-time fee you can pick and eat all you can. This activity is a popular pastime on the weekends for those trying to get out of the city and breathe fresh air while scarfing down some berries.
Flying Strawberries Tokyo is about a 7-minute walk from Nishifu Station and when you enter, you're immediately taken by the sight of red berries hanging from the plant beds in rows at waist level and in rows hanging from above. The greenhouse rotates the planters daily, so the strawberry crops have a rest to grow from the previous day's pickings.
Reservations are required for 90 minutes of picking at 1,500 yen per adult/1,200 yen per child ages three and up (weekdays) and 1,800 yen per adult/1,500 yen per child (weekends). The fee covers your first 200 grams of strawberries and a small serving of condensed milk, a favorite in Japan to dip your berries into. If you pick over 200 grams, an additional fee is charged at the counter by weight. Visitors can also enjoy unlimited drinks like hot tea, coffee, juice and water from the drink bar stations in the café area.
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