2024 Hokuryu-machi Melon and Watermelon Festival" was held! Almost all the melons were sold out in about 30 minutes!

Monday, August 5, 2024

The 2024 Hokuryu-machi Melon and Watermelon Festival was held on August 3 (Sat.) from 08:30 at the fruit-sorting area of the JA Kitasorachi Hokuryu Branch Office's produce collection and shipping facility. Many people visited the festival and it was a great success!

2024 Hokuryu-machi Melon and Watermelon Festival" melon direct sales event

Long line of people lined up from 5:30 a.m.

Even though the event started at 8:30 a.m., there was a long line of people lined up even before the event began, with some customers lining up as early as 5:30 a.m.

A long line of people lined up even before the restaurant opened!
A long line of people lined up even before the restaurant opened!

800 boxes sold out in the first 30 minutes of the direct sales event

The 800 boxes of melons prepared for the event were almost sold out in 30 minutes.

Hokuryu melons are very popular for their refreshing sweetness and melting texture!
This year, the grapes boasted a sugar content of 17.2 degrees, a level of sweetness rarely seen in recent years, and were very popular!

800 boxes available
800 boxes available
1 box of Sunflower melons (5 excellent melons) 6,000 yen, 1 box of Sunflower melons (4 extra-elite melons) 4,000 yen
1 box of Sunflower melons (5 excellent melons) 6,000 yen, 1 box of Sunflower melons (4 extra-elite melons) 4,000 yen
Gift box (2 balls large) 3,500 yen
Gift box (2 balls large) 3,500 yen

Purchase several boxes at once

Many people purchased several boxes at once to deliver the local seasonal taste to their relatives and acquaintances! Because quantities were limited, everyone was eager to be the first to buy!

The stacked melon boxes were gone in no time, and the line of customers waiting in line for shipping procedures continued.

Fill out the Sending Procedure Form
Fill out the Sending Procedure Form
scrambling to be the first to buy
scrambling to be the first to buy
Buy several boxes in bulk
Buy several boxes in bulk

Hokuryu Melon Producers' Association, agricultural cooperative employees, etc., helping to transport the melons.

People carrying boxes to their cars
People carrying boxes to their cars
Hokuryu Melon Growers Association producers helping with transportation
Hokuryu Melon Growers Association producers helping with transportation

Nationwide shipping available

Shipping Procedure Corner
Shipping Procedure Corner

Special sales of marine products from Hamatombetsu Town

Frozen hairy crabs" and "frozen scallops," Hamatombetsu's marine products, were sold one after another.

Hairy Crab & Scallops in Hamatombetsu Town
Hairy Crab & Scallops in Hamatombetsu Town
Frozen Hairy Crab
Frozen Hairy Crab

JA Okinawa's processed tangerine products (juice, jelly, etc.)

Also on display were JA Okinawa's processed products such as "Seekwasa Juice" and "Pineapple Konnyaku Jelly," which are unique to Okinawa.

JA Okinawa's processed products
JA Okinawa's processed products
Konnyaku jelly (pineapple, mango, and seekwasser)
Konnyaku jelly (pineapple, mango, and seekwasser)
Juice (mandarin orange, pineapple, seekwasser)
Juice (mandarin orange, pineapple, seekwasser)
Sunflower Seed Presents
Sunflower Seed Presents

Melons that have grown too big, limited to 5 boxes, 1,500 yen per ball

Melon that got too chilly
Melon that got too chilly

Gara-pon Grand Drawing

At the "Gara-pon Grand Lottery" where visitors can win specialties from Hokuryu Town, they can play Gara-pon one time for 5,000 yen, and the special prize is the "Hokuryu Town Special Set" with 5 kg of Himawari Rice Yumepirika, two Hokuryu melons or two Hokuryu watermelons as the big prize!

Garapon lottery site
Garapon lottery site
I hope you win!
I hope you win!

Mayor Sasaki's pep talk visit & helping customers transport melons

Mayor Yasuhiro Sasaki also paid a pep talk visit and helped customers carry their luggage to their cars!

Mayor Sasaki himself helping to carry the luggage
Mayor Sasaki himself helping to carry the luggage
Welcoming Guests
Welcoming Guests

Proactive communication with everyone

They engaged in active communication with many people, including people from Hamatombetsu, JA staff, and local residents.

We had a great conversation with the people of Hamatombetsu Town!
We had a great conversation with the people of Hamatombetsu Town!

A nostalgic conversation with Hirotaka Okubo, Executive Director of JA Kitasorachi

The participants also enjoyed a nostalgic conversation with JA Kitasorachi Executive Director Hirotaka Okubo (former head of the Hokuryu Branch Office of JA Kitasorachi)!
The participants also enjoyed a nostalgic conversation with JA Kitasorachi Executive Director Hirotaka Okubo (former head of the Hokuryu Branch Office of JA Kitasorachi)!

Meet and greet with Teppei Kobayashi, a trainee from the agricultural cooperative HONOKA

Greeting Mr. Teppei Kobayashi (2nd year graduate student in the Agricultural Civil Engineering Department), a trainee at the Honoka Agricultural Cooperative Association
Meet and greet with Teppei Kobayashi, a trainee from Honoka Agricultural Cooperative, a second-year graduate student in agricultural engineering related fields.

By 9:00 a.m., most of the 800 boxes were sold out!

By 9:00, most of the products had been sold out.
By 9:00, most of the products had been sold out.

With boundless love, gratitude, and prayers for the Hokuryu Sunflower Melon Festival, where you can taste the exquisite taste of Hokuryu Sunflower Melon, the king of summer fruits, a specialty of Hokuryu Town, when beautiful sunflowers are in full bloom in the Sunflower Village.

Rice paddies full of the vitality of the rice spirit
Rice paddies full of the vitality of the rice spirit

Youtube Video

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◇ Photography and Editing: Noboru Terauchi Reporting and Writing: Ikuko Terauchi

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