Bijin-hime, meaning “Beautiful Princess,” is a premium strawberry variety developed in Gifu Prefecture. Some fruits weigh more than 80 grams, making them as large as small persimmons. Great care is taken to perfect their size, shape, and color, resulting in strawberries that are as impressive in appearance as they are in flavor.
Bijin-hime was created through selective breeding of Nohime, a strawberry variety originally developed in Gifu Prefecture. It retains Nohime’s pronounced sweetness, excellent flavor, and firm texture, which helps the fruit withstand transportation.
These qualities are combined with a distinctive, almost translucent texture, a delicate strawberry aroma, and a gentle natural sweetness that spreads across the palate. Bijin-hime has attracted considerable media attention and is sometimes described as a “miracle strawberry.” Individual berries are said to command prices of up to 50,000 yen, placing them among Japan’s most luxurious strawberries.
At the direct-sales shop of Okuda Farm in Masaki-cho, Hashima City, Gifu Prefecture, visitors can enjoy these exceptional strawberries more accessibly. Prices are set according to the size of each fruit, and the farm also sells processed products made with Bijin-hime, including jam, juice, and gelato.
Okuda Farm also offers strawberry-picking experiences from January through early May. During this limited season, visitors may have the opportunity to taste exceptionally large strawberries that are not ordinarily available through regular market distribution.
Bijin-hime strawberries are particularly associated with the winter-to-early-spring season, with January, February, and March being especially good months to enjoy them. For strawberry enthusiasts, a visit to Gifu during this period offers a chance to discover one of Japan’s most distinctive premium fruit varieties.