Yayoihime is a strawberry variety developed in Gunma Prefecture. The berries are known for their large size, firm flesh, and well-balanced combination of rich sweetness and moderate tartness.
They are also particularly juicy, filling the mouth with the familiar sweet flavor of ripe strawberries with every bite. At the same time, their refreshing acidity creates a clean finish, preventing the sweetness from feeling overly heavy.
The name “Yayoihime” comes from Yayoi, the traditional Japanese name for the month of March. The variety was given this name because March is around the peak of its shipping season.
Developed as a signature strawberry of Gunma, Yayoihime has since become known and cultivated beyond the prefecture.
One of the defining features of Yayoihime is its large fruit, with individual strawberries weighing around 20 grams. Their firm flesh gives them a satisfying texture when eaten, while also contributing to relatively good keeping quality compared with softer varieties.
The berries combine a vivid strawberry flavor with a pleasantly firm texture. They are delicious when eaten fresh on their own and are also well suited to sweets, pastries, and desserts.
The greatest appeal of Yayoihime lies in its balance between sweetness and tartness. Along with abundant juice and plenty of natural sweetness, its moderate acidity provides a refreshing finish.
Rather than offering sweetness alone, Yayoihime retains the fresh and lively flavor characteristic of strawberries. This balanced taste has made the variety popular with people of many different ages.
Yayoihime was initially cultivated mainly in Gunma Prefecture. As its distinctive flavor gained recognition, it came to be regarded as a promising strawberry variety for wider production, and cultivation outside Gunma was officially permitted from 2008.
Although it retains its identity as a strawberry variety born in Gunma, Yayoihime is now cultivated in other parts of Japan as well, making it one of the prefecture’s best-known agricultural products.
The main season for Yayoihime is from January through around May, with March—the month that inspired its name—typically marking the peak of the shipping season.
Coming into season from winter through spring, Yayoihime offers an appealing combination of brightly colored, large berries, abundant sweetness, and refreshing acidity. It is a distinctive strawberry variety that brings a taste of Gunma to tables both within and beyond the prefecture.