This news clip from RTR-Japan highlights the art of growing square watermelons. Harvested on the island of Shikoku in Japan, the melons are grown inside of metal boxes that must be checked several times a day by farmers. It’s the kind of necessary care that results in a low yield of the fruit, with around 200 to 300 being grown in the country per year. The method was originally conceived of as a way to improve the transportation and storage of the fruit, but the shape ultimately comes at the expense of taste.
The most important [thing] is geometric accuracy. Shape is much more important than contents.
Sold purely for ornamental reasons, the flesh is often unripened when the melons hit the market.
