Yubari King is a hybrid type of cantaloupe that only grows in Shizuoka Prefecture in central Japan. The fruits require constant care. Apart from standard thorough care, each of them is wrapped in a special paper as they grow to maintain the perfect mesh pattern. They are then massaged and polished by hand daily. Only melons that look flawless and that contain a certain percentage of sugar are classified as premium, and that is usually only one melon out of 1,000. That’s the very melon that will go on the market as Yubari King.

When I got married someone gave my wife and I one of these melons. It was all wrapped up and pretty. I was like... “great, a cantaloupe.” My wife and her family just gushed. My MIL put it on the counter for a couple of days and then she opened it up. Seriously, OMG it was the best fruit I’ve ever had. The one we had was green inside and it tasted like the sweetest candy. I really wanted to lick the plate.