Sun Fuji

Sun Fuji / サンふじ りんご

Iwate Sun Fuji apples are not the same as the standard marketplace Fuji. This variety is grown in extremely specific conditions where the apple farmers of Iwate carefully remove the leaves surrounding each fruit and turn the apples by hands to make sure each one receives sunlight from all directions. As a result, each apple develops a consistent, deep shade of crimson and an even richer and sweeter flavour with a refreshingly delicate texture.

Sun Fuji apples are known to form bright glassy cores at the peak of their ripeness. This is a sign of especially high concentrations of a natural sugar alcohol, called sorbitol, within the fruit. Iwate Sun Fuji apples are the most well known for this particular quality. Referred to as “mittsuiri 蜜入り” or a “honey core”, it is regarded as a sign of the fruits reaching the peak of their sweetness. The honey core does eventually disappear; however, the sweetness stays the same as it is at the time of harvest.

Unlike many apples which are harvested before fully ripe, the apple growers of Iwate wait patiently until the flavours of their fruit are at their peak before they start picking them. Additionally, unlike conventionally grown apples, Iwate Sun Fuji apples are not sprayed with any preservative wax. This way, even when sold at the market, the apples will always taste as sweet and natural as if they were picked off the tree only seconds before the first bite.

[Note] As these apples are free of artificial waxing, in order to keep their freshness and crisp texture, they must be kept refrigerated.