A Common Fruit in Korea, but in Japan It’s So Prized It Gets Stolen: Shine Muscat Grapes Become a Social Issue

Shine Muscat Prices Surge Ahead of Obon
Driven by Demand for Luxury Fruit Gifts and Ritual Offerings
A Series of Thefts Target Orchards Awaiting Harvest

In Japan, a series of thefts targeting the premium grape variety 'Shine Muscat' has become a social issue.

In Japan, a series of thefts targeting the premium grape variety 'Shine Muscat' has become a social issue. Getty Images

According to local media outlets such as Nittere News on August 10, the market price of Shine Muscat grapes at supermarkets in Tokyo has risen by more than 30% compared to the same period last year, as the 'Obon' holiday, one of Japan's major annual celebrations (held around August 15), approaches. This surge is attributed to increased demand for premium fruit gifts and offerings for ancestral rites.

A woman in her forties who purchased a pack of Shine Muscat grapes for about 1,600 yen (approximately 14,000 won) commented, "It's a bit expensive, so I hesitated, but it feels worthwhile since I can offer it to my ancestors and my child can also enjoy them."

However, as Shine Muscat prices have increased, thefts targeting orchards just before harvest have been occurring more frequently. At an orchard in Sano, Tochigi Prefecture, about 400 bunches of Shine Muscat grapes were stolen from three greenhouses between July 25 and August 5. The damage is estimated at approximately 800,000 yen (about 710,000 won). The perpetrator is believed to have cut and taken the grape clusters from a blind spot inside the orchard.

Shine Muscat. Getty Images

In Kofu, Yamanashi Prefecture, about 50 bunches of Shine Muscat grapes awaiting harvest were also stolen this month. In addition, in Okayama Prefecture, a 40-year-old man was arrested on charges of stealing about 200 bunches of Shine Muscat grapes, causing damages of around 400,000 yen (approximately 355,000 won). Police suspect that the stolen Shine Muscat grapes were sold over the internet and are investigating the details.

Farmers, who lost grapes they had devoted a year to cultivating in an instant, are taking it upon themselves to strengthen their own security, patrolling their fields by staying overnight in vehicles and enhancing their vigilance. The farm affected in Tochigi Prefecture appealed, "Having worked so hard for a year to grow them, the only thing we can say is to please stop stealing."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.