It's almost the season. "Akatsuki", which was born in Fukushima, has a special sweetness and aroma.

Fukushima City is a "fruit kingdom" blessed with rich soil and climate, where a variety of fruits grow every season. Peaches, which are at their peak from July to September, are the prefecture's most representative agricultural product. At this time of year, various varieties of peaches such as ''Akatsuki'', ''Gyosei'', and ''Hatsuhime'' are lined up in stores with their sweet fragrance.

The northern region of the prefecture, including Fukushima City, is especially popular for fruit cultivation. In the past, the sericulture industry flourished in this area, and mulberry fields spread around the area. However, after World War II, demand for the silk industry decreased and the sericulture industry also shrank. As a result, many of the mulberry fields were converted to fruit orchards. Furthermore, the birth of Akatsuki, which is now widely cultivated in the prefecture, established the image of Fukushima as a peach producing area.

Akatsuki is a brand of peach that was developed in Fukushima and is ready to eat from late July to August. After many years of research, this popular variety was created by crossing Hakuto and Hakuho. The fruit is large, aromatic, and has a strong sweet taste. The flesh is dense and hard, and the juice overflows the moment you bite into it. Locals love these sweet and "hard" peaches.

During the season, they are sold at roadside stations and direct farm markets, so be sure to try them out.