Strawberry Picking in Japan: Season, How to Reserve, Etiquette and Where to Go

Rows of strawberry plants on raised beds in a long plastic greenhouse, with ripe red berries hanging at hand height — A strawberry picking greenhouse in Hamamatsu (Shizuoka), with the berries grown on raised beds at hand heightPhoto: Ana Paula Hirama · CC BY-SA 2.0 · Photo details

Strawberry picking (ichigo-gari) is one of Japan's favorite winter and spring outings: you walk into a warm greenhouse on a cold day, pick ripe berries straight from the plant and eat them on the spot. It is easy to enjoy even if you have never been to a farm, but it has its own way of working: many farms take bookings in advance, picking is usually timed, and a farm can close for the day once the ripe berries are gone. This guide covers the season in well-known areas, how booking works, the rules farms ask visitors to follow, and how to go if you don't speak Japanese, using official farm, tourism and government pages.

This page may contain affiliate links. If you buy through them, we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.

The season runs from winter to spring: in the areas we checked, picking starts in December or January and ends in May
Many farms take bookings online or by phone, and some also let you in first come, first served on the day
Picking is often all-you-can-eat within a time limit (30 or 40 minutes at the farms we checked), and farms close early once the ripe berries run out
Check the farm's calendar just before you go: open days depend on how the strawberries are growing
Most farm pages and booking forms are in Japanese; a day tour from Tokyo or Osaka is the easiest way in if you don't speak Japanese

When is strawberry season in Japan?

Japanese strawberries are grown in greenhouses, so the picking season is winter to spring, not summer. Japan's official tourism site (JNTO) says the season in Tochigi is mostly from December to May. The exact start and end depend on the area, the farm and the year:

Strawberry picking season by area

From the official pages listed at the end of this guide (JNTO, Shizuoka City, the Sammu Naruto strawberry association, Saitama Prefecture and the Asuka Tourism Association), checked October 2026.

Best time: Shizuoka City says the berries taste best from around January to February, and that mornings are best because the greenhouses warm up in the afternoon.
Fewer open days in midwinter: in Sammu (Chiba), most farms open only on weekends and holidays in January and February, and more farms open on weekdays in March and April as the berries increase.

How booking works

There is no single booking system: each farm, or each local group of farms, decides how you get in. On the official pages we read, there were three patterns:

Reservation online or by phone. In Asuka (Nara), the Asuka Tourism Association's strawberry picking park takes bookings online and on a dedicated phone line, 0744-54-1115 (+81-744-54-1115 from abroad), open 8:30 to 17:00 Japan time, and tells you which farm to go to when you book.
First come, first served on the day. The Sammu Naruto strawberry association in Chiba says some of its farms take visitors on the day in arrival order, while others also use a reservation system; it recommends booking if you want to be sure to get in.
Fully booked days. JNTO's Tochigi page notes that some farms are fully booked, so confirm the schedule before you go.

From booking to picking

Based on the rules on the official pages of JNTO, the Sammu Naruto strawberry association (Chiba) and the Asuka Tourism Association (Nara), checked October 2026. Rules differ by farm.

Time limits: the Sammu farms allow 40 minutes in the greenhouse, and Asuka offers 30 minutes of all-you-can-eat. JNTO says many farms in Tochigi let you eat as much as you like within a set time.
Farms can close early. The Sammu association says its farms close earlier than their listed hours (10:00 to 15:00) once all the ripe strawberries have been eaten, and that picking ends when the day's number of visitors is reached. On weekends and holidays the day's berries often run out by the afternoon, so go in the morning.
Prices change through the season and differ by farm, so check the farm's own price list when you book.

Etiquette: the rules farms ask you to follow

These rules come from the Sammu Naruto strawberry association's English page and its Japanese FAQ, and from a Sammu farm's page on Chiba Prefecture's official tourism site. Other farms have similar rules, but always follow the staff on the day:

Pick only ripe strawberries, and don't take strawberries out of the greenhouse. JNTO notes that some farms sell strawberries at their own shop if you want some to take home.
Don't step over the plants or run in the greenhouse, and don't touch the bee boxes or the ventilation fans.
Avoid high heels and hard-soled shoes, which can damage the plastic sheets on the ground.
Children must come with a parent, and pets can't come into the greenhouses because they handle food.
Want condensed milk? Some farms provide it; if you want to bring your own, ask at reception first.
A picking tip from Shizuoka City: choose berries that are red right up to the stem.

Where to go

Strawberries are grown all over Japan. These areas are well known for picking and have official information you can check:

Tochigi: farms are spread across the prefecture, including the popular tourist areas of Nikko (Tochigi) and Nasu (Tochigi), according to JNTO. Its page lists varieties such as Tochiotome and Skyberry.
Kuno Strawberry Coast Road, Shizuoka City (Shizuoka): many strawberry farms line the coast road near Mt. Kuno (Kunozan), growing "stone wall strawberries" (ishigaki ichigo) on sloping stone walls that store the sun's heat. Shizuoka City says picking runs from around December to May; the main varieties are Akihime, Benihoppe and Kirapika, a variety grown only in Shizuoka. Hours and closing days differ by farm, so check with the farm directly.
Sammu (Chiba): Chiba Prefecture has about 100 strawberry picking farms. Picking areas include Naruto in Sammu City, where the local association's farms open from late December to mid-May. The Sammu association has an English page.
Yoshimi (Saitama): Saitama Prefecture's page for the roadside station (michi-no-eki, a highway rest stop with a farm shop) Ichigo no Sato Yoshimi says it offers paid strawberry picking from January to May.
Near Osaka: Asuka (Nara): the Asuka Tourism Association's site lists a strawberry picking park with 17 farms in Asuka village, in Nara Prefecture. In the 2026 season it was open from January 10 to May 31, with 30 minutes of all-you-can-eat Asuka Ruby strawberries, from 10:00 to 16:00 (last entry 15:30).

Tips for visitors who don't speak Japanese

Expect Japanese-only pages. Most of the official pages we read for this guide were in Japanese only. A browser's translate function helps you read opening days and prices, but you may need help to fill in a Japanese booking form.
Phone booking: Japanese farm numbers start with 0. From a foreign phone, drop the 0 and add +81 (for example, 0744-54-1115 becomes +81-744-54-1115). Call during Japan's daytime and expect to speak Japanese.
Ask someone to help. The Sammu association says there is no English interpreter in its town and recommends coming with a Japanese speaker. Your hotel's front desk may be able to help you call.
Or join a tour. A day tour books the farm for you and handles transport, which is the simplest choice if the language or a car is a problem. Read what is included: on the Mount Fuji tour above, the page notes that depending on ripeness and the weather, strawberries may be laid out for you to eat instead of picked.
Dress for a warm greenhouse on a cold day. Wear layers you can take off; our guide to what to wear in Japan in winter helps, and our month-by-month guide shows what else is on in winter and spring.

Ready to pick? If you can read Japanese or have help, check your farm's calendar and book early, especially for weekends. If you'd rather leave the booking to someone else, book the Mount Fuji Yeti ski and strawberry picking day trip from Tokyo on Klook (affiliate link), rated 4.9 from 20 reviews with 400+ booked. The page says it isn't recommended for guests over 70 or pregnant guests, and that traffic can change the return time.

Last reviewed: October 19, 2026. Seasons, opening days and booking rules change every year; please check the farm's own page before you go.