As a devoted scholar of Japan, I’ve read all of the important works of modern Japanese history.
A recurring theme in all such works is the gift melon.
For those not as studied, gift melons are fairly non-descript cantaloupes that are packaged in wooden boxes and then sold for outrageous prices. They are useful as gifts not because they are tasty, although I’m sure they are, but because the recipient knows exactly how much the gift cost.
I had figured that gift melons were some sort of Bubble artifact, surely long since disappeared from the Japanese landscape. No such luck. I spotted one in an Ebisu “fruit parlor” — shaky cameraphone pics below. The most expensive melon is $150 (but get 2 for $250! buy now!).
Other melon links:
je suis vraiment interesser par ce que vous fait.
Posted by: dakossi at March 4, 2004 3:52 AM