3,000 yen for one strawberry... What is ”Japanese strawberry”? A hot topic on US social media

Hot Topic is a type of strawberry that is sold at high-end grocery stores in the United States for close to 3,000 yen per piece. This strawberry is also set to be sold at large supermarkets in South Korea for three consecutive years starting from 2022.
It is a variety that has won the top spot and gained popularity. Recently, according to foreign media such as NBC, influencer Alyssa Antti posted a video on the short video platform
A video of him tasting strawberries, which cost $19 (about 2,800 yen) each, became a hot topic on TikTok. The strawberries are a variety grown in Tochigi Prefecture, Japan.
After being harvested, the fruit was imported to California and is now sold individually packaged at a premium grocery chain in Los Angeles, USA.
Currently, the minimum wage in LA (as of 2025) is $18, and many people say that the price of strawberries, which is nearly $20, is a burden.
Due to the fact that the strawberries are sold out and queues are continuing, the number of strawberries purchased per person is limited to two. Internet users who have tried the strawberries have been arguing over their taste and price.
The question is whether it is worth paying for it. Comments on the video include, "It tastes good, but is it worth $19?" and "Honestly, I've never eaten anything this delicious even among cheap strawberries."
"I've had it stale," "It's over-packaged and wastes plastic," and other reactions were received. As the debate over strawberry prices grew, a spokesperson for the retailer said through the media, "The highest price
"After being harvested in a fresh state, the strawberries are delivered to stores within 24 to 48 hours, which is faster than it takes for California-grown broccoli to be transported to New York," he said. "Fresh Japanese strawberries are
If you can eat it, it's a reasonable price."