¥550,000 watermelon

Ganbare Japan - you make the high cost of fruit in Japan sound like something to be proud of. Where I'm from, many families have a fruit bowl, where adults and children can help themselves to apples, bananas, peaches, tangerines (mikan) etc., depending on the season, as a cheap and healthy snack when they are hungry. We also had one in an office where I used to work.

Fruit should be an affordable part of everyday life not a luxury to be gloated over.

The only way that thing should be at that price is if there’s ¥549,500 in cash inside.

And here's me waiting for the watermelons to drop below the current ¥1,500 price range..

Fruit is for eating, it’s healthy. People and especially children benefit from plenty of fruit, not for ludicrous displays of more money than sense!

Fruit in Japan are the most expensive in the world, but worth every yen. All organic, no GM or chemical and amazing flavor.

Which is why many Japanese people cannot afford to eat fruits regularly. Instead, I know families who ration fruits, e.g., splitting one tiny fruit among a family of five, simply due to price. Of course, if you've never lived outside of Japan, you would never know that in much of the rest of the world, there is no such government-inflicted fruit/produce/meat/dairy poverty.

There is no Watermelon worth that kind of money even if it is made out of Gold!

Fruit in Japan are the most expensive in the world,I always tell them, it is worth every yen. All organic, no GM or chemical and amazing flavor.

Myths about Japan are best evidenced here. I believe that even similar quality fruits from outside Japan still cannot sell or auction with a fraction of what the Japanese producers and dealers have sold. Obviously, the auction winner did not spend ¥550,000 for a water melon grown with organic stuff and free from chemical and GM. Instead, he or she spent that much for the admiration from his/her peers and above all from maximum media exposure.

Sorry my Math is wrong above. Had not had coffee yet. 549.000. My bad.

Another thing for the ultra wealthy to strut their stuff. Hey, check out my 550.000 man water melon all over Facebook. I am sorry but for that price. There better be a gold bar inside worth 490.000. 1000 For the melon. I do not care what color it is or how it tastes. Or if you cut it and rainbow rays shoot out of the damn thing. A melon is a melon.

It just another buy in for the Japanese wealthy to brag and strut. Total B.S.

Glad the farmer is getting paid though.

I presume that this water melon is not for normal eating. It is possible that the winner of this auction prepared to pay this unbelievable price for a charity purpose and that his/her name is known in a particular circle.

I'll buy one at the local for 2 bucks thank you very much.

Fruit in Japan are the most expensive in the world, but worth every yen. All organic, no GM or chemical and amazing flavor.

No wonder the dude in the middle is grinning like a ninnie.