Things I love about summer in Japan: peaches

With record heatwaves sweeping big chunks of the country over recent days, it's easy for me to get into the mindset that I don't like summers here. I've been trying to shift that by appreciating the little things that make this time of year great, and I was reminded of one by my neighbors! They were in Yamanashi Prefecture over the weekend and picked us up a box of peaches, and I'm convinced that peaches here are better than anywhere else in the world that I've tried.

Fresh, carefully presented, and thoroughly delicious - peaches are one of the highlights of summer here in my eyes!

While I'm on that topic, I also love our local Yairo watermelons, which are grown right here in Minamiuonuma. They're so well-loved that they even feature on the manholes here!

Do you have any favorite seasonal fruits that make summers in Japan bearable? Is your prefecture known for growing any fruits?