Bananas are very popular among children. They are tasty, reasonably priced, and easy to find, but many people ask, "How do bananas grow? How do you harvest them?"

In Inazawa City, Aichi, there is the “Inazawa Fruit Garden” where you can experience picking bananas in a tropical jungle-like farm. It takes about 40 minutes by car from Nagoya.

In this issue, we will introduce you to the charms of the Inazawa Fruit Garden, where you can experience a tropical atmosphere.

*Information is current at the time of the interview.
Please check the latest information of each facility and store.

Reliable, safe and delicious seasonal fruits
A garden that can be enjoyed all year round

Driving through the peaceful streets of Inazawa City, I saw a yellow signboard and a house with a large triangular roof.

Spacious cafe "Banananbou". In the summer, the cafe is also decorated with banana trees.

Inside the spacious greenhouse is a cafe space called "Banananbo" where you can enjoy sweets made with fruits from the garden. Marche, which attracts many vendors, is currently held on the first Sunday of every month.

A house where you can pick bananas and experience the jungle.

In addition, you can experience banana picking and banana jungle at the house.

Mr. Sato, the deputy director of the park. He will welcome you as Banana Men.

This time, we interviewed Mr. Sato (Banana Men), the deputy director of the park, who welcomed us with a wonderful smile.

– Please give us an overview of the garden.

Mr. Sato: “Inazawa Fruit Garden is now in its fourth year. It is a fruit garden that grows bananas that do not use pesticides. Bananas are the main fruit, but about 20 other kinds of fruits are grown throughout the year.

This is a hands-on facility where visitors can experience fruit while having fun through banana picking, banana jungle, and pizza/waffle decorating experiences.

I am still trying to grow new fruits. Since tropical fruits are sensitive to cold weather, they are difficult to grow and require repeated trial and error. ”

– Please tell us about your commitment to fruit.

Mr. Sato: "We are particular about using pesticide-free cultivation methods as much as possible. We use organic fertilizers. We also do not use herbicides.

The 'San-Shaku bananas' grown at Inazawa Fruit Garden have a stickier texture and richer flavor than ordinary bananas. They are pesticide-free, so you can eat them with their skins intact. We also cut bananas with the peel and use them as toppings for the pizza experience. They are full of nutrients, so I encourage you to try them with the skin on."

Mr. Sato (Banana Men), the deputy director of the park
Guide the inside of the park!

Mr. Sato, the deputy director of the park, and San-shaku Banana.

Let's ask Mr. Sato, the deputy director of the park, to show us around the park!

Mr. Sato will be appointed as the new representative in January 2023. As a banana men, I guide banana picking & banana jungle experiences. It comes with easy-to-understand and polite explanations, so it is attractive that there is a lot to learn.

When you enter the house where there is a jungle, you will be greeted by a big banana tree. From the moment you enter the house, you will feel like you are in a tropical jungle, and the excitement will never stop!

The center of the farm is lined with San-shaku banana trees.

This is the San-shaku banana that is mainly cultivated.

Mr. Sato:"San-shaku bananas are smaller than regular banana trees, but they grow to more than 2m in height. Each tree has about 10 rows of clusters, and each row produces about 20 fruits."

This cute fruit is a passion fruit.

Mr. Sato: “Passion fruits are harvested after the fruits have naturally fallen. They have a sour and sweet taste, and even the seeds are edible. If you eat the fallen fruits right away, they have a sour taste, but if you let them ripen, they will become sweeter.”

These leaves are lemongrass. You can actually experience the scent of the leaves.

Mr. Sato: "Lemongrass is an herb that enjoys its flavor and aroma. It is mainly used in herbal tea. The leaves feel rough to the touch. When you tear off the leaves and rub them, you can smell the scent of lemon."

The one on the left side of the photo is the Ishigaki Sango papaya, and the one on the right is the Beni Tengu papaya.

Beni tengu papaya.

This is papaya. Two types of papaya are grown in the garden.
　
Mr. Sato:“The rounded shape is the Ishigaki Sango papaya, which is sweet and is used for sweets (raw food). The long, thin papayas are a variety called red tengu papaya, and when green papayas are used, they are mainly used for cooking (instead of vegetables). When ripe, the papayas have a mildly sweet flavor."

Aloe is the lizard's mansion! They didn't show up that day.

In addition to numerous fruits, the park is also home to lizards, frogs, insects, and other creatures. The tropical-like house, where you can see, touch, and experience these creatures, is sure to be fun for even the youngest children.

Mr. Sato (Banana Men), the deputy director of the park
Guide to picking bananas!

Next, Mr. Sato guided us through the banana picking experience.

Mr. Sato:"You can pick up the banana with your bare hands! Place your thumb at the base of the banana shaft, and attach your index finger on top. Hold the banana fruit with your remaining fingers. Then, snap off the stem and harvest the banana. This is an easy experience even for small children."

Sanshaku Banana is a cute palm size of about 15 cm.

Mr. Sato: “At Inazawa Fruit Garden, we are particular about picking the fruits when they are still green and letting them ripen in an environment of 13-30°C so that they can be eaten deliciously. I think it is difficult to ripen them at home during the winter season.

Cafe "Banananbou"
Introducing their recommended menu!

Cafe "Banananbou" menu

At the cafe Banananbou, you can enjoy sweets and drinks made with fruits from the Inazawa Fruit Garden. Here are some particularly recommended menu items.

Banana juice

Banana juice (700 yen)

Banana juice made with San-shaku bananas harvested in the garden. You can enjoy the original sweetness of bananas without using sugar. The point is that a little papaya is also included. This is the most popular menu at the cafe "Banananbou"! Very popular with children.

Banana waffle

Banana waffle (700 yen)

The dough is made from domestic flour and topped with fresh cream from Hokkaido and San-shaku bananas from the garden. All ingredients are additive-free. You can enjoy the sweet and rich banana in this waffle.

Passion waffle

The dough, also made of domestic flour, is topped with ice cream, fresh cream, and passion fruit jam from the garden. The sweet and sour passion fruit flavor will spread in your mouth. Please enjoy the texture of the seeds as well.

At Inazawa Fruit Garden, you can actually see, touch, and enjoy fruits in a tropical jungle. Please come and visit us.